Is Blind/Tree Stand Hunting Ideal?

[Vane]

Is this method ideal for hunting whitetail deers? Can you suggest any map/spots? Do I setup a tent right next to the blind/tree stand?

[Nightwalker]

Use of the portable tripods, blinds and tree stands in this game work well provided you put them in the right place. When you fast travel to or from anywhere you make a lot of noise. More than enough to spook animals within 150 meters. For this reason it's not a good idea to put your tent next to the the position you intend to hunt from. Spooked animals may or may not return to a need zone within 15 min of game time. If you intend to travel to a tent about 30 min before you expect animals to appear near or in a need zone then you might be okay putting your tent closer to your stand/blind etc... but I hunt every need zone like it's going to have a monster in it that I don't want to spook off so I operate with the "better safe than sorry" mode when I place tents.

Suggested places: Pinch points, water crossings, spots that overlook need zones, high animal traffic areas are your best bets. Looking around the areas surrounding water sources is a good way to find need zones. Some may be 100 meters away from the actual water so scout those areas well. Whenever I discover animals feeding or drinking I note the wind direction and try to identify places I could put a stand or blind that I could use on another day. It's not just about setting one up in a place that would give you a good shot opportunity. It's about setting one up in a place like that which you can get to without disturbing the animals that might be using the zone.

[Mr. Ed]

I wouldn't play without them.

[Vane]

Thank you again for the thorough answer. I am learning a lot from your advice. In other words, I should setup a tent least 150m away from a blind/tree stand, spawn into tent, then I walk to the blind/tree stand and camp for a few minutes?

[jjs82x]

Originally posted by ℤ︎∀︎ℿ︎⍕︎₠:

Is this method ideal for hunting whitetail deers?

Well, I enjoy it more, but I have to admit that I've taken more whitetail as a stalker than as an ambusher.

Originally posted by ℤ︎∀︎ℿ︎⍕︎₠:

Can you suggest any map/spots? Do I setup a tent right next to the blind/tree stand?

Agreed with everything Nightwalker said on this subject.

I have found many whitetail while hunting along the river/lake which runs NE from High Lake, especially (for me) on the east bank, then on past the Calburn Outpost, clean up to that lookout post. Some have said plenty of whitetail beyond that observation tower, but I haven't been that far yet. I did take about six whitetail and an Elk, on the east bank and while climbing the trail, between the Calburn outpost and that observation tower, just yesterday.

If you look carefully, there is a fish-shaped island at the east end of High Lake (close to dead center of the LL map). Looks like a fish on the map, but is connected by marsh. It is a choke point. Lots of whitetail, moose, elk, blacktail, and other critter traveling through there at almost every hour of the day or night. A tent/tripod duo set up there will repay you many times over for the $32,000 in-game spent, as long as you watch your hunting pressure..

Originally posted by ℤ︎∀︎ℿ︎⍕︎₠:

Do I setup a tent right next to the blind/tree stand?

Agreed with everything Nightwalker said on this subject, if you are hunting skittish species and/or diamonds.

I plan it out and almost always fast travel to a zone before it becomes active. But for some species (like Red Deer, Roe Deer, Fallow Deer, Blacktail, Boar, and Bison) I can spook them over and over again (once in the zone) and rely on them to come back to their need zone within a few minutes.

Unless my tent is servicing two or more separated tripods/blind/stands, I set up my tent within 20 meters of my tripod (if I can). But I have my stand closer to where I expect the animals to be, because some animals seem leery of the tent. And, again, I travel to the zone before it becomes active.

That said, I would classify whitetail as skittish. Not much data on them, as I have not yet taken one quarter as many of them as I have Boar, Red Deer, Roe Deer, Fallow, Blacktail, or Bison. But, that whitetail hunting spree I told you about? One of the reasons I got so many was that I encountered one herd at the hunting stand on the trail up to that observation tower I mentioned. I had just walked (actually fast crouch, which is my standard travel mode) up to the UNBUILT stand (which is pretty much on the trail), and there was a herd of five, downhill at the large pond. I shot a buck, about 200 meters away. The rest of the herd ran; but, to my amazement, only for about 30 meters, then turned around and came back. I shot another buck, and the same thing happened. Rinse and repeat for two more (does). I generated lots of hunting pressure, with no tripod. So a tripod at that hunting stand location would have been ideal.

Then I got into two more coveys of whitetail between that hunting stand and the observation tower. I should have seven or eight whitetail kills, total, to show for that short trip, but I choked on my encounter with the last herd.

[Vane]

Thank jjs for the thorough answer as well! I will have to check out the area that you mentioned. Speaking of hunting pressure, where your map turns purple, what exactly does it do?

[jjs82x]

Originally posted by ℤ︎∀︎ℿ︎⍕︎₠:

... Speaking of hunting pressure, where your map turns purple, what exactly does it do?

More than 3 kills from ground will make the herd move their need zone. If you shoot from a tripod or similar then pressure is reduced by a factor of four, so you can make 12 kills before the herd moves their need zone. Reduce hunting pressure by hunting elsewhere.

Hunting pressure collects if you land a shot and the animal dies, regardless of whether or not you were successful in harvesting it.

[Vane]

Interesting! I am learning alot! Thank you!