New hunter with own land

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Hey folks. I am new to deer hunting, but have really been doing my homework over the past year. I have a few dozen acres up north in Maine with a pond in an open field and a dense swamp. I have had trail cams up for a couple months now and know there is great activity at the pond (which is surrounded by falling acorns, clover and high grass I did not cut for a sheltered bedding area. It has become kind of a deer oasis).

I have noticed on the days I am there they do not come around. I am assuming they know I am there by my scent and activity at the cabin.

My question is this. I am heading up there this weekend with the intention of placing a ladder stand up so I can hunt the following Thur-Fri-Sat. Does anyone think placing the stand there only a week in advance will scare off the bucks? If so, what would you do? How would you hunt this land or how far away from the pond would you place the stand assuming I could get at least 100yds or more away and still have a clear rifle shot.

Advice much appreciated.
 
A week advance for getting your stand is good to go. Have you plotted the number of deer and the times at each camera? That should give you an idea on the movement patterns and what times they are moving.
 
A week advance for getting your stand is good to go. Have you plotted the number of deer and the times at each camera? That should give you an idea on the movement patterns and what times they are moving.

Good question. The simple answer is the does show up at all hours and inconsistently, both day and night and most days of the week. It's almost like home for them. There are so many trails in i don't have a camera for them all.

There seem to be two different bucks that have come by in the early am, but not every day or at least not in camera range if more often. One time a week went by where not one buck shows up on camera. This is the challenge and luck of timing for me I suppose. I am thinking of using estrus scent to improve my chances.
 
Pick the most active camera, make sure you're in your stand long before sunrise, be quiet and listen. With a few days of hunting you're probably going to zap one.
 
Any rubs or scrapes around? I have a lot of deer activity here on my property, but very little buck sign.
 
Any rubs or scrapes around? I have a lot of deer activity here on my property, but very little buck sign.

a couple rubs deeper in the treeline about 2 weeks ago. I will find out this weekend if anything out closer in the open. The only evidence of bucks other than that are the pics at the pond[grin]

The does have been extremely non-chalant about my activity at times. This summer, 3 of them crossed the field about 50 feet from me while I cut the field looking at me like another part of the land. Last year, they just sat by the pond mid-day while I drove the tractor within 25 feet of them. I was floored at thier attitude. Never saw a buck except in pics.

A Moose has also walked within 50 feet of the Cabin while I BBQed. One night unprovoked, I looked out the window in the back door and a Coyote stared back at me just 4 feet away.

It was the Coyote experience that prompted me to take the hunting course and make use of the M&P 15. [mg]

Active place.
 
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