Power Lines

Deerman

Senior Member
Anybody have any luck hunting power lines? If so what time of day have you seen the most deer or killed your biggest deer. For me i have seen the most between 7:30am and 9:30am. After the fist couple of weeks i dont think many mature buck cross power lines in daylight hours. Tell me what has been your experience with hunting power lines. ::gone:
 
H

HT2

Guest
Deerman.....

I've only hunted powerlines a few times, but it seems the times that I did, it's like you said....

Only does and young bucks were there.....

I think the Mature Bucks are a little more wiser when it comes to them wide open spaces......

But, I have heard of people takin' them there......Maybe that's when the "RUT" was on and they weren't thinkin' correctly..... ;) ::huh:
 

Buford_Dawg

Senior Member
Deerman

We had a small 140 acre tract of land in Oglethorpe county (lost it last year :mad: , anyway, it had a power line that we planted foodplots on. We regularly saw and took many deer from this power line over the years. It was our most productive stand and several large bucks were taken over it, ususally very early in the AM or right at dark in the PM. I missed the largest buck of my life one morning at daybreak on this powerline, still makes me sick to think about it. During the RUT, I always believe the best place to be was on this powerline right of way as we regularly saw bucks chasing does across it. Get you a good Tripod or Hut or ladder stand and place on several good crossings and get ready for some nice action, also be able to shoot 100-300 yards as you will get long shots at times.
 

AgE

Senior Member
I hunted a power line for the first time last year. Almost all of the deer I saw from this stand were in the afternoon, from 3:00 until dark. I did see a ton of does and small bucks, but I also passed on some good'uns. On Sunday afternoon of opening weekend last year a mature 10 pointer crossed the power line about 250 yards out, but I couldn't get a steady enough rest to take the shot.

When do deer cross power lines? I think that all depends on your area and what the circumstances are. The deer were crossing our power line last year to get to a food plot and several large water oaks that were producing. They had to cross the power line to move between bed and feed.

As far as hunting power lines, if it has not been mowed by the power company in a year or two your hunt will be very intense. It takes a lot of concentration to spot a deer trying to sneak across a power line. Here are a couple of pointers from my experiences last year:

1. Wear sunglasses - hunting a power line is like sitting on a dove field.

2. If the power line has not been mowed, leave the binoculars in the truck. If you spot movement with your eyes it is much better to find the deer in your scope than the binoculars - you might not have another opportunity.

3. If you catch movement in the power line and loose it, start looking to the edges in the direction the deer was headed. Most of the time the deer seem to stop before going in the woods.

4. Conceal your movement. A stand on the edge of a power line doesn't offer much natural cover, so the deer can spot your movement from a mile away. Since last year, I have replaced my lock on stand with a permanent built stand wrapped in camo.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

AgE
 
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dbodkin

Senior Member
Works for me.... :cool: Gas line, power line, pipe line....
 

horsecreek

Senior Member
I have had great luck on a narrow powerline (15ft wide) planted in oats ect..
 

rip18

Senior Member
I've had pretty good luck hunting powerlines. I like to be on a big, mowed powerline during when bucks are chasing does.

Deer cross powerlines. The do it more under cover of darkness when hunting pressure is high. There are typically places that deer like to cross powerlines more than others (kinda like a stream crossing).

Once you located a good crossing, you can manipulate it to make it better. Judicious mowing or planting of food plots on one or both sides of the crossing to leave a v-shaped funnel that is easier to see through can make the crossing easier to monitor and, as long as it is not over-hunted, more productive.

Just my thoughts...
 

Thunder

Senior Member
Personally, I love hunting power lines, and gas lines that are planted. Mainly does and small bucks are the ones that linger around. The big boys will cross, but they do not slow down for a bite.......the ones I have seen are moving fast and low to the ground. The exception is during the rut, and even then it will not be till right at dark or early. Normally I will set up on the side where I think (or know) where one crosses, get the gun ready right at daylight and wait. No time to be looking both ways, quick shot in most cases.... :shoot:

Just my experience.
 

Handgunner

Senior Member
If the power line has not been mowed, leave the binoculars in the truck. If you spot movement with your eyes it is much better to find the deer in your scope than the binoculars - you might not have another opportunity.

All good advice, except that. Never use your scope for a pair of binoculars... no matter what time frame you're working with. :)

I've had tremendous success on powerline rights of way. I like seeing as far as I can.. Especially during the rut. At any time of day the buck of a lifetime can come trotting across one on the trail of a doe.

I look at a lot of my hunting like this... The more I can see, the better. Having said that, I will sit up as close to the feeding area/bedding area or trail leading to and from as possible. But during the rut, I want to see everything I can... You never know when the boy will show, but he will show. The idea is just being there, and putting in your time.
 

nevamiss270

GONetwork Member
I killed my first deer out of a stand on a powerline - I like hunting them but only when they are cut or not very high. Just found out that the power company will not be cutting ours anymore b/c it was deemed "too dangerous for the tractors" They've done it fine all these other years - why stop? My dad saw a huge 10 pt and a do cross a powerline at 12 noon. They came up w/in 50 yards until my dads radio beeped (i always turn mine off) and they took off. Many good deer have been taken from our powerline
 

reylamb

Senior Member
Before the 4 wheelers overtook the powerlines on our property we saw a ton of deer crossing the lines, but only in the morning, next to nothing in the evenings. I think powerlines are great places to hunt, but they can also be very boring. I do not get much enjoyment out of sitting and watching a field all day, and power lines are very similar in that sense.
 

livetohunt

Senior Member
I have had good luck hunting powerlines during the rut. A few years ago, I hunted a pipeline right on the Flint River, and saw alot of small bucks and does. The mature bucks would run across the pipeline or sneak across in a low area where a creek ran through. I saw several mature bucks walk in the creek all the way across the pipeline staying safe. I also saw mature bucks cut does off to restrict them from entering the pipeline. If you hunt these stands, be prepared for quick shots, and eye strain. They are fun to hunt!!
 

sportsman94

Senior Member
Last Friday i killed two on a power line at 8:50am. The Friday before that I killed one around 6:00pm on the power lines. Haven't seen any bucks out there this season
 
Is it legal to hunt powerlines? While flipping through the DNR book of yearly regulations I read that written permision is required, and that hunting on these tracts could even be considered tresspassing. Did I misread something?
 

across the river

Senior Member
Is it legal to hunt powerlines? While flipping through the DNR book of yearly regulations I read that written permision is required, and that hunting on these tracts could even be considered tresspassing. Did I misread something?

Written permission is required on any tract you hunt that isn't yours. In 99% of the cases the power company does not own the land the power line is on, only the polls, lines etc... You can hunt any power line on your property, you just can't climb up the power pole with a climbing stand. If you don't have permission to hunt a place it doesn't matter if there is a power line on it or not. As far as what time to hunt a power line, success hunting a power line, etc..., it really depends more on the land around the power line than anything else.
 

4x4

Senior Member
This is the first year I have had a powerline to hunt, and usually see deer every time i have been. My nephew shot his first deer there this past weekend, and 4 weeks ago I encountered a massive buck chasing does across the powerline, all action before 10am.
 

HawgWild23

Senior Member
I have been hunting a piece of land for the past 7 years the 1st couple years I hunted in the hard woods. When my son started hunting with me we started hunting the power lines easier walk. We seen deer form day light till 8:30 or 9. Every blue moon we see one in the afternoon. And only seeing does and small bucks. This year we have only seen 3 deer cross the power lines a doe a spike that he shot (his 1ST deer) and I shot a missed a good buck all were right at dark. We have not seen a deer in the morning or mid day all year.
 
Written permission is required on any tract you hunt that isn't yours. In 99% of the cases the power company does not own the land the power line is on, only the polls, lines etc... You can hunt any power line on your property, you just can't climb up the power pole with a climbing stand. If you don't have permission to hunt a place it doesn't matter if there is a power line on it or not. As far as what time to hunt a power line, success hunting a power line, etc..., it really depends more on the land around the power line than anything else.

Ah, I understand now. I did misread something! Thanks.:yummy:
 
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