Which area to hunt? Advice Please

[ronmc1954]

Hi everybody, I am new to the forum but not to hunting. I am scouting around for the muzzleloader season in NE Nebraska (Dec).
I have 2 very nice places to hunt when the time comes.
Place 1: This area has steep bluffs, ravines and heavily wooded areas. It also has an artezion well that seems to warm up the hollow where it is located, to the point of taking off a layer of clothes. In this area there is tons of signs, scrapes, rubs, tracks and scat. Signs that say there are lots of deer present.
Place 2: Also hills and ravines it does have easier acess a couple of private farming roads and it seems to be a place where the deer travel through to feed and bed. I do think in comparing these two spots, #2 has more acess to food, corn and bean fields. Plus a river that is only about 300yds away. I got a nice six point buck here last year on the second trip there. Not quite as much sign though.
Since I will be hunting AFTER the rut #2 might be the better choice, but the seemingly large number of deer in place #1 also looks good. I would say the rut will be 2 to 3 weeks before this season starts.
What are your thoughts?
Here are a couple of pic: Spot 1 arrow is the artesion well:


Spot 2 Arrow is location of the buck I shot last year. And the river is at the top of the pic.

Thanks for any advice you want to share.
Ron

[dcamacho13]

Now I am only in my third year of hunting, but I feel like #2 would be a better spot. It sounds like you have everything you need to be successful: access to food and water (plus deer naturally follow waterways), bedding, protection from the elements and an area where the deer funnel into. It also looks like you have a few man-made paths already near you, and I am a firm believer of the "path of least resistance" theory. If you are hunting after the rut, think of it this way: the deer are no longer focusing on breeding, but surviving the winter. They will go back to foraging for food since the deer, especially the bucks, start to lose body weight due to the stress of rutting activity. Try and hunt where they are traveling from bedding to feeding grounds, and vice-versa. I hope this helps, and good luck.

[ronmc1954]

Thanks for the responce dcamacho13; I have to agree about spot 2, it's not as big and it definatly is a funnel area and a proven spot. Here's a larger view of spot 2:


Back to spot 1; it is a much larger area with not much access. According to the owner hunters have gotten turned around in there and spent the day trying to find their car. But it always has been a place I would like to try. Not much hunting pressure and lots of signs.
I am headed there this weekend to scout it out to see if I can find some well traveled trails. The owner mounted camera's in both areas and has got "a computer full of pictures" his words not mine. I think he even got a pic of a 10 pointer.
I will be the only hunter in both areas for blackpowder season which is 2 weeks after rifle. I am getting pretty excited about this season; I can't wait!!!
Here's a larger pic of spot 1:


Again thanks for your thoughts. I will keep the forum posted.
Ron