The Best Stand I Ever Hunted | Bowhunting Whitetails w/ Bill Winke

I stumbled upon a stand location about 15 years ago that turned out to be pure dynamite. Since then I have tried many times to create more of this type of setup on my farm. These tiny little staging area food plots became the heart of my hunting strategy. Without a doubt, setting up one, or more, spots like this where you hunt will improve your hunting area and your season. The best part is that this can often be done even on farms that you only hunt on permission.

[@Johnbobon]

God bless you, Bill. Thanks for continuing to post your hunts on the tube. You're a glimpse of sanity and stability in an increasingly crazy world. I hope you stick a monster or two this season and you'll take us along for the ride right here.

[@brentbarnetthunting]

I know it's been said already by many, but so happy you are back on a regular basis, Bill. Haven't missed an episode.

[@joshny4766]

Straight and to the point! Great to have you back Bill. Hope you and Drew had a great trip.

[@bill-winke]

We had a great trip. Thanks Josh. Lots of fish, good weather, very few bugs and very few other people. In fact, we covered about 85 to 90 miles by canoe and portage and saw only two groups and that was very early in the trip. Man, more people need to get up there and enjoy that place. Quetico Park, southern Ontario.

[@joshny4766]

@@bill-winke It doesn't get much better than that! Glad to hear that. Comforting to know there is still "wild" ground out there.

[@paradisevalleyoutdoors7328]

In 2015 I bought an adjoining 40 acres parcel to my property! I knew it looked good as it had 4 ridgelines converging right at the middle of it! 2 years prior to us buying it they had done a cull logging removing all the junk trees and right where these ridges converged the logger had used as landing sight! 1 year after buying it I had a friend come in and clean that area out with a bobcat and turned it into a food plot, then two years ago I added a small run off pond on the downhill side of the plot! Entry and Exit is absolutely perfect with a north wind!! IT has become the "best stand I Have ever hunted" in very short time! I have let several great bucks go from here, missed a 180" buck in 2019, killed a 150" 4 yr old last year and just have had many great memories in this set up! I have about 30 tree stands up on my 260 acre farm but in all honesty only need this one with a north wind! 😂😂Speaking of the 30 stands, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this - can you put up TOO MANY stands in an area??? And as always, another great video!!! Thanks Bill!!!

[@unclemoe5733]

Enjoy Quetico, been there several times back in the early 80s. They wouldn't even let planes fly over it to protect its prestine nature. No trash anywhere, no noise polution. Just beautiful wilderness. Then we started doing fly ins in the White Otter Wilderness area. All great memories!!!

[@darwinnealjr409]

I look at you, wadell, Bill Jordan and couple others like people look at MJ, LeBron, and kobe....you've masters your craft and you pass it on for others to use....God bless you brother

[@bill-winke]

Thanks for the support Darwin. I really appreciate it.

[@paulshumate2904]

Loving all the New content Bill ,so glad to see you back it again .. Best of luck this season . Looking forward to the next episode.. God Bless

[@ronbonofiglio7654]

Love your content Bill! My wife and I loved the BWCAW and Quetico, so much that we bought a piece of property on the edge of Voyagers National Park within view of The Canadian Border. We've spent part of this summer there, also because of covid set back. Paradise!

[@kutschenreut]

Love to hear that you go to Quetico. That's a special place I can't wait to get back up there.

[@bill-winke]

It was a great trip. Not many people there. Hopefully that changes as the place needs visitors to give the Canadian government reasons to maintain it and keep in available.

[@sharethewildwithjimrichman]

So glad to see you on YT Bill! You're a fantastic teacher and I'm always picking something up from you. I just started my whitetail vlog for 2022, mainly because I saw your videos and really enjoyed them. Keep it up. Can't wait to see what is to come.

[@tsbotsbo4339]

It is amazing to have winke content again! I noticed you have a Winona canoe. Built them for 4 years until I moved back to Wisconsin. Those Kevlar and graphite models are pretty spectacular canoes. Lightweight is very handy to pack around.

[@bill-winke]

I love that canoe. Drew and I can really fly in it. It is the Minnesota II design - built for fast cruising (as you know). We zip along fully loaded at about 7 to miles per hour. When we get to the portages one person takes the canoe and a 25 to 30 pound pack and the other guy carries the heavier pack, paddles fishing poles and life jackets. We usually travel about four hours each day and fish the rest of the time and still easily make a 80 to 90 mile loop in 5 to 6 days.

[@alexpinnow6509]

Great video Bill and enjoy the fishing trip!

[@joshstirling2213]

Thanks Bill! We just got back from the BWCA on August 7th. Had an awesome time as always!

[@StevenSmith-7t391]

Here in Wisconsin bucks are chasing does again as of yesterday. Not seeing bucks in daylight food plots . Enjoy your content Bill. Good luck on the late hunt.

[@bill-winke]

Thanks Steven. I saw a little of "chasing" on my trail cameras from the past two weeks, but I still think that my best chance will come around the food. I just have to be patient. Good luck to you too.

[@h-minus2212]

Thank you for the insight on the honey hole you found/created. I have a similar spot that I discovered on some private land in Minnesota. It is vastly different in design but similar in that it produces nice bucks every year. Thanks again and good luck on your fishing trip.

[@richardbalser5674]

Another informative episode bill thank you se you again next week

[@wildcreekoutdoors]

Love seeing the videos again. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and passion. You have inspired me and many others.

[@bill-winke]

Thanks. I appreciate it and glad I can be of help to you. Have a great day.

[@danmartin9850]

Thanks Bill, love the content! Great episode!

[@bill-winke]

Thanks Dan. I appreciate it.

[@alecbrown6802]

I truly enjoy your videos bill. Thanks for the content

[@bill-winke]

Thanks Beach Bum. I really appreciate the support and the time you took to send me a comment.

[@Bowhunt_276]

Love getting notifications that you uploaded a new video 🤙🏻 always learn a ton from you!

[@bill-winke]

Thanks Steven. I appreciate the comment and the support.

[@Clake52]

That one acre plot would not have been the same without that row of cedar trees. Enjoy your time in Quetico. Best fishing experience of my life.

[@bill-winke]

Agreed Phil. Those cedars definitely isolate that spot. We had a great trip to Quetico. Fishing was great, weather was great, few bugs and very few (probably too few) people. You need to get back up there. It is awesome.

[@Clake52]

@@bill-winke Glad you had a great trip. We have talked about going back, but it has been just that, talk. We paddled in about 20 miles. Great to be in a place where there is nothing man-made.

[@mitchellgenz1373]

Awesome video Bill, have fun fishing.

[@bill-winke]

Thanks Mitchell. The fishing was awesome and the weather was great. Perfect trip.

[@barrymccaulkener8828]

Thanks for the info Bill and good to see you back. ~ Barry ~

[@bill-winke]

I appreciate it Barry. Have a great day.

[@HuntsT]

Good luck fishing Bill.

[@bill-winke]

We had a great trip. Lots of fish, good weather and very few bugs. One of our best trips up there ever.

[@HuntsT]

@@bill-winke that’s awesome!! Throw up some photos if you get a chance.

[@donaldbowling8620]

Have a great time. Be safe. 👊🏻

[@bill-winke]

Thanks. The fishing was great and we had a really nice time up there. Good weather, great fishing, few bugs and almost no other people. Was a dream trip, really.

[@derrickwarner9578]

Awesome. Those staging plots are money spots. I've been trying to get the Farner to let me do that in an area I hunt on private for years but they never give us an answer or don't respond at all. They work amazing though. Enjoy your trip, always great memories fishing with your kids and my two boys enjoy hunting and fishing as much as I do.

[@ericbowhunter]

Awesome spot for sure Bill! I watched all your buck kills from that spot. Great content man!

[@bill-winke]

Eric, it is a great spot. Sets up really well. It was like going to watch a good movie everytime we headed to that blind!

[@DavidGonzalez-ek3zh]

Fantastic as always. Catch some good fish! Canned there as a young teen in Scouts

[@bill-winke]

We had a great time, David. Thanks.

[@jarrodlambert3914]

Ur so knowledgeable its awsome learn alot from you

[@bill-winke]

Thanks Jarrod. I appreciate the support and hope you have a great day.

[@timkisch8015]

I always wondered why you didn't have a stand at the other end of that plot. Great explanation!!

[@paulcrave3112]

Love Bill.

[@gitriteoutdoors]

Good stuff!

[@johnnyjarrett8166]

I'm pretty sure that's my favorite tree stand too...

[@bill-winke]

We have killed or encountered tons of deer there. It was like going to watch a great movie every time we went to that blind.

[@ajstevens1037]

Can you adopt me ? 🤣 good luck on the fishing trip! Enjoy

[@bill-winke]

Thanks AJ. We had a great trip. Lots of fish and great weather.

[@dmatt2284]

We have a spot like that in MS. It’s a foodplot designed for Gun season. It looks like a fake gas line almost. It’s about 45 yards wide and 350 yards long and it’s positioned running North an South and catches deer going from one thick area to another thick area.Over the last 5-6 years since we have hunted it,there has been 2-3 mature bucks per season killed off of it.Probably the best stand I have ever seen in the south,we shoot zero does off of that stand.So the does have zero fear of it and I think that helps a ton

[@bill-winke]

Sounds like a great spot. If you are a bowhunter, you can divide that up into several smaller plots with brush between them and then you can vary which ones you hunt to keep pressure down. Having smaller plots will compress the patterns of the deer making it easier to bowhunt. Thanks for the input.

[@dmatt2284]

@@bill-winke yes sir Mr Bill,on each side of that main crossing big plot there are smaller staging plots situated for different winds. Those staging plots you speak off work so well when situated in a natural travel pattern area for deer like you talk about.If you know deer are moving towards a food source or you just know they are moving in a direction in general having that staging small plot area as a focal point is a game changer for sure

[@underdogoutdoors]

Every farm has one sweet spot.

[@bill-winke]

That was definitely the one!

[@charrheel3659]

Thank you so much Bill for making more videos. We love watching. I really thought you was going to say your best stand was "Death Ridge." Hahahaha 😆

[@bill-winke]

Death Ridge is probably worth discussing too. That was probably the best "ridge" stand I ever hunted.

[@charrheel3659]

@@bill-winke Sounds like you need to make a video on the death ridge stand. Hahaha! I loved the area and the actual tree that you hunted. In North Carolina it's mainly pine trees and large oaks like that are not that common. Thanks again for the great video!

[@charrheel3659]

@@bill-winke I just got a message saying that I was on a shortlisted set of winners. Is this a scam or legit?

[@CentralMississippiWhitetail]

Love this! 🙏

[@robertfmccarthy2360]

Aging us, I remember those episodes 😅

[@bill-winke]

I hear ya. That buck was from 2016. Have a great day.

[@JimBowSlice]

Dang bill living my dream I have that boundary waters trip on my bucket list. I am fortunate to live with in a hours drive of the Best walleye fishing in the world smack dab between lake Erie and Saginaw bay. But I'd go on that fishing trip over fishing here any day just for the experience

[@bill-winke]

The experience is topnotch. Given a choice, go across the border into the Quetico. Lots more paperwork and more expensive, but the fishing and remoteness are much greater on the Canadian side.

[@johnmoore3479]

Don’t worry about next week enjoy the time with your son

[@coreypaxton3546]

I remember seeing a moster buck DVD with you in it a long time ago you shot a buck and I think you called it kickers

[@bill-winke]

I used to be on there once in a while. It was always an honor to be featured on their DVD. Thanks for the comment.

[@kevinfowler6065]

Thank you

[@michaelschroeffel1459]

Safe travels Bill.

[@bill-winke]

Thanks Michael. I appreciate it. We had a really nice trip. Caught a lot of fish and the weather was great.

[@michaelschroeffel1459]

@@bill-winke Mr. Winke- do you have give aways for your viewers? I believe I am getting scammed. I am being told I won an RX-7 bow? Please respond. Thanks and have a great day

[@shawiniganbowhunter4625]

Thank you so much

[@bill-winke]

My pleasure. Thanks for supporting the channel. Have a great day.

[@northernforestwhitetail]

Good video bill. Well explained. I am doing something similar to this (staging area kill stand location) only i am using a water hole instead of food. Working so far!

[@richarddean3154]

This is the best stand that you every hunted. How does it differ from the stands where your five biggest bucks came from? What about your five biggest morning bucks? Thank you for the fine content. This older video appeared on my KZbin feed just today. Thanks again.

[@bill-winke]

Richard, I took one of my five biggest from that spot - at least I think he was in that group. Of my top five, three were from stands and two from blinds. My best morning stands are always back in the timber away from the field edges. I have had a few of them over the years. My favorite was one I called Death Ridge, for obvious reasons! Thanks for the support. Have a great day.

[@jasoncarll8073]

Wow, what a dream hunting farm Bill, must of been really hard to sell it ?

[@timbow50]

So awesome the boy is in a family with the ability to hunt great places. Selling a great property is something I would never do. I’ve got a couple places that are so fantastic for bow hunting and they will be passed on to my son. Gave up killing deer with a rifle 30+ years ago- zero challenge no real reward. Getting permission to hunt or put in a plot WILL NOT HAPPEN in north Texas.

[@bill-winke]

Tim, I realize the risk in selling, but I have been able to buy a new one that is closer to where I grew up and where my parents live. So I am excited about that. Thanks for the comment.

[@nicschaalma3508]

Bill. If you were going to plant a tree row to box in a field like that. What species of pine/spruce/cedar would you choose to plant ?

[@bill-winke]

I would be slow to plant autumn olive. Those invasives can be bad news if they get loose. I think I would use cedars and maybe hybrid willow to get a Jumpstart. But you have to tube the willow or the deer will eat it to the ground each year. Never letting it get started.

[@jlbowhunter]

Bill, great video and info. May I ask how big your staging food plot was?

[@bill-winke]

The food plot was one acre, but I think anything from roughly 1/4 acre up to an acre is good for bowhunting. Good luck.

[@jlbowhunter]

@@bill-winke Thanks Bill. My 10 year old son and I have been binge watching all your videos along with past MWW. We’re currently watching season 7 now every evening this week. We enjoy it a lot. He turkey hunts but is now interested in bow hunting. 👍🏻

[@billyedwards5716]

Still a huge fan, but MWW isn't the same Bill!

[@jessecornell8167]

Hey Bill, how in the world was there still beans left on that 1acre plot you mentioned from 09. Just curious. I know you have way more deer then me but that's the main reason I haven't planted beans in my 1 acre plot is that I figured they would be gone by mid October.

[@bill-winke]

Jesse, I think early on the deer just hadn't found it and the soil was very good and the beans outgrew them. Then over the years they did hammer it pretty hard. Some years I planted it to corn and fenced it with an electric fence. That worked really well. I think I fenced it one year with beans too and that also worked well. Take the fence down shortly before you plan to start hunting so the deer do have some time to get used to feeding there again.

[@Johnbobon]

8:05 Think of the irony of this border crossing versus the southern border. Pure insanity. 🤯

[@christophersmith5868]

Bill - Had my hopes up for a particular stand. My buck came in at dark. Too late to shoot. Wasn't sure how to get out without spooking him badly. Shined flash light at him until he slowly & grudgingly walked away. Got out as fast as possible without creating excessive noise. I have a cam running there. How long do you think it will take for this spot to heal? I suppose my camera will give me the answer in time.

[@bill-winke]

Christopher, you might be OK on that one. I doubt you spooked him bad that way, but as I will talk about in the episode I am releasing tomorrow, anytime you give them a reason to suspect your tree or blind, you make them a bit harder to kill (if not outright unkillable from that spot). How long he stays away depends on the size of the scare. In this case, as I mentioned, if he didn't pick up on you actually leaving (which he might have), he should be back soon. Good luck.

[@jrwstl02]

hey Christopher, A great way to get out of a situation like the one you describe is with a vehicle. If you can manage it, have someone pre-arranged to pick you up at dark. A 4-wheeler, Side by Side, or pick-up with headlights on will move the deer off and distract so you can get out clean. Even if you have to call a friend to come get you, sitting after dark and waiting for a ride will get you out clean without doing any permanent damage as far as alerting mature bucks.

[@JeffreyR]

With Wind blowing into the big ag behind you, are you less concerned of getting winded by deer that make it there before dark? Thanks!

[@bill-winke]

Yes, but I don't have a better place to blow our scent and I don't want to bring a blind up there even though I know that would be better for Jordan. I want to hunt it from a tree stand for now. I am sure some deer will catch our scent, but since Jordan is not picky, they will have to get past us without a shot first! Good luck.

[@JeffreyR]

@@bill-winke First off, Stoked that the Bill Winke just replied to me. Its an cool feeling when someone you learn from actually takes the time to acknowledge and answer questions. Second, Thanks for the advice. I am always worried about big ag field deer ruining a hunt.Thanks, Jeffrey

[@erisman20]

What’s your favorite thing to plant in the staging plots, Bill?

[@bill-winke]

I think soybeans if the plot is big enough (at least an acre), otherwise a rotation of brassicas and clover. If the deer density is high, you will have to electric fence the beans in plots of an acre or smaller if you want them to survive until fall, but the clover and brassicas can take a certain amount of browsing/grazing pressure and still keep growing.

[@QCutube]

I want a canoe (hunt/fish) video pls

[@g-man2228]

Soooo, the guy that bought the farm, is a hunter right?!? 😁

[@bill-winke]

Oh, yea. He and his family have taken some nice bucks there since 2000 when I sold it to them.

[@Owl4909]

great advice on stand location, dont let them know your hunting them. Thats why u kill them like u do

[@bill-winke]

Yes, the number one rule in shooting deer is that they are super hard to kill if they know they are being hunted.

[@amjorgy1]

Where can I get a shirt like yours?

[@bill-winke]

That is a Hoyt shirt I got several years ago. I am not sure if they still offer that one. You can check Hoyt.com to see if they still have them in stock.

[@bowhunter9655]

Did your brother in law have any luck last fall?

[@bill-winke]

He did. He shot a doe with his bow and is really looking forward to hunting again this fall. He has access to private land that I am sure he has no idea how good it is. I would be proud to hunt it and he kind of stumbled on it. If he can be patient, he will definitely get a buck this year.