Tim Roller of Whitetail Journey was gracious enough to answer a few questions for us to help you better prepare for next deer season. He is a very accomplished hunter and fisherman in the upper Midwest, so we wanted to know what his strategies are for this Fall.

Taylor: Nice to meet you Tim. You’re a very successful Whitetail hunter, so we want to know, how do you plan your hunts?

Tim: I’m fortunate in the fact that because I’ve been doing this for so long, as well as do all of my hunts on ground that I either lease or have permission on, nothing really changes for me from year to year. I’ve set myself up over the years on properties that I’m very familiar with and in locations that I know hold the animals I’m trying to take. Because of this, my hunts are planned out for me for the foreseeable future.

Taylor: What kind of conditions do you look for before you head out to hunt?

Tim: I look at a number of different factors before heading to a given location for a hunt. Obviously, I’m looking at what kind of weather I’m going to encounter. This includes prevailing winds, fronts (storms coming or going), temperatures (hot/cold), and precipitation (rain/snow). I also pay close attention to the moon phase and when the moon is rising/falling. I then tie these in with the current conditions on the ground I’m looking to hunt. Such as, are there still standing crops, is there other pressure on the ground, etc. and the dates I’m looking to hunt (pre-rut, rut, post-rut).

Taylor: What is your process for determining new stand locations before the season?

Tim: I determine new stand locations based on a couple of different things. First, there’s nothing better than personal observation of deer movements, either from scouting or while hunting. The other factor that’s detrimental to me in determining a new stand location is my Reconyx cameras. These are “extensions” of my eyes that are working a specific area for me 24/7.

Taylor: How do you determine which stand you will be hunting for a specific day?

Tim: The first thing I do when I wake up in the fall is check my weather apps. I’m looking at temps for the day, wind direction (hour by hour), and any precipitation chances. Once I have this information, I then pick my stand based on what stand fits best with those conditions.

Taylor: What do you do if the wind/weather changes to make a stand less than optimal?

Tim: I will immediately get down and change locations if the wind gets wrong for where I’m at. There is no quicker way to ruin a spot than hunting it in the wrong conditions. This is why it’s so crucial to have multiple stand options for multiple weather conditions.

Taylor: How do you enter/exit stands to avoid alerting deer?

Tim: Stand entry and exit routes are one of the most overlooked things when it comes to being successful. The right (or wrong!) entry/exit route to a stand can make the difference between being successful or not. I will not hang/hunt a stand that I cannot get into and out of without spooking game. In many cases, that means many of my stands are only hunted either mornings or evenings, based solely on what my entry/exit is.