I read about this a lot, but was wondering if you guys could define what a pinch point is, so I can look for it when scouting. I am sure there are different meanings of this term depending on who you ask, but I want to hear what you think defines a pinch point.

Thanks

My understanding is that it is the open, travel space of animals (deer preferably) between heavier brushy cover, usually 2 or more sides of brushy cover.

I think of it as a place where the deer are almost forced to travel. Like an opening between a deep creek and heavy brush. Almost always involves a variety of types of cover.

Or the point at which holding in a fart becomes impossible

the proper placement of Mr Spock's Vulcan death grip?

Come on opening weekend. This talk about Pinch points...Alright,Here's my take. A pinch point is anywhere a deer is forced to go, be it a saddle between two ridges,a field edge where the woods narrow. Any kind of natural trail that a deer would just normally go to. Of course,just when you think that you have them figured out, they avoid the pinch points.

Pretty much.

I nearly snotted coke all over my keyboard....

snotted or snorted...... sorry jus how i red it at first lmao

I suspect many hunters think of pinch points and funnels as being one in the same, and there's really no problem in doing so. In both cases, we're talking about ground features that "encourage" deer to take a certain path when moving from one area to the next. Or, another way of looking at it, a "pinch point" is something that can "funnel" deer movement to specific area where you're very likely to see them.

The image below is one that I just grabbed at random to serve as an example. Being prey animals, deer prefer to travel under or near cover rather than leaving themselves exposed for more lengthy periods to the eyes of predators. When you're a prey animal, it's all about survival. For this reason, deer will often choose to move between areas of cover at "points" that offer the shortest routes without cover. And even when cover is limited, such as along a grown-up fence line that crosses a pasture, you can bet that's the route they will prefer to take to cross between areas of thick cover that exist on either side of that pasture.

There are many other examples that I'm sure others will share.

Obviously, satellite technology is of great benefit to hunters today. In just a few minutes, you can identify funnels and pinch points that might have taken hunters in the past, a season or two to locate.

Now here's an example of what might be considered a true "pinch point". For the same reasons of cover described earlier, deer will prefer to "corner" around a pasture, the same as you might do when going around some obstacle. Not wanting to venture across the open pasture but also being the "lazy" creature they are, they'll take a corner route to reach some food source or other attraction that's in that area.

The "fun" aspect of locating pinch points and funnels is how you usually find a heavily used trail exactly where you expect it. Of course, let's not forget the fun in being the only one late in the season who has a deer on the meat pole, while all the feeder watchers have come up empty handed.

Which brings me to one final point. When you locate a good funnel or pinch point, for God's sake don't throw up a feeder. The old saying that "less is more" definitely applies here. If deer are using the route, don't go and screw up a good thing by adding something that an old buck will easily recognize as just another obstacle.