Need some advice

[jwhawkridge]

Hey everyone - I'm planning on hitting the ol' stand pretty hard this weekend. It's been a long season since mid October, I haven't even a deer in the field since then! This is my first bow season and if anyone's got any late season tips for bagging one they would be much appreciated! I'm planning on hunting private land - the edge of a cut alfalfa field in a little track of woods (bout 75 yards wide) with grasslands on the other side - there might be a scrape that's being freshened up, 2nd rut and all. Beuller? Beuller? Beuller?

[96trigger]

If there isn't much snow, the alfalfa field may still be good. You will know when you go out there. If there is good sign, you might be in the money. If not, it probably doesn't look good for you.

Right now, I think a lot of deer are congregated together. They will move in small groups. Also, the deer are really nocturnal right now. If the sign is good in your area, sit until after dark. don't move, the deer seem to be moving right at last light.

Right now, I'm focused on finding where the deer are. They may prefer one food source right now over another. If you can find that food source, I think you will be sitting good. I think that the early fall pattern of deer wandering around is pretty much over. After the firearm season, they tend to go from food to bed and thats about it.

[Meat-Run]

Well if its me I would look for fresh tracks as its snowing today and then figure out your plan after you can find some fresh sign. They're not in there October patterns so I think you might be starting all over again unless you know that this has been a good late season spot then sit it out but as most can contest the deer are really illusive these past few weeks.

mr

[Wanderer]

This is basically a summary of what Trigger and Meat-Run said, but take the time to look for the freshest sign entering/exiting the food and move your stand if you have to.

If you have access to where they're bedding, set up as close as you safely can with the wind in your favor.

I prefer hunting closer to the bedding this late vs. the food for the fact that they really like the cover of dark right now.

They'll go to bed early and get up late.

It is colder now, yes, but not so cold they HAVE to get up and eat longer.

Good luck!

[Jim Uran]

Agreed, I always end up moving my stand closer to the bedding area this time of year, most times they like to move LATE!!!

[Wanderer]

JW,

How'd the weekend turn out?

[jwhawkridge]

Well, other than a coyote at 50 yards (it moved before I could even think about shooting) not a thing. I hit two stands on private land, each by that alfalfa field and one is by a spot where I know they bed. I did some tracking Sat. morning and only found one deer trail (since the snow) with no scat. There were TONS of 'yote trails. Yesterday afternoon I went to a WMA, found some good trails and little fresh scat (again, since the snow) but didn't see a singe one (this is a spot a saw 9 deer in two days earlier in the season). Froze my butt off Sun. morning, going to be putting heavier clothes from here on out. Switching it up this weekend and heading down to Fairbault county, see if I can stick one down there....

[Archerysniper]

The bucks I have been seeing have been a half to full mile from the food source they are useing and exept for last night they have not been leaving thier beds till 4:30 and on the cameras they are heading into the beding area at 5:00am

[Wanderer]

With this weather moving in, the bold will see it as a prime opportunity to do some still hunting in the bedding areas.

[vister]

did just that this morning. all i got was cold! saw a few sets of does with fawns bedded in the grassy parts of their bedrooms, but no mr. right! my cameras are telling me that i need a spot light to shoot a buck this time of the year. and i need to be on stand from 11:30 pm to 2 am. but they are not pictures of bucks i've seen all year. they are all different bucks out cruisin

[riverrat63]

when its this cold i would be hunting any green fields that wernt cut this fall and cut corn fields the beding areas wont be that great thows deer will start beding were ever thay can get the most sun light in the safest place.