Moving to corn......

[MUSKY18]

Went out on a scouting trip last week. I have a chunk of oak woods that I like to hunt in the fall when other land gets too crowded. It is only 200 acres, and has corn fields on the North, West and East. To the south is more woods. On my way home from Ripley last week, I drove past it and all the corn was still standing. Went out there the next day and one of the corn fields had been picked. Not chopped, but picked with combine. From what I could see on the field, looked to be corn laying on the ground that the combine left behind. So.......will the deer leave the acorns to hit the picked corn now or will they continue on the acorns until they have eaten them all and then hit the corn?

[Bear55]

Good question, I don't know the answer but if you can hit this area just before dark and see if the deer are feeding in the field I would do that. The does should be able to tell you what the preferred food source is.

[96trigger]

In my opinion, nothing attracts deer faster than freshly picked corn field. Just before dusk you will find deer grazing in those fields. Acorns might be better during the day.

[sticknstring]

I think as long as the fields are green (alfalfa) and beans are still around, they'll probably hit those high proteins first. As we start to get colder, they'll probably transition to acorns/corn as they're loaded with carbs & and get them ready for winter. Usually a picked corn field is a magnet with all critters. And usually they get plowed up pretty fast, often the same day. I'd at least put in an evening scouting, with your bow of course!

[deerminator]

About half the corn on the farm I hunt was picked sometime this week. Typically the farmers who lease the land pick it and leave it, pressure seeding over it with beans the next Spring. That's the best kind of picked corn field. Unfortunately, I can't get out much until the end of next week to hunt it but it hopefully will stay good til next week and then primetime is just around the corner regardless of food sources!

[deerminator]

I can't get out tonight. Watching the kids and family time. But I did set up another blind along the cover bordering a picked cornfield. A decent amount of kernels in the dirt here and there and the farmer says he's seen more movement across the field at dawn and dusk since picking last week. Good luck guys. Here's my latest set. I've got some faint trails through heavy brush about 15-20 yards to the right (hopefully big boy's discreet travel route) and well worn trails a slight bit further down. Some tracks in the field out in front of the blind too. Hope to get out one night this weekend and more starting the weekend after through gun season. I know I could have brushed it in a bit better but this is pretty good and the deer in farm country seem to get used to haybales and machinery sitting alongside the fields.

[HunterLee]

My best action has been over and around corn as of late, all beans have been cut and most plowed here, corn is getting cut and most getting plowed to.

[deerminator]

So thankfully the farmer who leases the land I hunt just picks and doesn't plow under per the picture. He pressure seeds beans the next year. My neighbor who owns the land said the farmer's not only conservation-minded but realizes it's better for the soil with this method and crop rotation. Plus he thought it would expend less time, energy and $$$ this way. And that make sense but I wonder why more farmers don't do this if they're rotating crops? Will have to ask the farmer the next time I see him. Can't find much on the internet but maybe its a matter of specialized equipment needed for the alternative seeding method. In any case, good for deer hunters this way too! I have to go late season this year, almost all the corn is on this property with the surrounding land being beanfields that have been plowed under.

[RumRiverRat]

No till farming is catching on.

You need soil that can handle it though.

My wife's uncle farms near Plum City WI and is 100% no till.

Also need to watch how much driving you do in the field during planting and harvesting.

They do something called Knifing the soil to reduce compaction. Picture steel knives about 3 to 4 foot long that get plunged into the soil and pulled through it by a tractor.