Late season advice

[eyedr]

I got permission for a 150 acre piece of property in a really good area. I have very limited experience in late season hunting. Its a fully wooded plot with some grass land in the middle. Its surrounded by woods on all sides as well. The owner said they shot a couple during bow season and then a couple more during the slug season. I know its been hunted pretty hard. Am I wasting my time sitting out there? No one else will be out there besides me the rest of the season. Any advice would be fantastic. Thanks.

[SmellEsox]

If I were hunting late season, I'd want to be near a corn or soybean food source. With this cold deer will hit those areas hard. The question will be will they come to the field during daylight hours. If you are not close to a good food source, it could be very lonely in the woods.

[DonBo]

I disagree. If there's any thick areas in there, it could be a great bedding area, especially after gun season when they may look to those thickets for sanctuary. They may well travel quite a distance for those agriculture food sources, but will be near bedding areas more often during legal light.

I'm assuming there's snow in there right now, go check it out.

Just beware. They are uber spooky after gun season. Hunt smart, play the wind.

[Bear55]

The only way to know is to get out there, like mentioned above a good bedding area or food source nearby will make the property better but even if things don't look good it's worth a shot. maybe wait until a storm moves in because that will get the deer moving no matter what. Sometimes right after a storm is a good time to be out as well.

[eyedr]

Im going out tomorrow with my gps. I have only seen the property from google earth so its hard for me to know where the good bedding areas are. The landowner said he sees "way too many" in the winter so I'm hopeful. I wont actually be hunting it until thanksgiving weekend so it will hopefully give them a little time to settle down some. thanks for the advice! Will rattling still work this late in the season? Any attractants?

[96trigger]

As soon as the snow fell, I changed to food source hunting.

[Hoyt4]

Colder the better they have to be on there feet and moving more and eating more during day light. I really like late season bow or Muzzy hunting sure fun because most people sally up and sit on the couch. Even public land will be good.

If you have camera's put them out so you know you should hunt or make sure the deer are using the land. we have one place we hunt the deer stop using after gun the snow does not lie no tracks or pictures they just move on to a better food area and bedding area.

[eyedr]

Well I went out to check things out today. Such a cool piece of property with hills and meadows. There were a lot of tracks but not a ton of heavily used deer trails. I did find one "trail" that had some heavier use and it was located close to a permanent stand they have set up already. It is in a wooded area between two large cattail sloughs so if the wind is right I may just go out and set up out there. The problem is the trail is on the SE side of the tree and with winds NW most of the time I'm not sure if they will wind me before I can get a shot. How late in the year do guys drag a rag with doe in estrus pee on? Would thanksgiving weekend be too late?

[InTheNorthwoods]

Well I went out to check things out today. Such a cool piece of property with hills and meadows. There were a lot of tracks but not a ton of heavily used deer trails. I did find one "trail" that had some heavier use and it was located close to a permanent stand they have set up already. It is in a wooded area between two large cattail sloughs so if the wind is right I may just go out and set up out there. The problem is the trail is on the SE side of the tree and with winds NW most of the time I'm not sure if they will wind me before I can get a shot. How late in the year do guys drag a rag with doe in estrus pee on? Would thanksgiving weekend be too late?

No, Thanksgiving weekend is not too late. Bucks will be interested in hot does the rest of the open season. I think lots of people inherently think that because gun hunting is over, the best time to hunt (or hunting "the rut") is over. Many bucks will be in the seeking phase again during that time period. The problem is that said behavior is often overnight or not observed due to the pressure that has been put on these deer during the rut, and they are now very cautious. Any day in November is a good day to hunt. Once December rolls around, I want cold temps and food sources - that gives you as good of a chance as any time during the season to pattern a mature deer.

[ANYFISH2]

I just want to throw out that ag fields are not the only food source to look for.

Depending on your area other things to look for are:

New growth aspen

Younger red maple

Red osier dogwood

Alders

Also open large oaks (typically larger mast produced)

And concentrations of freshly fallen trees

All of these are will concentrate deer late in the season also more likely during daylight. Soon deer will need to browse more as their bodies tell them to.

Best of luck I hope this helps.

[O.T.C.]

Donbo, I agree 100%, I'm aware of deer bedding over a 1/2 mile away from where they are feeding right now, more like 3/4 mile so that's pushing 1,000 yards, and yes Donbo they are in some thick nasty cattails with red willow and small tamaracs, been watching their escape routes with a muzzy lately, some nights I hear them and have to go due to legal light, key for me is the word "them" I want to only hear 1 approaching if you know what I mean.

[eyedr]

Was sitting on the ground tonight and had a fat do at 20 yards, she came from the one spot I couldn't draw. Just tryin to put meat in the freezer now.

[DonBo]

I was watching 6 does and fawns on one side of me tonight. They seemed to catch some scent but didn't know what to do about it. I thought sure it was going to be just another disappointing encounter, when I heard one walking in the crunchy snow behind me. A decent doe was coming right down my 17 yard trail. A "baaa" to stop her and the arrow was on it's way. The shot looked perfect and after a half hour wait I took up the trail. The blood was pretty easy to follow in the snow but not all I hoped for. After about a hundred yds I came upon her, head up. She let me get very close. I know backing away was the only call, and I'm sure she will be right there in the morning, but it's going to be a long night.

Well he (turned out to be a button buck) was laying right there this morning. Wish I would have gone back last night. I'm sure he was dead 10 minutes after I backed out. The shot was perfect, no exit wound as the arrow caught the far shoulder. Can't believe he was still alive 45 minutes after the shot. Time to start checking out some new broadhead choices.

[maros91]

What kind of broadhead were ya shooting?

[DonBo]

What kind of broadhead were ya shooting?

Been shooting the G5 Stryker for a few years now. It's a smaller diameter 3 blade fixed head that flies great. I've shot lots of deer with them, and though I've never had a great blood trail, they've always been short ones.

[eyedr]

I can see why any late season archery deer is a real trophy. Man its frustrating at times. In my area at least the deer are moving less and less and closer to dark. I know it has to do with pressure but man its frustrating. They are so concentrated now too. There are a couple fields that there are herds congregating in but no luck getting permission. The deer are sure sticking to routines. Im learning a lot, it's still fun to be enjoying the outdoors, i just want to get an opportunity.

[Hoyt4]

I will be out this week trying to put 1 or two doe in the freezer. I have one buck this fall but that will barely get me through the ice fishing season with also home dinners.

Might get back one more time to WI and see if I can get a buck small or big but this weekend will be the my real last chance to get another deer in the freezer.

[eyedr]

How will the snow melting change things as far as deer activity?

[MUSKY18]

How will the snow melting change things as far as deer activity?

That's a really good question. Temps are supposed to be about 40 this weekend and I got permission to hunt some great land. Its only 40 acres, but is mostly wooded with ag fields all around it. My girlfriends father hunted it last weekend and saw a bunch of deer, but not until about 930-10 in the morning. Figuring that they must be feeding and then using all these woods for bedding, as there are beds literally every where. The guy that owns the land only hunts it during gun season and that group was tagged out pretty fast so the woods has had some time to "rest". I know during gun season they shot a 13, 10 and 8 off the land. Hoping that perhaps another buck or two has moved into the area. I'm thinking it should maybe be right at the tail end of the second esturus? Am I correct or is it over already?

[leech~~]

How will the snow melting change things as far as deer activity?

I'm calling putting on the last minute "Feed Bag" for this weekends warm temps!