I am bowhunting here for a few more weeks (thank god for the long season) and am finding that my tactics need to change as the deer have REALLY seemed to reduce their movement in my area. I spent many enjoyable weekends in Sept/Oct, seeing tons of deer, and that has all changed now.
Can anyone share some late-season tips? I have been hunting a corn and soybean field on a WMA, surrounded by hardwood woods with no deer sightings whatsoever, despite a plethora (and I mean Plethora) of fresh tracks. I am led to believe that these deer are nocturnal due to pressure on the land. I scouted the surrounding woods today to find more deer sign than I have ever seen - beds, poop, urine, and tons of pawing up acorns. I just dont know how to hunt this. Conventional wisdom says eat at night, sleep by day.. but this area seems to conflict with that 'pattern'.. I know they arent in the corn/beans by day because I have been there several times and havent seen them.
This whole try-a-new WMA thing is getting old too - I really need to maximize my hunting time in the last few weeks here and spent less time trying new things.
With that in mind as well - has anyone had good luck within 1-1.5 hours of the cities? What kind of cover are you hunting?
I hunt 3 hrs NW of the metro, and i hunt every day! Find heavy heavy cover next to food for the buck. Pines for the doe. In these bedding areas find the last place they might be nibbleing before the hit the fields at night. Set up here. I hunt alot late season and this is going to be the best bet. Now if you get alot of snow where browsing becomes difficult, hunt the fields because he will start coming out in daylight.
late season MN - Need help!
