HuntingNet.com Forums - View Single Post - I scouted my new hunting ground last night...
Old 09-02-2004, 09:02 PM
  #8  
Phade
Typical Buck
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Caledonia, NY
Posts: 773
Default RE: I scouted my new hunting ground last night...

Okay, sorry it took so long

I have hunted what you described for sometime now.

There are two keys you need to take care of before the season comes up, besides finding a stander tree (just gotta keep an eye out).

1. Find the major trail. Usually it will be in the center at some point, and often links two fields. There should be tons of minor travel paths that the bucks use, and alternates that all deer follow. This will allow you the best chance to scout the area.

2. It is all about the corn, especially when dealing wth bow season. Acorn drop and the rut are the only two other competitors. And since you are in a small tract, you can find the acorn producing trees easily, and modify your strategy. Im not sure of the timing of the rut for your area, but it will still ultimately be affected by the corn. The does will feed on the corn, and the bucks will follow in a rut situation. Prior to the rut the bucks will also go after the corn, they might be a bit more nocturnal-esque though. Keep in mind what I am talking about is the corn right when it comes down.

Talk to the farmer, and find out his intentions with the corn. If he plans on having it cut before opener, offer an exchange to hold a 1/4-1/2 acre next to the tract until the day before bow season starts.

With the corn down, the following 3-4 days will allow you to pattern the deer as you know where their destination is going to be. Look for the staging areas just inside the wood line. Id bet money that you will find a parallel trail running about 5-15 yds in the woods on the side of the corn field. This is the area you want to focus on. Bucks usually wont hit the field during hunting hours, but do stay nearby, most often in the staging area, which allows them to scope out the field for does and danger. Be careful about stand placement in regards to scent control. If prevailing winds are a problem, as they can be on small tracts, pick a secondary trail leading to the staging area. This will keep you in the favor of the wind, plus will put you in the situation to come across a buck heading to the staging lane during shooting hours.

I have found afternoons/evenings to be more productive as far as buck activity during bow season in broken woodlots in farming country. Mornings are mostly doe sightings, as they are returning from the fields. The majority of the time, bucks will head in before you can see daylight. I have had issues of jumping bucks while getting into my stands in the morning. Usually they are just inside the woodline waiting for the does to head in so they can scent check them for receptiveness. So be careful heading into the woods for morning hunts.

I have found the game cams to be really effective in this situation, seeing as how the tons and tons of trails can be misleading. Placing them will allow you to see the use activity of a particular trail. I was able to completely pattern the deer using my woodlots with one camera. They make one giant circle, heading between 3 wood lots. And to me it is consistent from generation to generation of deer.

Using the corn is the greatest asset you have in hunting the woodlots. Otherwise, look for hedgerows, drainage basins, and treelines that run into the wood lot. Typically any place that comes into the shape of an "L" when looking down aerial wise is a good place to begin a pattern search, then head inward to find the major trail I mentioned earlier. The point where the hedgerows, etc. run into the woods will sometimes be a travel route for deer as they try to avoid being out in the open as they head from lot to lot.

Good luck!

Oh and if you are lucky enough to get the feeling that a dominant buck is using the area as their home base, take a step back and look objectively at your hunting choices. I take a step back, and get the ole spotting scope out and do a good old fashioned stake out. From afar you might be able to get a chance at seeing the bucks entry/exit point from the woodlot. After seeing this re-occur, I stay out of the woods completely, or as restricted as possible. Then hunt the patterened area selectively. I have seen some scenarios where I have been literally face to face with the same buck on the ground several times in the same season, and others get jumped once, and never return.

Sorry for the loooooooooong post, but I have learned alot from this style of hunting, and hoped it would help you out. Id be afraid of hunting big woods its been so long since I have been out of farm country
Phade is offline