Started the season with my muzzleloader, now I'm going to end the season with it
 

Well guys, it's been a long and challenging deer season. I started out hunting the early muzzleloader season in KS at the end of Sept. I didn't see squat for deer (too warm) and was chased out of the field by lightning on my last day hunting. I bowhunted throughout October and finally took a doe on Nov 1st. I then hunted during Missouri rifle season but only saw a few spikes and decided to take a little doe on Sunday of opening weekend. I still have a $225 any-deer tag I need to fill in Missouri and I hope to fill it this weekend with my muzzleloader. I still have the same load in my Accura, 100 grains of BH209 pushing a 300 grain Golddot Hollowpoint in a Harvester Crush-rib Sabot. Hopefully I'll catch a decent size buck heading out to one of the several cut soybean fields or looking for a quick bite or searching for a late estrous doe.

On the same note, I don't have that much experience hunting late season deer, does anyone have any advice? As I alluded too, I have several stands set up on trails leading from the woods to cut soybean fields. Should I hunt the stands early? Late? Allday? Also, I've read still hunting is pretty good during late season due to the fact it's easier to track the deer in the snow and bucks tend to be bedded down most of the day and jumping them out of their bedding areas and getting a shot tends to be easier. Any advice would be appreciated!!:arms:

I Love and Hunt the Late ML Season, it's My Favorite Season. I also Hunt Soybean and Corn Fields. I find that depending on the part of the Country your in the Deer have to eat and fill there Fat Reserves for the Winter. Here in NY the Deer Flock to these Fields and there's no better place to Hunt. My Favorite time to Hunt them is from 11 in the Morning untill 2 in the Afternoon. But I also will stay on Stand all day during our Late ML Season wich started yesterday as you just never know. Also this is also the time the Doe's come into there Second Esterous and it's a Great time to catch a Good Buck that has gone Nocturnal during most of the Regular Gun Season.
Depending on the Pressure your Deer have had makes a Big Difference in where to set up, if there's been ton's of Pressure I'd set up as close to the Bedding Grounds as possible to catch them just befor dark headong to the Fields.
When the Weather is Brutal and Downright Cold and Snowy they will feed just about anytime, they need to eat and if your on a Good Food Source then there's no better place to be. Also if you have a Good Doe in Heat Lure, use it. But and I have stressed this befor, HUNT the Mid Morning to Early Afternoon Times, you'll be Suprised at what you have been missing while most are at Home eating Lunch or taking a afternoon Nap befor heading back out for the afternoon Hunt.
Best of Luck to You!
(BP)

I hunt Gasconade MO near St. Louis in heavy timber with acorns out the wazoo. We have seen 45 deer from Nov 13 thru dec 4 during all the weekends in between. We have taken does as we are now limitless on how many does we can take. Buck have to have 4 points on one side to be legal. We hunt 5 acres and the big boys seem to be outside the property and we can see them good between 7-9 am. Your best times are early and late evening as you can catch them either going to or from the feeder areas. If you got stands along trails near food they should be excellent. Good luck, a friend of mine has this guy (10 pointer) in his backyard. One lucky fellow. Good luck.