Midwest Bowhunters?
 

Anybody bowhunt pretty hard after the rut is pretty much over and gun season is done? What tactics do you guys switch to or find successful?

RE: Midwest Bowhunters?
 

Really the same story, different day. Travel routes and food sources. I actually see MORE deer after rifle season.....usually.

RE: Midwest Bowhunters?
 

Hunt food sources. After the rut is over and the temperature drops deer will start to have to increase food consumption to produce body heat.

RE: Midwest Bowhunters?
 

I do just because it's better than sitting around the house. I have only seen 1 shooter before though while hunting after the 2nd shotgun season here in Illinois, but a good number of does.

RE: Midwest Bowhunters?
 

I think the most important thing is to find out what the deer are eating. where i hunt there isn't one big bedding area so that is pretty unreliable.

This is going to be the first late season I've hunted in 4 years. I've been pretty lucky the last few.I'm hoping to get my first ever post rut buck thisyear.

RE: Midwest Bowhunters?
 

Exaclty what everyone else said. After the rut Bucks have been chasing does for weeks straight and they lose a lot of weight. After the rut deer mainly concentrate on food and getting their weight back up. So hunt food sources or trails leading to food sources.

RE: Midwest Bowhunters?
 

I understand the food source theory, but here in Illinois, corn and soy bean fields are everywhere, do you guystry to find bedding areas, creeks....I have hunted som late season's in the past but only see does or really small bucks, do the bigger deer turn into creatures of the night once again?

RE: Midwest Bowhunters?
 

There are still does that have not been bred yet so though its lessened, bucks will still be looking for does. Find the latest cut corn fields or still standing corn, that is where I usually see them IF I see them.

RE: Midwest Bowhunters?
 

Which rut, the first one or the secondary rut? As far as I see it up here in Northern MN we are just gearing up for the second rut here in about 2-3 weeks. That will put us well into Dec. For the last week of season I will try to find one of the last corn fields and stalk it.

RE: Midwest Bowhunters?
 

I am talking after 2nd rut, like mid Dec to end of season which is like 15th of Jan.