mgrt67

The picture is of the property I am hunting on. Camp is the square at the bottom of the picture. The white dots on the map are stand sites. I only have access to the property from the south end and can’t come into the property from the north, east or west.

I am bumping deer that are feeding out in the corn and beans when it’s dark in the morning. Should I just limit myself to hunting evenings to avoid bumping deer in the morning? Keep in mind deer may also be bumped while walking out in the evening. Do you think I should cut a trail down the middle of the woods and enter this way? Any advice is appreciated.

gzg38b

When I hunted in Illinois with some friends what they did was just drive the pickup truck right through the middle of the field in the morning to scatter the deer. The deer in the field would run off and I would hop out of the truck and jump in the woods and head to my stand. The truck would drive away, and the deer would assume that since the tuck is gone, the danger is over and come back into the field. The didn't know that a hunter had just entered the woods. Those deer were used to seeing farm equipment and vehicles so it didn't alarm them too bad. It worked great.

My buddies hunted at Hadley Creek Outfitters in Pike County, and this is what they did. They swear by this approach. I liked it because I didn't have to walk very far to get to my stand.

JoeRE

The woods are that thick that you need to cut a trail? I would walk right down the ditch in the middle of the draw that is adjacent to camp. Might be a couple of deadfalls to trim. That allows you to get to most of your stands anyway.

if that is not an option, I wouldnt hunt mornings. You are probably ruining your overall chances,morning or night,busting all those deer

Also, I bet you are busting deer walking out in the evening. that should be prevented or minimised also.

kevin1

Deer are pretty adaptable, if you don't appear to be a threat most of them will return within minutes of being disturbed. I like that truck in idea.

mgrt67

Thanks for the replies. The truck idea is interesting.

I had an interesting experience onSaturday. I needed to put up two more ladder stands, so we ran the truck out into the corn field and made more noise then anyone should this time of the year putting the last two stands up. I hunted one of them that evening and about 6:15 a nice adult doe came walking out into the corn at about 25 yards and wasn’t nervous at all. Needless to say I filled my doe tag. My father thought maybe the deer were used to the farmer and his equipment and this is why she seemed unfazed by the noise we made and walked right out that evening.

To answer JoeRe about the thickness of the woods.... The woods is pretty thick and the ravine bottoms have a lot of fallen logs across them. Also, they are pretty steep, so my father might have a hard time walking up and down (he's older and retired), but it might be an option.

SS1304

Where at in Illinois?

I'm in central Il

GMMAT

Unless you're hunting a bedding area.....they are somewhere in transition from their feeding grounds to their bedding areas in the mornings. I used to run into this.....but I just kept getting there earlier and earlier until I found out what time it took to "beat them there".

It's early.....but I can usually catch a good nap in my climber.

JoeRE

Ah, I see....you may want to go with the truck if deer are somewhat used to it then. some places deer will ignore it, others they will not. locally we have a problem with poachers....deer hightail it whenever a car so much as slows down on a road within200 yards, much less leaves the roadway.

cooter144

Your situation looks very simular to one of my hunting areas. I had the same problem with deer still feeding when I wanted to walk to my stand.

Now I just wait untilthe sun starts to come up so I can see if there are deer still out in the field. I get to my stand a little later this way but that is ok. Many of the best bucks that I have seen or shot have been mid to later morning anyway. I would much rather get to my stand a little later than scare all the deer out of the area.

tricci357

The truck is a good idea. Be careful of trimming a path. It will take the deer a while toget use to that and may blow them out of the area for a while. ALso liked the drainage idea. Keeps you out of sight and deer won't notice. However, I spooked three deer the other night and ended up shooting a buck an hour later. Who know's with these animals.