Help, Winter Hunting Novice
 

I am looking for some help with winter hunting. I have never really hunted this late in the year. Using a muzzleloader and wonder what is the best approach to hunting this late in the year. I still have a doe tag and I am looking to put some meat in the freezer.
Thanks

It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way

RE: Help, Winter Hunting Novice
 

I would say the most important thing at this point of the year is to hunt food sources. The bucks should be winding down from the rut and trying to build up their stamina again, and most of the does have already been serviced. Find what they are eating and you should be able to find the deer.

MassBowhunterWhats Your Story?

RE: Help, Winter Hunting Novice
 

Food is definately the key. Right now deer need to eat to stay warm. As MB said,the bucks are run down from rutting. They will be looking to put on some fat. I've found that deer will go farther to a good food source than earlier in the year. If you hunt field edges you may see nothing, but there'll be fresh tracks every day. You need to backtrack to where the beddding area is. Hunt close to that.

RE: Help, Winter Hunting Novice
 

Moose,
Welcome. I agree with the food sources. One more thing the title of this post said Winter hunting Novice. I hope you know how to protect yourself from winter weather. If not you need to find out the how and what to do in case things get bad. It can happen in a heart beat and go down hill very fast.
Make sure someone knows where you are and let them know if you change your mind. Alot of people dont and some die from that.
They need to know also when you are going to be back.
These are only a couple of things that you need to know. The list is much longer and each is important.
Take care
Rick

Lifes not about knowing the answers, its about asking the questions.

RE: Help, Winter Hunting Novice
 

FOOD.
I also agree with Who on the weather thing. Keep warm. Layer yourself.
Let somebody where you are going.
FirstBow

RE: Help, Winter Hunting Novice
 

Right now in MN we have no snow that makes it hard, there is still plenty of browsing to do in the woods. this makes it tough to determine a main food source. As soon as we get a little snow they will retreat to the corn, we have plenty of it standing yet due to a wet fall. After it snows i like to throw a portable on my back and backtrack trails a little ways and set up. This way you know you are where the deer are. I am still bowhunting.

RE: Help, Winter Hunting Novice
 

I go back to hunting the same travel routes between bedding & feeding areas that I did in the fall. The food source has changed but in the area I'm hunting the travel routes to/from are still the same. The only real difference I see during the winter is that the deer are more easily spooked now that they've survived the firearms season. Just have to be extra quiet & cautious.

RE: Help, Winter Hunting Novice
 

I use corn in the late season bow huntng. Buy like 10 bushels offf of a farmer. Set them about twenty yards from ur treestand and the deer will come. It does take a few days for them to find it. And definately hunt it when it snows.

RE: Help, Winter Hunting Novice
 

Thank you for the advice. I have expirence with camping in the snow so I should be fine when it comes to sitting out for the day and I will be hunting with my Dad. It is supposed to snow Friday and Saturday and we are hunting Saturday so hopefully we can find the trails they us to travel to the food.

It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way

RE: Help, Winter Hunting Novice
 

Depending on what gun you're using make sure you don't get a lot of snow down the barrel. It could foul your powder.

MassBowhunterWhats Your Story?