mclem135

Hey yall. I hope that this is the appropriate thread for this question.

I am fairly new to hunting. Been on several deer hunts with my step dad but only seen and shot hog. I have now moved to TN where my father in law has allowed me to hunt his Farm which is all ag with Soy beans and corn. Its the first time Ive really ever managed property for hunting.I put up some cameras and put down some corn and found great deer on the property. as the season approached I put down some feeders. As I have been more and more on the property it seems as though we have a good bit of coyotes as well.

I recently have stopped seeing the deer on the cameras. There are two cows on the property and they have been there for several years. Im curious if the cows are spooking them, the coyotes or if its the feeders. Ive been told different things. I thought it was coyotes but I was told if i hunt them or trap them it will increase their reproduction.

Any advice would be helpful. Hoping to get my first deer this year.

Thanks for reading!

I appreciate it

Sheridan

First - kill every coyote you can !!!

Deer have different "home range" in the summer than they do in the winter.

If you have standing crops then look for their bedding areas and any consistent water source.

Without a lot of hunting pressure they will come back to those fields (find the access trails to and from those fields or where you placed your feeders).

Cows will not spook them.

Putting up the feeders will, but only until they get use to seeing them.

Your ambush point should be +/- 20 yards into the tree line when they congregate before entering the field at dusk (or where you placed your feeders).

In the morning, catch them leaving the field (feeders) as they head back to their bedding areas.


Hope this helps......................so will your tail cameras !

jerry d

Sheridan gave you good advice IMO. Check the TWRA site about hunting a spot where feeders are, I think you need to remove the feeders 10 days prior to hunting the spot

mclem135

Thank yall both.

This is good info.

Jerry, I called them and they stated the feeders could stay but they had to be turned off and corn had to be off the ground 10 days prior.

Any other advice is welcomed. Still not sure why they wouldve left or gotten spooked.

illiniquack15

How often are you checking your cameras or out about the areas? If you're out there too much they will move elsewhere where the feel safer. However like the guy said above, it could very well be that they are getting out of their summer pattern and into their fall patterns. acorns are pry starting to drop, they may be in the woods eating them. Also if there is standing corn, deer have almost every necessity they need with standing corn, they may just be held up in there.

mclem135

I go out about every 2-4 weeks depending. and the last time I had deer on the camera my "Big boy" looked like he was coming directly out of the corn field.

mclem135

Would it be beneficial to try and trap the coyotes?

iowa whitetail

Coyotes are not the reason they are gone. The deer go to the timbers this time of year to feed on the acorns that are dropping and kinda leave the ag fields alone. when the beans just start to turn brown is when they leave them. If you have timber ground on the farm try to find them there but be carefull stomping around. The deer will return at some point to the ag fields just not for a while.

kslivstkbroker

I let a professional trapper come in this winter after deer season because we weren't getting the coyotes killed by calling!!! He caught 20 coyotes 15 coons my fawn population is way up plus after 3 years of drought!!! I need a population boost still have coon problems them guys hard to kill !!! The quail population has increased turkeys r down I think due to bobcats will work on this problem this winter !!! trapping or hunting predators is a must!!!

alleyyooper

Deer here are in the soy beans every evening till late mornings. Around here if they get in the corn fields they have no reason to leave it so stay hidden in all those stalks that hold dew and rain plus the corn ears are still full of milk and taste sweet to the deer and give them another moisture source.
Once the corn is frost killed and the ears harden up the deer still stay in there as it is perfect cover till it is picked or chopped for silage. If you have a lot of corn in the area you will need to learn how to stalk down and thru the rows which Is a tough thing to do in 15 inch rows.

Yup Acorns are down and the deer could care less as the soy beans and corn is so much better. Soy's just don't provide the day time cover that corn does. the acorns are drawing the turkeys and squirrels.

A lot depends on the area as to the deer changing from summer to winter travel feed patterns.

In my area there just so much deep heavy cover other than the corn so till the corn is gone that is where most of them stay year round. What changes there patterns here is what crop is planted where.

Get rid of the coyotes any way you can trapping shooting which ever works for you.

Al