How to Get Bucks out of the Corn

[SartellMN]

I am going to spend the next 4 days trying to tag a buck. I know the rut is not in full swing yet, but I want to get a buck (like everyone else). I am hunting a stand over a clearing near corn. I have yet to even see a buck in the area. I have found a few scrapes, but no rubs.

The question is, how do I get them to come out of the corn? I know they must be sitting in there eating 24-7. Is it too early to use doe in heat scent? I am not hearing any rattling, so I do not think that will work (unnatural sounds). Anyone have suggestions?

[Scoot]

Here are my thoughts-

1) Definitely not too early to use doe in heat.

2) Use a decoy.

3) Rattle, grunt, "the can"- try get them to come to you.

If they're not naturally coming by where you can hunt, try give them a reason to come over and check you out.

Good luck.

[tjm]

1st of all way to many people think all the deer are in corn fields.Thats not true this time of year.When the gun season comes along more deer will hold up in corn but still not as many as most think

Most of the deer i'm hunting travel to and from the field or From 1 woods to the next and i'm inbetween them.

Just because you see hundreds of tracks dont mean awhole lot other then you have deer feeding/travel this area.The ? should not be how do i get them out it should be you finding the travel routes during hunting hours.Some of them deer tracks you see might be from Deer 2 miles away and are no where near your stand location

You can back track the deer tracks to find out or atleast have a better idea where a good portion of these deer are comming from.Thats where you need to be

If you have a few does around now and not seeing any bucks i would leave that stand set but search a 1/4-1/2 mile away for the bucks.It's my guess the bucks are no where near your stand location until after dark or your path tooooo and from the stand is to close to the bucks and they have your number

To answer your ? about scent.I'm dragging a scent rag 1/2 mile to the stand locations from now till the end of the season.I have best results 4 drops of doe inheat and 1 drop of buck scent on the same rag.Any lil buck that crosses that path should follow it right to you and any big stupid buck should atleast give ya a shot

Good luck

[doser]

You took the words out of my mouth about corn. I always laugh when people say "too much corn out for deer hunting" or use it as an excuse.

[Dahitman44]

Most of our corn is getting cut early this year -- I am running out of excuses.

[lawdog]

It depends where you are at. Out here where there simply aren't wood lots, its a valid problem for hunting if the corn is all still in. Its differant in differant areas though.

[eyepatrol]

I hear ya lawdog! We hunt just north of your town about 12 miles and there isn't much for woods down there except for groves around farm houses. Last year there were some HUGE cornfields still standing and I know one near my grandpa's place that was 1/4mi x 1/2 mi in size. There were at least 10 deer that we saw go into that sucker. One group of 8 guys tried to walk it and said the deer just run right around you. I think the best thing to do in that situation is to try and set at the end or corner of the field in the early a.m. and late p.m. to try and catch them going in or out. A guy could try stalking deer in there, but the rows are so tight, you better hope there's a wind blowing to deaden your noise. Otherwise, they're in there all day long and have no reason or desire to come out.

I saw for myself 6 bucks go in that big corn field last year. All were 2nd and 3rd year bucks. Really hoping those 3rd year boys are around to "play" this year. (probably not though)

[bigbucks]

I agree they may not be living in the corn, but if you can only hunt off one side of a cornfield & they're entering it from the other side, you have to find a way to get them out.

It's time to use scents now as well as all the calls. Just maybe only call once or twice during a sit on stand, so you don't educate them all the way & burn that tactic out. I've called two small bucks into range in the last week.

[harvey lee]

I usually get them out of the corn by dragging them.

I would agree with the Dog as some areas are corn with next to no other cover.Very hard to hunt deer with only standing corn as they will just run around you.

We have bigger corn fields and woods where we hunt in North Dakota and I am always very happy when the corn is gone.I almost never hunt the edge of the corn field but back further in the woods near there bedding areas.

[tjm]

Think about what i said above.reread it then read a few of my other post.I hunt a section almost 100% corn with 2 line fences on it and that section is 3 miles long and 1 mile wide.The deer will walk and bed on the fence line more then in that corn field.

I know all to well about different areas of cover when dealing with crop land and how deer react.When bow hunting the deer will use that fenceline during the gun season they will use the end rows more then a fenceline.You can walk down a fenceline before gun season and kick deer up then walk it during the gunn season and you'll hear deer get up just a few rows over from ya in the end rows

I'm not saying deer dont bed out in the middle cause they do.I'm saying right now today get a stand on a fence line you'll have great luck.During the gun season when i hunt corn i put my stand on the last row of the end rows next to the rows that go the length of the field.

I have hunted these corn fields probly more then anyone around.I def can say i have spent more time in a corn field then any living animal ever has or will.Deer do the same thing every year on the most part.

This year during the gun season if there is any corn left go check out the deer tracks the day before opener.I'll bet 99% of the tracks are on the fenceline or the 1st row in the corn.

Then go look in that same corn field on sunday after opener see where the tracks are located.I'll bet they just switched about 14 rows over and haulin azz down that row

I'm giving you guys all the clues to kill a deer or better yet to kill a nice buck.For the most part most are try'n to tell me i'm full of BS.Well take what i'm telling you guys how ya want but all i hope is that just 1 person will try the way i have and see what happens.

I'm not try'n to be someone on the net.I'm try'n to give you guys something that took me years to learn all in 1 season.I have sat here and read day after day bad luck stories from many of the same people.

I read what a lot of you all type.Most of what i read from guys is this.I cant belive my grandpa still shoots a 4 pointer every year.My dads old school or are party of hunters wont pass up small buck and i keep try'n to tell them to pass on small bucks so we can shoot big bucks.Then i read your story on how you hunt or a reason for not shooting a big buck is because everyone shoots all the little ones.

AHHH BS it's because your not willing to change either.There is a reason why you dont shoot a big buck year after year or 1 ever couple years.Ever think of changing the way you hunt???I sit here a lot and think back and then reread what a few are typing in here.Sounds like me a long time ago.If someone had told me things i have said in here and listend also tried a few things maybe i could of been saving time/money/shooting big bucks way before i ever did

I dont have this crop land mastered by no means i learn and make mistakes every year.But i know enough about the deer behaivor at certain times of the year to kill 1 every year.I'll bet if i go pick any darn corn field left standing by opener and set a stand up on the end rows next to the rows that go the other way i'll shoot a deer every darn day and it will just about run my azz over too.I'll also bet outa the 2 or 4 days i'll shoot a nice buck too

So many hunters are over looking simple things they should remember year after year.Or maybe not over looking i should say not willing to change the way they hunt because there afraid if i waste my time sitting on what i have seen before i'll miss out on something that walked by my stand i should of been in.Well maybe so but you know what over a 5 year period you'll kill more deer and bigger bucks then what you have been killing.This year might be more of a learning experience.Next year you should know more about whats going on and shoot something.2 years from now you should be able to put a new fixture on a wall if ya have'nt already

Harvey said in another post.Deer hunting is luck and you can create your own luck.He's 100% correct on both.You can be lucky and shoot A deer or you can create your luck and shoot deer year after year and maybe even shoot big bucks.To be honest with ya big bucks are smart but not as smart as everyone gives them credit for.Most hunters are still old school not willing to change

If i pissed anyone off that was not my intentions.Kinda like beating your hands against a wall and it dont move thats how i feel.I just wish everyone can experience some or all of the things i have sooner then what it has taken me to do so.So good luck to all and i hope like heck everyone shoots a wall mounter this year so i have lots to read about

[harvey lee]

I will tell you this,alot of what you state I do believe about the corn fields.In my next 3 trips to ND out of the next four weeks I am going to try to hunt the corn as you say as I do believe this could work.

Thanks for the clues.

[bigbucks]

I believe what you're saying. I just haven't had an opportunity to try to implement it yet this year. The crops on the properties I hunt are kind of goofy this year & the one with the most corn really doesn't have that many deer on it. I've walked those corn rows & fencelines, so am anxious to find a good opportunity to try it. Need to find some time to rig up a type of corn ladder stand like you've shown us. I'm not a welder, but I don't think it would be too hard to build one from wood, maybe just a little heavier. Corn fields are much smaller here, lots under 10 acres & only a few over 20, so I definitely don't think they stay in them all the time.

[ozzie]

I wish I hunted corn fields!!!! or even areas with corn fields. I hunt in the big woods about an hour north of Grand Rapids. i know there are big deer up there but I haven't even come close to finding them. this year i am going out of the box and going deeper in the woods and try and locate their bedding and feeding areas. I try and take points givin by TJM and try to relate but I sure wish I hunted in the southern half of the state...then again I do love that it is me with hundreds even thousands of acres to hunt with little pressure!!

Any tips on what to look for when hunting in the big woods.... Thanks and hopefully my scouting trip this weekend provides me with a little glimps of hope for opener!!!

[BLACKJACK]

Quote:

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Most of what i read from guys is this.I cant belive my grandpa still shoots a 4 pointer every year.My dads old school or are party of hunters wont pass up small buck and i keep try'n to tell them to pass on small bucks so we can shoot big bucks.Then i read your story on how you hunt or a reason for not shooting a big buck is because everyone shoots all the little ones.

AHHH BS it's because your not willing to change either.There is a reason why you dont shoot a big buck year after year or 1 ever couple years.Ever think of changing the way you hunt???

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I agree with you 100% on this, people whine about not seeing big bucks, they want the DNR to change the rules so hopefully there will be more big bucks, (Contact Us Please) the consequences to the rest of the deer hunting crowd, and yet there are LOTS of big bucks shot every year, get out there and HUNT one down, don't expect a few rule changes by the DNR to magically provide you with a big buck!!!!

[Jim Hudson]

Ozzie

When it comes to hunting big woods deer, locating habitat breaks are your best bet for connecting with deer year after year. Combine these habitat transitions with a good funnel and your set for some great action.

Having hunted the big woods all my life, when I am on the scout for new areas to hunt, especially during the prime time of the rut, I look for areas where dense habitat (balsams and other conifers, 5 to 15 year old clear cuts, etc, etc) move into a hardwoods setting. Oak stands that have had a good mast crop especially. Naturally, deer will use the confines of the dense habitat for bedding and also use the edge between each habitat for movements. Just as in field situations and such, these deer have preferred areas to enter the hardwoods, and finding a funnel into the feeding area is your best bet. A lot has been written on how to hunt inside corners and such on fields and funnels relating to deer entering these fields, where you can adapt these same principles to big woods deer as well. Take an aerial photo of the area you will be hunting, and these corners and possible funnel locations will show up, just like it would in a field situation. Just turn the field into a different type of habitat!!

During the rut, bucks will be cruising, zig zagging, through these edges looking for a hot track to follow. Has been a dynamite set-up for me in the years past. Can take some time to see and know these spots when you walk upon them, but with time they will stand out, just like areas people search out in agricultural settings.

[ozzie]

Thanks Jim!!!

[Wade Joseph]

Best way I have found is to shoot them, then drag them out.