Shooting a bedding deer.

[Hammer Handle]

My most memorial hunt was when I saw two large does and a fawn eating some grass on a field while bow hunting.

I s-l-o-w-l-y crawled up to them. Hard to do in grass that barely covered me when I was on my belly. Crawled probably over 200 - 300 yards...got to within 30 yards, and shot a large doe.

Since then, I love to stalk with the bow. Once I got to where the deer were...and didn't see them...so stood up. they were laying 20 feet in front of me and took off...didn't get a shot!

The only way to hunt...just like the Indians!!

Corn rows are easier to get close to a deer, but with a bow you get few shots. The noise of the wind in the corn can hide your movements.

[icepirate]

cronic wasting, nice pics from the truck

[JDM]

It can be done very effectively. Walking into the wind is ideal, but a cross wind can also work. Dress as light as possible (for the weather)and in quiet clothes. Then you simply begin to walk across the rows, not with them. Go really slow. You will actually poke your head into the next row and look before you actaully step into the row. If you see a deer, you can step in and shoot. If you need to stalk closer, then go down the row next to the deer until you are close enough. I have only done it with a gun and never a bow, but I have killed a couple of deer this way. It requires a lot of patience. The more wind, the better.

[reddog]

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Great information and pics Reddog. I've tried many a cornfield with no success but I am way down in the southeast where there is more woods than corn. In this situation I wonder if they do not use the corn nearly as much as in the more open farm country? I know of one standing field for this late season, anxious to try again.

Explain your approach if you will. You have a football field size piece of standing corn, approximately 100 yards long and 50 wide, flat ground, with a NW wind at 30-40 mph. Explain your whole approach to this cornfield, where you begin, how you move, do you break it into sections, etc..

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Which directi do the rows run?

[reddog]

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Another great pic Reddog. Takin' any pictures of yotes lately?

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None yet this season. Getting ready to start.

Was home with the stomach flu all stinkin weekend. Never left the house.

Opening day of deer season to boot.

[reddog]

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cronic wasting, nice pics from the truck

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please explain why your confused by the pics from the truck.

[reddog]

Just reading thru all of the reports about all the corn fields, and thought I'd revive this thread, since I spent all Friday and Saturday afternoon in a cornfield in South Dakota.

Conditions are incredible right now, providing that the wind on Sunday a week or so ago, didnt knock the stalks down.

I didnt take alot of pictures since I was hunting, but I was able to sneak up to this buck. My license is a doe only, so no pressure to hunt for a buck.

On Friday, I snuck up to within 9 feet of a doe and was just starting to draw and goofed up by having my arrow threaded into the adjoining row of corn. By the time I got that straightened out, it was too late. When you are in that tight of quarters, you have enough time to get a shot off but there is no time for mistakes or noise of any kind.

The next deer I ran across was a decent 4X4. The problem with him was, that I stepped into the row before looking to the right. Big mistake, you cant do that for this exact reason. He was 15 yards to my right. I had looked left and stepped in while turning right. Too close to do anything but watch him run down the row. Didnt matter, because I was targeting a doe anyway.

Then, I came across the deer in the picture. He was about 60 yards to my right when I peeked in. I just set my bow down, got out my camera and walked up to him.

Next, I came across a doe to my left, with her head away. She was about 50 yards down the row. I needed to cross her row, to get behind her and still keep the wind out of her nose. I moved away about 70 yards to the right, peeked in and decided that I was far anough away to make a crossover move even though she could still see me. You can do this if you move briskly thru the row, as they are used to seeing other deer moving thru the field as long as you dont stand there and let them identify you.

I then started walking back towards her, three rows off of her. It was about 3 in the afternoon and sometime after the crossover, she mustve decided it was time to move, as we met face to face about 12 feet apart. Game over, doe wins again. It probably was that she was coming to investigate the deer she thought she seen, when I crossed over.

Anyway, that was how Friday ended.

Saturday, I hunted another cornfield, but forgot my camera. I entered the field about 11 am. I spotted three non antlered deer in a series of rows, and decided to try to get to the one laying in the most conducive angle to get a shot. Again, I got to my position about 10 feet away, and could see a lane to shoot thru into her chest.. As I drew, she busted my movement again and bolted.

Spent the rest of the day in the field, and only seen 4 different coyotes. I wish I had taken my camera, as I got right on top of a couple of them.

In summary, I believe the reason I was not successful this weekend had to do with a couple things. Usually, I always hunt corn in my white snow camo, irregardless of whether there is snow or not. I believe this ultimately was my demise, as I forgot my whites at home. (Hadnt planned on being able to bow hunt a cornfield) When you need to get that close and when you get that close, think about what the deer is seeing. The deer is laying down and I am close and quite a ways above it. Dark camo, dark bow, dark arrows, up against a overcast sky, is not a good combination! The other item of note, is the population of corn stalks. I tried 4 rows, and it seemed like there was no way I would be able to find the lane to shoot thru, but yet, 3 rows seems too sparse. I think the wind from that Sunday blow, also topped off alot of the upper leaves of the stalk, leaving me more exposed also.

I miss 36 inch fields, but I will take 30 inches under these conditions anyday!

Took this picture of a decent 5X5 Sunday morning in the haze.

[brassman]

that is too cool, too bad I don't have corn where I deer hunt, I would try that in a heartbeat.

[harvey lee]

I have over the years jumped deer bedded in the standing corn while bird hunting. If you use the wind to your advantage and walk very slow, one can get within bow range. I do believe that tough part would be getting a killing shot at the deer bedded down. The front shoulder may protect their vitals and a neck shot is risky business to say the least.

I have done it with a gun but not a bow.

[sticknstring]

Looks like fun. Those are some wide rows... I nearly have to walk sideways to get through the rows around home. Like harvey said, it's one thing to get close and another getting an arrow into the vitals. A fun way to pass the day nonetheless.

[reddog]

As I stressed earlier in this thread last year, down the row is for guns only, never with a bow. A bow shot would be cross rows, from 3 or 4 rows perpendicular to the deer.

[minnesotahunter]

explain why you cant shoot a deer with a bow down the row? If you get the chance go for it

[Cheetah]

explain why you cant shoot a deer with a bow down the row? If you get the chance go for it

Look at how the deer lay in the row in the photos. It is a really poor shot because the vitals are not exposed. From the side, perpendicular to the row, the vitals are exposed.

Plus you are exposed taking the shot, and unless the deer's head is in another row while it is feeding, it will probably see you.

[huntnfish]

Reddog, how far off the edge of the field do you normally find these deer?

Also, when you're bowhunting these fields do you sneak with a nocked arrow or do you keep it in the quiver? Last weekend I was sneaking with the bow and an arrow nocked and it was tough to not snag the arrow on the stocks.

By the way, any info you have on this cornfield hunting is great. I have been trying to find the book by Otis Smith since last year when I read some of your posts but haven't had any luck. I am going to give it a try this weekend and I will post the results. Thanks for all your help.

[minnesotahunter]

cheetah- i did not see the pictures i just though you were saying you could not shoot a deer with the bow down the row my fault

[reddog]

yep, what cheetah says.

Yes, you can take it if you want to, but dont expect a good result.

When bedded, a deer does not lay on its sternum/belly, its on its side, like a dog, as noted in the pictures. There is enough of the area below the backbone and into the opposite side shoulder to make a good hit if there is a lane to shoot thru.

The rows in the picture, are running east to west, and the wind is northwest. The picture is shot, from the west to the east.

Had I wanted to try this deer, I wouldve backed up twenty rows or so, moved to the east till I was 50 yds east of the deer. Done a crossover, and approached from the northeast. Not quite as good of an option as if the head was to the west, but, you have to deal with what is being offered.

[reddog]

Reddog, how far off the edge of the field do you normally find these deer? On both days, I was able to find deer in this particular field, walking the end rows. Keep in mind, that this was a full 160 acre field, with a small acreage in the northwest corner of it. Both times, when I walked it, I only made one pass thru the field, and it took about an hour and a half to 2 hours to walk it from south to north. There is no way that I could cover that 160a by myself in the afternoon time frame. I tell myself, what else do you have to do this afternoon? nothing. take your time. The only hurry, is that as the day progresses, everything in the field changes. If the deer is able to get some sun while laying in there, it may lay there longer, and sleep sounder. If the conditions arent right, then it may get up and move, like the last doe did. Think of the cornfield as the deers house..... You are looking for the bedroom. Every row that you step into, is like opening a door to a room in the house and peeking in. Not every room is a bedroom. When you open the bedroom door, dont expect anyone to be there, if you barge in, like I did on the 4X4 that left prematurely. My mistake, I got careless and in a hurry. If youre able to spot a deer from the road, searching the end rows, its like looking into an occupied bedroom window when you drive by and the shades are open. hehehe. To answer your question, I am of the opinion that the larger the field, the closer to the edge they are going to be. By the edge, I consider that the first 100 yds into the field, all the way around. The smaller the field, then, they can be anywhere. My preference, is 40a or less, but this 160 a field, was the only game in town that I had permission to hunt.

Also, when you're bowhunting these fields do you sneak with a nocked arrow or do you keep it in the quiver? Last weekend I was sneaking with the bow and an arrow nocked and it was tough to not snag the arrow on the stocks. I dont knock an arrow till Im within 10 yds of the deer, or I see fur. By the way, any info you have on this cornfield hunting is great. I have been trying to find the book by Otis Smith since last year when I read some of your posts but haven't had any luck. I am going to give it a try this weekend and I will post the results. Thanks for all your help.

I would loan you the book, if you wanted to read it. when I posted last year that the auction site had one copy up for sale, when it appeared that no one was going to buy it, I purchased it, so I do have an extra copy.

[huntnfish]

Where are you located? I thought I saw in another of your posts that you were from either Southern MN or Iowa so while I do appreciate the offer to borrow the book I am quite a ways from you and I know how I would feel loaning something that I care for out to a complete stranger from a website. I will keep it in mind for the off season so thanks for the offer. I will keep checking online and if you happen to see one somewhere please let me know either on here or at my email. huntnfishmn at yahoo

I have done some still hunting when I hunted in the big woods and always got a thrill from getting close to a deer without it knowing you were there. Last weekend when I was going through the cornfield it was a little too wet to be sloshing around in. The field I was hunting was around 500 acres with one small 10 acre patch of woods that I know had at least 3 different bucks in. I plan to put a few miles on after the gun season and find some prime fields to put a stalk on the big one. Your stories and pictures sure do get me motivated to go out and give this a try. Thanks again and feel free to post some more pictures.

[reddog]

500 a of corn? wow, I dont think I would even try that. hehehe.

I sent you an email, but to answer your questions:

I grew up in SW Minn. I live in NW Iowa.

Most of the pictures I have in regards to this, are already posted on this thread in previous pages.

I'm always looking for more oportunities though

My guess, is that the corn will be gone by the next time I get out there.

[delmuts]

Hunt! I the book as been out of publication for a long time. I will look to see if i still have my copy , or if i gave it away. Otis/ Toad, was a interseting guy! I had a chance to talk tohim at a "Iowa Fall Festable" years back.

[Joe15]

reddog...how do you get so close to the deer in the corn field...when ever i check rows they snow just crunches and they run...any tips for me on keeping quiet outside and inside the rows

[reddog]

Joe,

There are several factors involved that will get you close.

Most importantly, is wind conditions. If the wind isnt blowing, you just as well stay at work or on the couch, because it just isnt going to happen in a cornfield for you with a bow. Gun, maybe, but not a bow.

Another factor, is time of day. Crunchy snow, will be less crunchy, from 11 am - 3 pm, the warmest part of the day, and coincidentally the absolute best time to go in a corn field looking for deer that is napping.

Soft powder snow, will still "creak" a little when stepped on, depending on the temperature, but its better than the wet/icy stuff that is out there right now.

Obviously, stealth is important also. You have to pick and choose your spots to cross a row, based on the available openings. Do I break off a stalk now and then, certainly, but I would bet that I do less damage than one deer walking crossrows across a entire field. How fast can you go in a field? Too slow, and you will take forever to cover the field, Too fast, you you will bust deer ahead of you. I timed myself this past weekend and I averaged a row every 5 seconds if I didnt have to glass anything either way. That calculates out to 88 minutes per half mile on 30 inch rows, which I despise, but, its the only game in town anymore. Knowing this time frame also helps when hunting with a partner, so you both keep pace with each other. This will keep you together until one or the other has a target.

[ac777]

I would be interested in getting buying his book. What is the name of it? Does any one know where I can get it?

[reddog]

ac,

The name of the book, is : Toads Tricks to Taking Whitetails in the Corn............... And Everywhere Else.

I have been checking [YouNeedAuthorization], and there are none right now . Its out of print, so until one comes up, I suggest you get it. I bought another copy last year, just because when I posted that it was available on here, I waited till the last couple minutes and when it looked like it wasnt going to go, I bid on it. I think I paid like $12 for it. Im not as concerned about damage to the book, as I have 2, its the video that I'm kind of overprotective of, because I'm pretty sure its irreplaceable.

I believe it was published late 80s or early 90s. Its just as good now, as it was back then, with the exception of farming practices and harvesting procedures. Some things are not as good, some things are better than back then.

Corn rows were typically 36" back then, and there was always a few select fields left in thru Thanksgiving.

Now, 30" is the norm, and 20 inch rows are making a presence also. 20 inch rows would be impossible to hunt this way. 30 are bad enough, but under the right conditions, which would be right now. While the narrower rows (30s)are somewhat of a detriment to hunting this way, some of the improvements to make up for it are: cleaner corn rows in fields that have been hit with herbicide, which is almost every field, right now.

Another plus, is that a large percentage of farmers that are left are big farmers with big equipment. GPS guided planters, put down rows that are nearly perfectly straight, so therefore you can see further when conditions are right, as evidenced in the pictures.

Corn genetics corn dryers are such that the fields come out alot earlier than in the past, which is also not a good thing. You need to wait till there are very few fields left, and the deer are somewhat concentrated before hunting this way, particularly in a large field.

I mailed my copy of the book out yesterday, but if you want it after huntinfishinmn is done with it, Its OK with me.

[ac777]

red dog, Thanks for the offer. If i don't find one by then I would be glad to borrow it for a bit. Thanks a lot.