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Late season advice

eyedr

By eyedr
in MN Archery - Bowhunting

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eyedr Enthusiast

eyedr

Posted
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I got permission for a 150 acre piece of property in a really good area. I have very limited experience in late season hunting. Its a fully wooded plot with some grass land in the middle. Its surrounded by woods on all sides as well. The owner said they shot a couple during bow season and then a couple more during the slug season. I know its been hunted pretty hard. Am I wasting my time sitting out there? No one else will be out there besides me the rest of the season. Any advice would be fantastic. Thanks.

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SmellEsox Rising Star

SmellEsox

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If I were hunting late season, I'd want to be near a corn or soybean food source. With this cold deer will hit those areas hard. The question will be will they come to the field during daylight hours. If you are not close to a good food source, it could be very lonely in the woods.

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DonBo Grand Master

DonBo

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I disagree. If there's any thick areas in there, it could be a great bedding area, especially after gun season when they may look to those thickets for sanctuary. They may well travel quite a distance for those agriculture food sources, but will be near bedding areas more often during legal light.

I'm assuming there's snow in there right now, go check it out.

Just beware. They are uber spooky after gun season. Hunt smart, play the wind.

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Bear55 Grand Master

Bear55

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The only way to know is to get out there, like mentioned above a good bedding area or food source nearby will make the property better but even if things don't look good it's worth a shot. maybe wait until a storm moves in because that will get the deer moving no matter what. Sometimes right after a storm is a good time to be out as well.

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eyedr Enthusiast

eyedr

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Im going out tomorrow with my gps. I have only seen the property from google earth so its hard for me to know where the good bedding areas are. The landowner said he sees "way too many" in the winter so I'm hopeful. I wont actually be hunting it until thanksgiving weekend so it will hopefully give them a little time to settle down some. thanks for the advice! Will rattling still work this late in the season? Any attractants?

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Hoyt4 Experienced

Hoyt4

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Colder the better they have to be on there feet and moving more and eating more during day light. I really like late season bow or Muzzy hunting sure fun because most people sally up and sit on the couch. Even public land will be good.

If you have camera's put them out so you know you should hunt or make sure the deer are using the land. we have one place we hunt the deer stop using after gun the snow does not lie no tracks or pictures they just move on to a better food area and bedding area.

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eyedr Enthusiast

eyedr

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Well I went out to check things out today. Such a cool piece of property with hills and meadows. There were a lot of tracks but not a ton of heavily used deer trails. I did find one "trail" that had some heavier use and it was located close to a permanent stand they have set up already. It is in a wooded area between two large cattail sloughs so if the wind is right I may just go out and set up out there. The problem is the trail is on the SE side of the tree and with winds NW most of the time I'm not sure if they will wind me before I can get a shot. How late in the year do guys drag a rag with doe in estrus pee on? Would thanksgiving weekend be too late?

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InTheNorthwoods Proficient

InTheNorthwoods

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Well I went out to check things out today. Such a cool piece of property with hills and meadows. There were a lot of tracks but not a ton of heavily used deer trails. I did find one "trail" that had some heavier use and it was located close to a permanent stand they have set up already. It is in a wooded area between two large cattail sloughs so if the wind is right I may just go out and set up out there. The problem is the trail is on the SE side of the tree and with winds NW most of the time I'm not sure if they will wind me before I can get a shot. How late in the year do guys drag a rag with doe in estrus pee on? Would thanksgiving weekend be too late?

No, Thanksgiving weekend is not too late. Bucks will be interested in hot does the rest of the open season. I think lots of people inherently think that because gun hunting is over, the best time to hunt (or hunting "the rut") is over. Many bucks will be in the seeking phase again during that time period. The problem is that said behavior is often overnight or not observed due to the pressure that has been put on these deer during the rut, and they are now very cautious. Any day in November is a good day to hunt. Once December rolls around, I want cold temps and food sources - that gives you as good of a chance as any time during the season to pattern a mature deer.

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ANYFISH2 Veteran

ANYFISH2

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I just want to throw out that ag fields are not the only food source to look for.

Depending on your area other things to look for are:

New growth aspen

Younger red maple

Red osier dogwood

Alders

Also open large oaks (typically larger mast produced)

And concentrations of freshly fallen trees

All of these are will concentrate deer late in the season also more likely during daylight. Soon deer will need to browse more as their bodies tell them to.

Best of luck I hope this helps.

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