Crunch time

[Wildlife]

Do you play the same game as early-season? Shoot me some input/advice on crunch time.

No, it is different.

First, I do not consider myself to be "the expert" on the matter. That said, it has not stopped me in making the best educated guesses on the areas I hunt on how to deal with the local deer herd population.

Now, I do run TCs for inventory intel. Based on whatever I discover from the data acquired from those and field experience, along with what I believe the number of other hunters will attempt to do, I will decide on just what deer to take/harvest and how many. So yes, I try to target certain does as best as I can. I been fairly successful in targeting certain ones, most likely because of the hours spent afield and the number of encounters with those particular does, which I absorb as much information about them, such as any unique physical characteristics as possible.

Based on the numbers, I will do what I believe the local deer herd can handle and try to maintain decent habitat as well and what the habitat can support.

Over the past four years hunting the property near my home, I have hardly taken any does, based on the numbers. Last year, I harvested just buttons, which they typically leave the area after their first year anyways.

The last couple of years, I have seen an increase in the number of does along with my attempt to taking care of them somewhat, by feeding them and by staying away/out of sanctuaries.

Does attract bucks obviously so, I believed the current increase in the number of does supported my taking one out before the main November rut of this season. If the numbers continue to be the same or increase, I will take/harvest at least one before the November rut for fresh venison.

I will minimize or refuse to harvest any before the November rut knowing that the does will draw those mature bucks into the area, typically from the later part of October throughout November in the areas I hunt. I will pay very close attention to where the antlerless groups, bed and feed while afield hunting/scouting and try to setup close to them in hopes of encountering a good mature buck.

Once the November rut is over with, or if/when I harvest a good buck, then I will transfer to doe management.

Usually by that time, I have a real good idea of which ones I wish to take out, which typically are the smarties, a good wise older doe, the ones that typically teach and/or lead the groups of antlerless deer around the property.

This was the year I took out more does from the properties I mainly hunt. The previous year, I participated in a control hunt at ‘Deer Creek’, which they wanted as many does taken out as possible. I still had a buck tag in my pocket at the time, so I attempted to harvest a good buck from that control hunt, but unsuccessfully, so I harvested three does, one being on the last day of access within just hours to spare.

So, inconclusion, I try my absolute best to do quality deer management on the properties I have access to hunt. I believe that my attempts is starting to pay off.

With regards to late season hunting specially, with canopy cover being gone and food sources quite limited, setups can be a little bit of challenge no doubt.

Finding good food sources and good cover are key along with hunting during good/favorable wind/weather conditions without question. Try to setup in between food and bedding, much like others have already mentioned.

Once you do, minimize your movement as much as possible if in a tree-stand with minimal cover. Practice good scent cover as well. Try to minimize the number of times you access that location you wish to hunt, or if you wish to setup and do an ambush. Set it up during bad weather/rainy/snowy conditions if at all possible, which should/will dilute any of your scent left behind. I would also give it at least a day or two before you attempt to hunt it, if possible, just so if any deer that did pick you up while setting up, hopefully they’ll settle back down and get back to their regular routines/patterns prior to your entering the area again to hunt.

Again, I DO NOT consider myself to be THE EXPERT on the matter, however what I shared above is based on my hunting experience that seems to work for me and have been successful for the most part.

I wish you the very best of luck in all your hunting endeavors!

Hope you get what you are looking for.

 

[Dustinb80]

Ill be back in my blind on Friday afternoon. Possibly Saturday and Sunday as well.

 

[Smawgunner2]

Get aggressive! Find the beds and make your move when conditions are right. Don't go after the food source directly, odds are that buck is staging somewhere else awaiting darkness. Go HUNT him down!

When you say get aggressive...are you walking and stalking, sitting or what? My stands and blind are in between bedding areas and food sources but honestly, I haven’t seen much this year.,I may be in the wrong locations.

 

[giles]

When you say get aggressive...are you walking and stalking, sitting or what? My stands and blind are in between bedding areas and food sources but honestly, I haven’t seen much this year.,I may be in the wrong locations.

I'm saying, do something different. Move stands, spot and stalk, do something different. At this point, what you are doing isn't working. Go HUNT down something that makes you happy. Patterns change during the season and the same tactics don't work.

Create your own luck by putting yourself in a position to be successful.

 

[Big_Holla]

Deer change whether it is from pressure, food, time of year, etc.. Could be the deer have you figured out and they are frequenting a spot just out of sight of where you have been hunting. Like @giles said find them. Watch one of the late season videos on The Hunting Public, you will quickly see they go in with a plan but that plan often changes based on the sign they are finding as they move about.

 

[Smawgunner2]

I'm saying, do something different. Move stands, spot and stalk, do something different. At this point, what you are doing isn't working. Go HUNT down something that makes you happy. Patterns change during the season and the same tactics don't work.

Create your own luck by putting yourself in a position to be successful.

I’m just not in a position to move/put up a stand (don’t have time.)... but I can move my blind and have thought about it...just not sure how they will take to it in a new spot, especially if it’s on top of their bedding areas.

 

[Jamie]

easy to get into a rut/habit doing the same things, hunting the same places, that worked in the past, even earlier in the season. it is usually a different ballgame at the end of January than in November. us stand hunters need to do most of our hunting before we make an ambush. once you've committed to that spot, you are just waiting to kill something and maybe observing enough deer activity to fine tune your set up to get into bow range.

 

[Big_Holla]

I’m just not in a position to move/put up a stand (don’t have time.)... but I can move my blind and have thought about it...just not sure how they will take to it in a new spot, especially if it’s on top of their bedding areas.

Have you ever just took a small folding stool or a pad to sit on and wander around til you find a deadfall or a big tree to sit up against? That is more in the lines of what I am saying. Moving a blind this late in the season will only further bugger them. A treestand, especially a mobile set-up, would be nice but definitely not necessary. Observe the current sign, find the best sign and sit over it somehow. Gather as much intel on them as you can and perhaps they might just wander by within range.

 

[Wildlife]

No, it is different.

First, I do not consider myself to be "the expert" on the matter. That said, it has not stopped me in making the best educated guesses on the areas I hunt on how to deal with the local deer herd population.

Now, I do run TCs for inventory intel. Based on whatever I discover from the data acquired from those and field experience, along with what I believe the number of other hunters will attempt to do, I will decide on just what deer to take/harvest and how many. So yes, I try to target certain does as best as I can. I been fairly successful in targeting certain ones, most likely because of the hours spent afield and the number of encounters with those particular does, which I absorb as much information about them, such as any unique physical characteristics as possible.

Based on the numbers, I will do what I believe the local deer herd can handle and try to maintain decent habitat as well and what the habitat can support.

Over the past four years hunting the property near my home, I have hardly taken any does, based on the numbers. Last year, I harvested just buttons, which they typically leave the area after their first year anyways.

The last couple of years, I have seen an increase in the number of does along with my attempt to taking care of them somewhat, by feeding them and by staying away/out of sanctuaries.

Does attract bucks obviously so, I believed the current increase in the number of does supported my taking one out before the main November rut of this season. If the numbers continue to be the same or increase, I will take/harvest at least one before the November rut for fresh venison.

I will minimize or refuse to harvest any before the November rut knowing that the does will draw those mature bucks into the area, typically from the later part of October throughout November in the areas I hunt. I will pay very close attention to where the antlerless groups, bed and feed while afield hunting/scouting and try to setup close to them in hopes of encountering a good mature buck.

Once the November rut is over with, or if/when I harvest a good buck, then I will transfer to doe management.

Usually by that time, I have a real good idea of which ones I wish to take out, which typically are the smarties, a good wise older doe, the ones that typically teach and/or lead the groups of antlerless deer around the property.

This was the year I took out more does from the properties I mainly hunt. The previous year, I participated in a control hunt at ‘Deer Creek’, which they wanted as many does taken out as possible. I still had a buck tag in my pocket at the time, so I attempted to harvest a good buck from that control hunt, but unsuccessfully, so I harvested three does, one being on the last day of access within just hours to spare.

So, inconclusion, I try my absolute best to do quality deer management on the properties I have access to hunt. I believe that my attempts is starting to pay off.

With regards to late season hunting specially, with canopy cover being gone and food sources quite limited, setups can be a little bit of challenge no doubt.

Finding good food sources and good cover are key along with hunting during good/favorable wind/weather conditions without question. Try to setup in between food and bedding, much like others have already mentioned.

Once you do, minimize your movement as much as possible if in a tree-stand with minimal cover. Practice good scent cover as well. Try to minimize the number of times you access that location you wish to hunt, or if you wish to setup and do an ambush. Set it up during bad weather/rainy/snowy conditions if at all possible, which should/will dilute any of your scent left behind. I would also give it at least a day or two before you attempt to hunt it, if possible, just so if any deer that did pick you up while setting up, hopefully they’ll settle back down and get back to their regular routines/patterns prior to your entering the area again to hunt.

Again, I DO NOT consider myself to be THE EXPERT on the matter, however what I shared above is based on my hunting experience that seems to work for me and have been successful for the most part.

I wish you the very best of luck in all your hunting endeavors!

Hope you get what you are looking for.

Just another item I wish to add and to possibly keep in mind:

Based on my experience, the last two weeks of the hunting season, deer seem to be very well grouped together and active with intrenched travel routines IMO. That has been my experience when hunting right up until the very last day of each hunting season over the past few years. I have seen more deer/wild-game within larger groups and movements during the daylight hours of the end of January & the beginning of February due to the increase of daylight hours from the change of the winter solstice I'm sure, approximately 14hrs/day.

Thought that too was worth noting.

I harvested a good doe at the end of the day on January 23rd last year after an all day sit, having several wildlife encounters throughout the entire day.

Below is a playlist of some of the encounters and the doe I harvested on that day where I was setup between bedding & food.

 

[giles]

Definition or insanity comes to mind.

 

[Wildlife]

Definition or insanity comes to mind.

Is that in reference to me? Perhaps you can explain so I can understand what you mean. I'd appreciate that, thanks!

 

[Big_Holla]

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

 

[giles]

Is that in reference to me? Perhaps you can explain so I can understand what you mean. I'd appreciate that, thanks!

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

This.

I was referring to the stand hunters not happy with stand hunting.

 

[Big_Holla]

Some of the most successful hunters I know scout 80-90% of the time and hunt the remainder. I fail at this every year BTW

 

[Wildlife]

Some of the most successful hunters I know scout 80-90% of the time and hunt the remainder. I fail at this every year BTW

I don't disagree with that statement.

 

[Wildlife]

This.

I was referring to the stand hunters not happy with stand hunting.

Got it, thank you! Not all stand hunters, including myself hunt from stands. This season, I harvested 5 of the 6 from a pop-up ground blind.

 

[Wildlife]

There are more ways to skin the cat so to speak, I hope that some understand that I have only provided my experience, which I clearly stated, I DO NOT consider myself to be THE EXPERT.

Just trying/wanting to help and share what seems to work for me.

 

[giles]

Got it, thank you! Not all stand hunters, including myself hunt from stands. This season, I harvested 5 of the 6 from a pop-up ground blind.

Correct. I think you are over thinking my comment.

You do exactly what I'm talking about. If you aren't happy, you go for a walk to find the sign/deer and adapt. I've watched you do this multiple times now and I feel like it is smart. Going to them same sets that aren't working...time and time again...definition of insanity. Patterns change and if you don't change with them, you get left behind. All it takes is someone a mile away to start a corn pile to change everything. A slob rut hunter could really bugger up a large area also. You have to adapt.

(Kinda went on one of my rambles. Not all of that is directed at you, denny. Lol)

 

[Wildlife]

Correct. I think you are over thinking my comment.

You do exactly what I'm talking about. If you aren't happy, you go for a walk to find the sign/deer and adapt. I've watched you do this multiple times now and I feel like it is smart. Going to them same sets that aren't working...time and time again...definition of insanity. Patterns change and if you don't change with them, you get left behind. All it takes is someone a mile away to start a corn pile to change everything. A slob rut hunter could really bugger up a large area also. You have to adapt.

(Kinda went on one of my rambles. Not all of that is directed at you, denny. Lol)

Adapt yes, again I also believe there are many variables to also consider for a potential successful setup. Regardless, I believe we are on the same track. I do hunt differently between the early and late season, typically based on what I have learned throughout my times within the field. I do have the means and the know how if I have to change any of my approaches no matter when throughout my entire hunting season.

Hunting pressure, whether it's from me and/or other hunters in the area, have a tremendous negative impact on the property I hunt closest to my home. I have or have done whatever changes needed to my approach each year with regards to hunting.

I have mentioned it before, there has been not one hunting season where I have not learned, nor do I expect not to learn even more going forward.

If I share something on this forum, whether it's good or bad, I hope someone has some takeaway for the better.

It's the primary reason why I kept a hunt journal that past couple years. Hoping someone may learn something from either my mistakes or successes.

I'm on the fence whether or not I do one next season. At this point, I feel that I am back in my curve so to speak again. The property nearest to my home has been my most biggest challenge to figure out out of all the other locations or properties I have ever hunted. The local deer herd had taught me a bunch.

 

[Mao]

Late season, I try to cast a net far and wide. I will put out a bag of corn and a camera at every spot I can hunt that hasn’t been molested during gun season. I keep bouncing around trying to find a shooter. If I find a shooter, I will keep a corn pile there and monitor the trail cams until he shows in daylight or close to it never letting corn run out. If he won’t show at daylight, I won’t waste my time. If he does, go hunt him. If you would get lucky enough to find a couple, same thing at both spots. I’ve never had any luck late season without corn, but that is just me.