When the food is everywhere!
I was scouting some public land today with a fellow Trad Gang member Dozer, and found Acorns at every turn and step.
what else do you look for? There isn't really any fields, there are many small ridges which seemed to have trails along the sides and bottoms. Also it seemed as if the deer beds were everywhere too. I could tell why they chose the specific spots to bed but there wasn't a pronounced specific bedding or feeding area.
It seemed as though there wasn't any specific patterns here, even though there probably is.
I will be taking more walks to try and figure out why the trails are where they are but.......
In the event I cant find answers in the woods,
What Kind of Funnels do you like to look for in this type of area? Is several criss-crossing trails enough to sit in a specific spot?
any help would be great.
In times like that the best approach and better wind areas usually pick for me.
Get in there with some bino's and setup in a good vantage point. They will favor a certain tree or trail.
Rob
Hows about Buckeyes?? Its Squirel Candy, just wondered if the Deer liked them as well??
Deer like them buckeyes too. Just haven't seen many around here. My favorite is beech. Seems like they stick around longer on a good beech. Maybe it takes longer to get a gut full.
Rob
Not sure what buckeye is except I think I saw them in a St. Jude's auction once last year.
The wind is a good pointer, I think some of the ridges are funnels for wind.
I might mention this place is thick., Many areas, we were on hands and knees. The only lace to glass is a wide open clear cut with waist high scrub oaks.
Binos and high ground. Focus on the edge of the thick stuff....find where they enter and exit it. I would bet they are bedding in the thick stuff for cover...
Jamie, We were in the Pine Bush. Looks like it doesn't matter where you sit in there.
wish me luck!
Spot light :laughing: Just kiddin this is the perfect time to look for early rub lines and hunt them.
When there's acorns all over....look for the prefered type....White oaks!
Do you guys notice that the red oaks drop later or are they just not doing good this year? I got a spot that was tore up last year but couldn't tell if these huge trees had nuts or not.
Rob
Also hunt from the fringes in, as it is late to really learn the property start on the edges and work your way in. If you can find a good high point with a big tall tree put up an observation stand. If high enough wind will not be a huge factor and you can learn a lot pretty quick. Shawn
Rob, Most places I am used to seeing acorns are void this year so far. the 2 public parcels I have scouted have lots.
Earl, I was looking for rubs, and quite frankly was shocked I didn't see any.
Curt, thanks. I found a lot of white oaks too. Food all over in there. A lot of heavy looking trails with only few tracks in them. I was in there in winter and some areas were mega highways running through. I think its definitely a food source type area and the deer patters are constantly changing based on what's being served.
I found 3 apple trees where all reachable apples were gone and the grass is trampled over underneath. the only problem with that spot is any hiker could end that hunt in a hurry.
Shawn,
I never thought of an observation stand. Good advice :thumbsup:
That's why I love this place, Lots of experience coming together!
Listen man,,, your gonna think Im silly but in those places I told you about, the houses are the preferred food sources. Ornamental shrubs and usually at the very least a crab apple tree. Ill put you onto a corn field when we talk next weekend but they shut some of the access areas down last year. For the most part they do a lot of browsing, kinda like ADK deer.
When I worked 3 to 11 I spent a lot of taxpayer dollars "patrolling" the Pine Bush and kept tabs on some nice deer.It seemed to me that they did some serious traveling. Id see one in one field at night and 2 miles away the next night.
Low impact scouting and hunting.
Would much rather stay out of his bedroom since that may likely be a one time hunt and possibly soil the area.
Know there staging areas. For example: setting up well between food and bedding sources thus increasing chances of shot opportunities and providing stealthy entrances and exits.
Be both patient and mobile and hunt with intent to moving closer if required. Listen to what the deer patterns are telling you. The fringes will likely provide an improved opportunity and provide longer productive stand opportunity.
Utilize low impact entrances and exits of stands.
* Keep in mind that deer are still holding tightly to their core areas this time of year while there movements are being primarily dictated by food sources, water and pressure.
Have used this strategy successfully and on more than one occassion. Ex. Deer trails seemed to be everywhere and too plentiful to predict deer movement. Have spent a couple of hours naturally blocking trails and/or wire tying a down a small section of fence, thus creating natural funnels.
Just a few thoughts.
Thanks guys. I found plenty of white oaks dropping but the reds have nothing on the ground.
Slowly moving into an area is why I use a climber about 80% of the time. Seeing something and moving to that spot the next day has put a bunch of deer on the ground for me but the climber is a love/hate relationship.
Rob
Climbers are not my favorite list, yet they have their place. A nice symetrical 12 pt P & Y deer found his head placed on my wall. Thanks to a required quick set-up of a climbing stand.
This hasn't been a one time occurrence yet I always was a little lazy in usin the climber.
My deer hunting bud of a couple of decades would never use one but commented frequently how I was able to successfully harvest nice deer from them.
I guess it helps further substantiate that the 1st time in is likely to be your best chance.
Great advice everyone.
Izzy, I have not ruled out setting behind houses. I saw a lot of trails running into residential neighborhoods last winter. I just need to get a better look at them yet this fall.
I would see if I could find the soft mast. It should be pretty ripe up there, except persimmons, and the deer will want to be scarfing that up.
Persimmons are starting to show some color here, and the leaves are starting to turn and dwindle.
Killdeer
There has to be rubs. Deer need them. Last few years I've been going way deep into less crowded public land. Have a good feeling about the opener next weekend. Looking for crowds to push deer my way. BTW, I found no rubs nor acorns yet either. Last year they were everywhere. Choke dry here for a long time.
Rob W keep in mind that red oaks take two years to produce acorns where white oaks produce every year baring a late freeze or heavy frost. Red oaks flower one year and produce the next. That is why your red oaks have nothing under them this year. You will have to hunt the red oaks every other year if you have some that seem to be the "magic tree" for you.
Our chestnut acorns,(white oak species), which are the large acorns for our area are falling good right now and some white oaks so that is where we will be hunting for now. You can tell white from red species by looking at the leaf edges.... big rounded edges equal white and needle tipped leaves are red. Hope this helps bud. :readit:
Hey Killie...... always been told that persimmions are not good and ripe till a heavy frost has hit them. Found a tree last year in one of our new spots with most on the ground, good and deep orange, and mid November. Picked one up, wiped it off on my coat and took a bite...... :scared:
Talk about puckering them lips up !!! Nothing as sour as a persimmion that is not fully ripened and mellowed out ! We know where several trees are that are easy to get to and I want to pick up a bunch and start trees from the seeds. I told my son Mason as many trees as we have cut over the years for firewood that this would be our way of giving back. Nothing would thrill me more than to think that after I am gone another generation is hunting over, "my" honey hole of persimmion trees one Novemember mornin' ! :archer2:
Look for bottlenecks in the woods where deer funnel into narrow necks between larger areas of woods. You will find active trails there. Deer won't have to move as far in years of heavy acorns, but they will still use their familiar and secure travel routes when they do move.
I have an active spot like that, but with the acorn crop so good here this year it will be a longer time between deer sightings because they aren't moving as much to get something to eat.
If you can locate your area on a Google Earth photo, it might help you form a plan.
Thanks Joe,
Good luck this Fall and hope the Bird Dogs are well.
One thing is certain, I need to spend more time in the area I have found. Its 100's and 100's of acres of public land, it will take some time to "discover" the small funnels within and nuances of this area.
If you have an abundance of white oak acorns look for the ones deer like most. They prefer some acorns of the same kind over others. You can tell which by the leaves under the trees. They will be almost like mulch where the deer have walked over them while feeding.
If there are acorns every where ther will be a few trees that the deer like better than the other ones.find the cut acorns and poop. finding a high concentrated area of poop is the key. hang your stand there. thats where they are spending the most time.
this weekend i killed a doe in a oak flat. there us a mixture of red, white and mountain oak on that ridge. and all are dropping. under one big white oak there was tons of poop. and scarrted poop everywhere else on the ridge. so thats where i hung my stand. i had 3 deer walk that ridge that morning and all walked to my tree and ate.
I was looking for concentrated poop. 2 areas stood aout better tahn the rest so far but it wasnt enough for me to sit yet. I do think both areas will be productive during the rut but I need to keep searching.
Happened to us here last year. Brutal trying figure them out. I hunted our persimmons. Good luck to you.
Charlie,
Discover the new land slowly and you just might walk up on a deer and get a good shot.
The bird dogs are well, thanks for asking. I have a good plan for the bow season and for bird hunting with my dogs, too. It should be a great year.
Good luck this year.
Joe
Deer sometimes, well most of the time, will pick a certian tree and eat there until all the acorns are gone from that tree, then move to another. I guess some taste better than others. Sure they will eat here and there along the way, they are deer, but they do know what they like best.
Find a tree they are munching on by the acorn halves and bits and sit there.
God Bless,
Nathan
Walk the area and look for places that have no green vegetation like cattle were grazing in the woods, I think these are key place that deer spend alot of time in. I have a woods I hunt and it is full of acorns from one end to the other but one end looks like this and I see alot of deer here as compared to the other end.
Actualy Charlie, smokin joe beat me to it!!!
Let your feet do the thinking, SLOW and steady wins the race!!!!!
You know I've got a "bad back" and cannot sit very long... When I stillhunt, none of this "walk 3, look 5" shinnanagins..... I take 1 step at a time!!! Take a step and look around... take another, look around... Don't worry to much about making noise,(but don't sound like a Holstien Bull either!) The leave will be falling,and the woods will get noisy, but a slow steady crunch..... crunch..... crunch..... sounds just like a browsing deer!!!
Over the years, I've lost count of the deer that I've walked up on. (or have walked up on me!) Killed a bunch of them too!!! (you've seen the horns in my basement)
Good Luck My Brother!!!!! May the Great Spirit guide your arrow...
Thanks Nocams! I always amaze myself with how much I don't know! :D
Rob
Me toooooo !!! However, learned a ton from the gang here that is for sure ! Just passing along what was taught to me bud. Good luck this season! :coffee:
Sounds like ya got a "Honey-Hole" Charlie!!!!! :archer:
Not Sure yet Chuck
It's called the Albany Pine Bush. all public land, quite thick and very active with hikers/joggers/and bikers. I know a lot of people hunt here and hopefully I dont ruin their hunts and they dont ruin mine. its public land so its inevitable at some point to have your hunt ruined but 1/2 the time a ruined hunt can also be a made hunt if you figure out how the deer are affected by everyone else's movements.
Hey Charlie, another great scouting tool is google earth. Look for natural pinch points, edges between cover, ridges and saddles.
it will also show you areas that are far away from trails and their activity such as hikers and bikers. Water sources too.
Find a decent funnel. Scout it out(for deer and other hunters) and plan accordingly.
Make your own funnels by piling up brush to force them nearer you. Benefit, rabbits may use your brishies for late season hunting
Many will disagree Charlie, But I've always liked alot of people in the woods!!!
Deer naturaly avoid people... But, they learn to "deal" with them by moving to avoid them. Years ago, I killed a huge doe with triplets, that was circleing around to avoid a woman who was walking her Golden Retriever. She was so intent and focused on the dog, that she wandered within 6 yards of my old wooden ladder stand. :archer:
Very true. Pattern the people, and the deer are that much easier.