I finally got the nerve up to ask a local farmer for permission to hunt on his property and he granted it. There are a LOT of deer and other wildlife in the area.He told me that I could put up POSTED signs for him. I quickly agreed! I'm really excited about having the opportunity to hunt here.Anybody have any good tips on the best way to hunt a dairy farm? Will the deer be looking for food around the farm, corn maybe? Or will they still be looking for the acorns? How do you go about picking a spot to set a blind? Is it best to set up in the woods or on the edge of the fields? Is there an advantage to setting up closer to the actual farm? I know these might be basic questions, but this will only be my second season hunting and I've never hunted on a farm before. I could use all the help I can get. With the economy the way it is and 3 growing boys to feed, I need to hurry up and learn to bowhunt!       Thanks for any advice.
Brian

Brian, Congrats!! Just a thought would be to keep in mind how the cows move around the fields morning and afternoon. They usually get milked twice a day here in Maryland and the first milking is super early around 5:00 am or so. The cows moving and the farmers movements may impact how the deer move and where they move. In my area where there are dairy cows corn and alfalfa fields aren't too far away. take a look now in the late evening to see how  / where the deer are using those fields. Play the wind and plan how to get into your stand without the deer seeing or winding you. Good Luck!

DON`T shoot the big body spikes!The farmer might have YOU on his wall.    Just kidding,I couldn`t resist that.What jcr315 said sounds like good advice.Scout it out and see where and when their moving.And don`t be afraid to shoot a doe.They taste just as good if not better than a buck.

The deer will come out right with the cows at times.  My neighbor is a dairy farmer and I've watched it many a time.  That being said, deer will do, what deer will do; eat, sleep, drink and breed.  Find the cover and food sources for early seasons and find a good ambush point.  If you wear rubber boots, those fresh pasture patties make good scent control.

Ask the farmer for some insight about the deer movement during the hunting season. Their movement now and then will probably be different. You could do some early scouting looking for major trails and bedding areas. Find trails from the bedding areas to the food sources be it field crops or acorns, grapes, persimmons, apples, etc.

If it MOOs    , DONT SHOOT IT!!      

I spent part of my formative years on my grandad's dairy and still hunt on and around my cousin's.  Deer will feed in and around cows but they are still going to feel hunting pressure at some point and resist being exposed.  It would be best to scout several areas to see what they are feeding on.  My experience is that they will almost always prefer good acorns early, after that they will go for the fields with grain crops.  At least around here, there will be some spillage and new sprouts are good nutrition when the acorns are gone.  Then there are ryegrass fields also but these fields all have one thing in common - no cover during daylight, so it's best to intercept them in a "transition" area.  A place between their bedding area and the field they are feeding in.  Farm deer will also use any available cover so explore fence lines, clumps of brush or grown up areas, brushy draws, anything that allows them to move undetected. Of course look for funnels and expect the unexpected.  
Sounds like a great time your about to have, good luck and have fun.  Get to know the farmer too, many of the most interesting aspects of hunting a farm can come from the people you meet and not the game you pursue.

Walk through "cowpies" when you go into your stands. Best cover scent there is!!

chris <><

Do some scouting ... lots of it ! What direction is the predominate wind, determine bedding areas and feeding areas. Are you the only one hunting the property ... does the farmer hunt, where does he see deer. Get a cow suit for camo :^)... preperation in critical. Are you stand hunting, ground, or still hunting. If stand hunting lots of scouting will help you determine where to put a few stands ... good luck and be safe when getting into a tree.

Cattle will make well worn trails through pasture and wooded areas and deer will use them.  They will often mingle amongst the cattle as well.
Deer get very accustomed to the predictable daily routine of a dairy farm and become use to the comings and goings of humans.  Deer will often stand and intently watch as tractors drive through fields spreading manure cutting hay..etc.
Put a gun or bow in your hand and they suddenly disappear- imagine that.  I've spent a lot of time working on Wisc daries and actually have some fond memories even though it was hard work.

As others mentioned, step in the cow pies. Also see if you can get permission to hang your hunting clothes in the barn.

The best part of this whole thing is that the farmer and I have really hit it off. Just a great guy and a great family man. I feel a nice friendship developing. He was interested that I was hunting with a longbow.

I'm really excited about this fall. I think I'll start scouting as soon as I can. There is a pond on the property too. Are they likely to drink there or look for some running water? How likely are they too bed in the pines?

elkken I'm going to be blind hunting.

QuoteOriginally posted by Burnsie:

Deer get very accustomed to the predictable daily routine of a dairy farm and become use to the comings and goings of humans.  

This is very very true.  My best stand is less then 150 yards from the house.  When the farmer comes out of his house deer will look for a second then go back to what they are doing.  Deer that see people all the time get much more used to us.

As others have said: Talk to the farmer every chance you get. Two things come from this:
1. You cement your relationship which is most important
2. He will be happy to tell you what they see, where they see it, and when they see it.
The farmer where we hunt is just an awesome guy and over the years I have grown to care for him greatly. He is 80+ and loves to talk...and so do I!

Here are a few thing I learned.

1. Don't walk across and open field in the morning while it's dark, deer will be feeding there and get spooked.
If you must hunt there in the morning, try to find a route through the woods way away from the field towards bedding areas. I like to be at least 150 yds away from the open field when entering into the woods in the morning. Good example: If there is a road running along the side of the field and woods, enter the woods from the road rather than the field.

2. Try to hunt corners or points if you plan on sitting the fields edge in the evening. Deer like to mill around about 30yds inside the tree line before dark, especially if there are good acorn or other mast trees available.
Deer will cheat the inside corner of a field by staying inside the wood line. I have seen a few run across in the open, but most will stay in the woods. I like to place my tree stands 30-40 yds directly diagonal from an inside corner.
My diagram makes it look like the stand is right in the edge, but it should be back in the woods 30-40yds.
X=stand (30-40yds off corner)
 
X.....woods..line..........
.
.
.   field
.
.
.

3. Is there any water or cattails marshes near that field? Deer will use those spots for bedding areas sometimes right next to the field or as far as 1/4 mile away.  Heavy wet cover near a food source. Bucks and doe cling to spots like this.
I do see you mention a pond and pines. Are these next to each other?

Brian you need to figure out what food sources are available, both planted and natural. Different years will yield different foods, deer love corn and alfalfa, but if there are oak trees preferably white oak and the crop is good you want to set up shop in areas that have natural funnels or bottle necks or some other feature that narrows the deers path to this food source. This tactic works good for me in the early season, you need to have a few locations to hunt don't burn out one spot, it doesn't take deer long to know your there and they will adjust their movement to avoid you, I keep them guessing. I know that you like your ground blind but if the farmer allows it I would get a couple ladder stands, they are not that expensive and very effective. Experience is the best teacher by hunting the property you will learn the movements of the deer and you can adjust during the season, don't get locked into a spot because you like it or it's just easier to get to you need to be able to change it up in mid stride to be effective. There is a lot more to it than I can type with two fingers    My advice is to hunt it and learn from the deer, this is why I like tree stands, they give you a birds eye view of deer movements and habits in you particular area. Don't overlook rub lines and scrapes. Good luck  

Besides all of the above I would get some good aerial photos Google Earth and a 24k topo of the area. Sit down with the farmer over a cup and let him lay out the land and boundaries for you. Find out what the farm routine is during hunt season.

While you are placing the signs take a camera and if you have one a gps. You have a terrific opportunity. Don't forget to offer up some of that prime venison when successful cow meat is tough.

Here is an aerial shot of the farm. The barn is on the west side of Farm To Market Road. Thanks for all the great advice so far!


http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=42.294326,-73.824198&spn=0.007793,0.016458&t=h&z=16

You boys really got it covered.  I would like to second the suggestion to sit down with the farmer over a map, he will give you very valuable info and the last thing you want to do is accidentaly get over on sombody elses property and make problems for your land owner.  I always like to get a card showing appreciation and put some money in it and tell him to take his wife out to dinner it aint much but people like to eat for free.  around here deer eat the beans till they start turning yellow then they move on to something else.  As soon as a corn field is picked they will be all over it.  If you don't have any crops then I would definately go for the acorns.  I really like to hunt edges of standing corn, funnels them down.  Creek crossings are a awesome spot to shoot a deer, and easy to find.Good luck. Now get out there and get a couple more places it aint that hard is it.  Keep a journal so you can refer to it next year so you don't have to start all over.  Write down what food source how many deer you see where they are coming from,get some wind floaters and write down the true wind direction, make sure you get the date I bet you will see patterns.

One more helpful tip to help cement your relationship with the farmer:

Don't be afraid to volunteer some work hours on the farm, ie. mending fence, helping with the haying, chores, etc. A couple of saturdays throughout the year will do wonders for you.