Changing/Influencing Deer Patterns

[John Y Cannuck]

Deer like corners and edges and generally like to be close to cover when they cross open places, I'd take a look for sign at the inside corner just above the letter B in your pic. Where there is a narrow neck of bush between one area and the other. Similarly near the letter C.. They may also use the outside corner near the letter B to access crop left on the field. All of that may be affected by things we can't see in the pic, but you can on the ground, like fences etc. Deer can easily hop over most fences, but if there's an easy way that doesn't expose them much, they mostly use it.

 

[Runningfool]

And the one key piece of bow hunting deer advice that hasn’t been given yet....90% of your success is just pure sh!t luck!

 

[canadian hunter312]

A, B, C are where I have tried setting up so far... but I will venture over to area D tomorrow morning and see how it goes.

Are you hunting A, B and C because it's closest to where you park or because it has the most deer sign? If it's because of more deer sign, what is there to the west? Between B and C could be a nice funnel point to setup a stand on a well used trail if the deer are heading that way for any reason and the denser bush on the south would likely draw more deer. Then again, I have also found the "bucks bedroom" in areas like just west of D where there's dense brush surrounded by open areas as it allows them better visibility with the option of sneaking out the back door or busting for open cover if need be.


As for seeing deer in the spring, I wouldn't use those animals as an indicator of when and where they like to be in the fall or winter as they often move to completely different areas with the seasons.

You are simply unaware of the missed opportunities.

Missed opportunities like when you're walking in under darkness and bumping deer out of the area for the day or longer? Deer which you could have likely shot if you had waited til legal light before "hunting your stand"? I know not everyone is capable of putting the stalk on deer, but your idea of it being a necessity to be in your stand before legal shooting hours is foolish at best.

 

[canadian hunter312]

That looks like a pretty good size bush, there would be deer in there for sure... If I were you I would find a nice easy to walk trail and still hunt (if the wind and conditions allowed -no crunchy snow) the entire way in...
There must be deer in there, so take your time, learn the bush and move slowly... it is a lot harder to do than say.... taking 30 minutes to move a 100 yds is hard to do. It is suppose to warm up a bit and with the rain expected, it should make for some nice still hunting conditions. Play the wind and you shall win

Winner, Gagnon!


Or you could just sit in a stand all season and continue not seeing deer....

 

[M16LR.50]

Can anyone tell me what I am looking at here? I tried a new tract yesterday that also had alot of deer tracks... Followed some deep into the thick stuff and along the way saw a few of these

 

[fratri]

Unless I am mistaken, you just found a good area to hunt because those like scrapes to me.....
That looks like a trail of some sort? and looks like it would be easy walking for you and the deer, try still hunting it first thing in the morning and then again at last light...

 

[John Y Cannuck]

Looks like pawing for food to me. Scrapes usually go to bare earth. The 'typical' scrape would have an overhead branch that is chewed on, and one or more clear footprints in the scrape.

 

[M16LR.50]

Looks like pawing for food to me. Scrapes usually go to bare earth. The 'typical' scrape would have an overhead branch that is chewed on, and one or more clear footprints in the scrape.

The first one had branches above... Honestly wasn't sure what I was looking at so I didn't inspect the branches... The others I can't recall if the branches overhung the spot or were just off of the side of the trail.

As others have said, for the balance of this season, use trail cameras, and tracking with the snow. I recommend finding a well used trail, get as close to the thick stuff near or in the wetter areas as you can, without disturbing the deer. Go in quietly, sit downwind of the trail and wait. Try NOT to influence their activity, but instead, learn their activity and then ambush them in stealth. On your last hunt of the year, go right into their bedding before daybreak, play the wind. That will burn-out the area for several weeks, but it's the last chance so who cares at that point.

After hunting season ends this year, start prepping for next season. When the snow melts in the spring, go back in and spend the day. This fall's rubs and scrapes will be as evident as before the snow, as will this fall's deer trails.
Through the early summer, including turkey season, locate where the deer bed, follow tracks and trails. This will allow you to then establish your own best access routes to get closer to their bed, while avoiding the deer trails. Make your own access trails, cut branches etc, so that next season, you can walk in quietly and not leave scent. Success is higher from a stand, consider hanging a stand or two, or three, for different wind directions. Then cut shooting lanes at each stand location. Try to have this completed before July. Then the deer have time to acclimate to the changes, prior to hunting season.

Next season, you will be completely prepared and more knowledgeable of the property. Success rate will be worth the time investment.

Much appreciated...

Looks like pawing for food to me. Scrapes usually go to bare earth. The 'typical' scrape would have an overhead branch that is chewed on, and one or more clear footprints in the scrape.

I have see a couple of those too... Just wasnt sure what I was looking at, at the time.

 

[Buck_Up]

As others have said, for the balance of this season, use trail cameras, and tracking with the snow. I recommend finding a well used trail, get as close to the thick stuff near or in the wetter areas as you can, without disturbing the deer. Go in quietly, sit downwind of the trail and wait. Try NOT to influence their activity, but instead, learn their activity and then ambush them in stealth. On your last hunt of the year, go right into their bedding before daybreak, play the wind. That will burn-out the area for several weeks, but it's the last chance so who cares at that point.

After hunting season ends this year, start prepping for next season. When the snow melts in the spring, go back in and spend the day. This fall's rubs and scrapes will be as evident as before the snow, as will this fall's deer trails.
Through the early summer, including turkey season, locate where the deer bed, follow tracks and trails. This will allow you to then establish your own best access routes to get closer to their bed, while avoiding the deer trails. Make your own access trails, cut branches etc, so that next season, you can walk in quietly and not leave scent. Success is higher from a stand, consider hanging a stand or two, or three, for different wind directions. Then cut shooting lanes at each stand location. Try to have this completed before July. Then the deer have time to acclimate to the changes, prior to hunting season.

Next season, you will be completely prepared and more knowledgeable of the property. Success rate will be worth the time investment.

 

[M16LR.50]

So... the hunt continues... This week there is another round of controlled hunts (shotgun/ML) in the WMUs I am hunting... After that, Its back to bows only until year end (Dec 10 - 31). So, another question that I would like to field is whether or not I should be using the grunt or doe-in-estrus calls, as well as the rattle... Is it too late season to be making use of those?

 

[fratri]

So... the hunt continues... This week there is another round of controlled hunts (shotgun/ML) in the WMUs I am hunting... After that, Its back to bows only until year end (Dec 10 - 31). So, another question that I would like to field is whether or not I should be using the grunt or doe-in-estrus calls, as well as the rattle... Is it too late season to be making use of those?

I don't rattle too much or any at all this time of year, but always carry and will use my grunt tube if I see a deer heading in the wrong direction or if I am bored and want to change things up. Grunt tubes/calls seem to work at any time or at least that is what I have found.

 

[bearkilr]

You said in an earlier post that you can legally bait? Did you try that? A bag of oats or corn will increase your chances of success better than any of the other suggestions, especially later in the season after the rut and when temps drop. Sunflower seeds for birds apparently also work and are relatively cheap.There's a reason baiting is illegal in most places.

 

[Runningfool]

You said in an earlier post that you can legally bait? Did you try that? A bag of oats or corn will increase your chances of success better than any of the other suggestions, especially later in the season after the rut and when temps drop. Sunflower seeds for birds apparently also work and are relatively cheap.There's a reason baiting is illegal in most places.

Baiting sure can help but it’s no slam dunk, especially with all of the corn still standing around these parts right now. The deer in my area have all of the food (and cover) they need with the nearby corn fields that won’t be coming off this year.

 

[Papaclaude]

The vast majority of deer I have seen (while actually hunting) and shot were between 9 a.m. and 11. I always made it a point of being in my stand 30-45 minutes before daylight, but then figured out I had never seen one until much later. I don't have very far to walk to get to my stand, but I try to go in around 7. Saves me well over an hour of cold. I don't pay much heed to noise on the way in. It takes about 10-15 minutes for things to get back to normal. I have a squirrel call to get things going. Once those little phoqueurs start making racket, the jays and other birds move in and everything is back to normal. It's been working for my wife and I for many years now.