Timber or Field Edge? Morning or evenning?

[RuppEight]

During this time of year and as we move more into the rut what stand locations do you prefer?

I am trying to put a game plan together for this weekend and beyond. We have plenty of stands to choose from and we always play the wind but I just want to increase my odds as much as possible.

My thought process is to sit in the timber during the morning hunt and stay through midday. Then I would move to a field edge and possibly use a decoy in the evening.

Any advice or shared experiences are appreciated! I love having this forum!

 

[RuppEight]

Not to mention it will be 80 degrees here in NE Kansas tomorrow..... I can't wait for some colder weather to hunt in!

 

[CTM1]

Just acquired my old farm property early last year and have to admit that I was guilty of hunting the food plots all day. Sometimes it was hard to get in during the am and not run them off, but it all depended on the wind. Once they were out of the plots only a few does might pop back out during the day, which led to long sits, but you always remain hopeful that a buck might wander in. Come late afternoon the does start filtering back in so it gets more interesting, but it did not produce a buck.

This year I think I will take to the timber in the mornings and set up on an old logging road that showed itself to serve as a good run with some scrapes, and like you head down to the fields for the afternoon.

Heck last year there were many days that I thought I should head back to my old hunting spots near the house as they always produced, but when you have new ground that you worked so hard on you want to be there.

 

[Chainsaw]

During this time of year and as we move more into the rut what stand locations do you prefer?

I am trying to put a game plan together for this weekend and beyond. We have plenty of stands to choose from and we always play the wind but I just want to increase my odds as much as possible.

My thought process is to sit in the timber during the morning hunt and stay through midday. Then I would move to a field edge and possibly use a decoy in the evening.

Any advice or shared experiences are appreciated! I love having this forum!

I use the plot watcher cameras in the food plots and even in the woods where I want to check out a newer stand site. It has helped me quite a bit in showing me where and when each area has traffic. New food plots don't seem to have much buck traffic whereas after a couple years the buck traffic up to age 2 1/2 is pretty good with an occasional 3 1/2 on some plots. I've not seen 4 1/2 in our plots yet but expect to over time.

Each plot has been different with a couple having traffic on and off all day while others just have morning and evening activity. The cameras run during the daylight hours only and don't show detail good for deer at a distance but good enough for me to make a decision on whether and when a spot is worth hunting. Last season (encouraged by Steve B's book) was my first relying heavily on the cameras for intel; I generally put them out for four days or more before checking them and then hunt where they showed the action to be. And then of course old favorites in the woods spots learned from years of trial and error (like CTM1 mentioned) produce well and get hunted many of the mornings without ever setting a camera there.

 

[Heart shot]

For me bucks are killed in the woods. Does are killed in fields. I'm not sure I have ever seen a large shooter buck in a plot/feild. I have seen plenty in the woods.

Now if the field is overgrown and thick then bucks will be in it, but wide open plots or grass pasture no way unless it is dumb luck.

 

[OkieKubota]

For me bucks are killed in the woods. Does are killed in fields. I'm not sure I have ever seen a large shooter buck in a plot/feild. I have seen plenty in the woods.

Now if the field is overgrown and thick then bucks will be in it, but wide open plots or grass pasture no way unless it is dumb luck.

Some folks have extremely lightly hunted or even non hunted areas at their disposal...I am not so lucky and my observations mirror your own...

 

[Chainsaw]

For me bucks are killed in the woods. Does are killed in fields. I'm not sure I have ever seen a large shooter buck in a plot/feild. I have seen plenty in the woods.

Now if the field is overgrown and thick then bucks will be in it, but wide open plots or grass pasture no way unless it is dumb luck.

Very good points Heart Shot and Kubota, large open food plots are some that haven't buck activity here as well. Fields along and with road visibility are duds as well;the lower pressured fields as well as the lower pressured years have seen the most activity. And keep in mind as mentioned we have not seen 4 1`/2 or up yet in any of the food plots large or small while hunting but do expect that to change.

Also with only one exception we do not shoot does in our fields any more;its a lot better hunt in the woods, shooting does in the woods nearer property lines does not train deer that all of the fields on this property are so dangerous that they should be avoided during the day and food plots cost way too much in time, effort and cost for us to use them for shooting does. We used to shoot does in the fields but have gradually changed our minds on it over the years. The only exception is a 1/4 acre slam dunk field near the road but out of the roads view;we use for kids and new hunters to shoot their first or second deer and almost all in the afternoon/evening. In twenty-five years yes only two eight pointers have been taken from that field (both evening) and they were 2 1/2's and maybe they wouldn't have been shooters for many on this forum but they were then for us.

 

[Buckly]

And keep in mind as mentioned we have not seen 4 1`/2 or up yet in any of the food plots large or small while hunting but do expect that to change..

Chainsaw, Can you expand on why you think that will change in time.

 

[Chainsaw]

Chainsaw, Can you expand on why you think that will change in time.

Yes Buckly I can. There are two food plots that I get to see on and off throughout the day every day. The first the driveway plot had a spike and a four point last year that was seen quite often. This year there is a spike, a four and a two and 1/2 six point and a 2 1/2 eight point. I see them almost daily and sometimes FOUR TIMES a day in the driveway plot. They let me drive by them sometimes within ten feet without running off. I'm thinking that next year there will be 2 -3 1/2 year olds, 2 two and 1/2 year olds plus additional yearlings with two very relaxed 4 1/2's the year after. Also there are around ten different does that frequent the plot on and off throughout the day; When they come in heat and walk out into that plot during the day with no fear I believe a traveling mature buck will trust their judgement and follow them. The does stand as I drive literally thru them on many occasions; the younger deer are actually more flighty than the mature does.

The second plot (coyote field) is the one below my sun room and that plot had two daytime deer up to 3 1/2 in it last winter regularly. Those same deer will be 4 1/2 this season if they are still alive and I am giving them no reason to think they are not safe out there; it is hunted only on the perfect of winds from enclosed tower stands and only those two deer and any travelers that are 4 1/2 will be shot there.

In the woods my people have the OK to shoot 2 1/2 and up but recently everyone seems to be happy waiting for 3 1/2 in the woods. I am OK with whatever is OK for them in the woods but we follow stricter rules for food plot shooting.
I have other examples that lead me to this conclusion but those two are my strongest. Food plots are almost treated as sanctuaries and it is making a big difference;the deer sense that they are off limits in most of our food plots. And seeing how it is working in the heavily hunted Catskills at Elk addicts property as well as other NY properties it can work here as well.

RuppEight, I hope we are not getting to far off of your main question--just give me a shout if we are. Thank You for bringing up this very important topic.

 

[Buckly]

I'm not to that point yet. All my plots get good daytime use from doe and young bucks. Right about now I will get several 2 year olds in the plots but, never 3 and older. Although I do get maybe 2 pictures a year of mature deer going through a plot in the day. Once the 2 year olds start showing themselves in the daytime is when I start hunting the staging areas and pinch points within 50 yards of the plots. I do like the idea of a plotwatcher. that combined with a trail cam over a scrape tree and you won't miss much.

 

[Chainsaw]

Buckly. note I edited the previous post to show there were two 3 1/2's in it often throughout last winter where I had mistakenly entered last season. I remain very optimistic although I haven't seen either of them yet in person or on camera. Also I edited the last post to say Elk Addict versus Elk hunter that experienced the older deer in his New York fields.

 

[boot]

I like your plan, wind permitting. The deer have been feeding all night and are heading back into the timber while in the evenings its they are heading out to eat, thats usually my strategy and it pays off most of the time

 

[RuppEight]

Thanks for all the input! I love having the opportunity to become more knowledgeable. Good luck to everyone this hunting season. It sure seems like things are starting to pick up here in NE Kansas. Starting to get more pics lately of deer we haven't seen yet.

 

[timrod]

For me bucks are killed in the woods. Does are killed in fields. I'm not sure I have ever seen a large shooter buck in a plot/feild. I have seen plenty in the woods.

Now if the field is overgrown and thick then bucks will be in it, but wide open plots or grass pasture no way unless it is dumb luck.

I always believed this as well, however I killed my best to date this year cruising right into a food plot and feeding, and looking for does. It changed my opinions somewhat.. but that result i feel is highly unlikely as compared to my previous years hunting. I hunted my plots differently than years past, and I had a couple of great hunts in the 70 degree Illinois afternoons. I guess my only takeaway, is that if the rut is on, your plots are visually screened, and you have an idea where the mature bucks are bedding, you can set up on it and be successful, as long as they cannot scent check the plots from afar, and it forces them in to take a peek. This in my case meant I only hunted plots in the afternoons when the wind switched direction midday, and didn't allow where the buck bedded in the morning/midday to successfully scent check the plots from his bed. This was my thoughts when it worked for me. I know that's a lot to think about, but it worked for me hunting this way. (Disclaimer is that I planned to hunt them this way earlier in the spring, and invested time in building better bedding, and screening, as well as changing Stand locations just praying for the winds to switch around during the my vacation. If they didn't switch, I was in transition zones in the woods)

 

[Fish]

When i check plot cams post rut, there is always that odd picture of a bruiser walking through the plot in daylight. Outside of the rut that doesnt happen much at all.

The best approach for me is to slip in close to bedding areas where i dont have to disturb a thing when i get out of the woods. I can imagine everyones land being somewhat different in that respect.

I agree with chainsaw that if you can habituate deer to using plots they feel safe feeding in, then your more apt to get them out there as mature bucks. That usually takes a big piece of ground.

 

[j-bird]

I tend to hunt edges of fields for does and younger deer, while I go deeper into the cover to try to find more mature deer. The only success I have had with more mature bucks in more open areas is when they where on a hot doe. Field edges are good for early season when bucks are looking for does and I like using a decoy to bring them in for a closer look. Once hunting pressure mounts I prefer to hunt the cover as that is where the deer will retreat to.

Mornings or evening I let the temp dictate. In early season when it tends to be warm I prefer mornings as the cooler temps of the night tend to carry the activity until the daytime temps get too warm. In the late season when its cold I prefer to hunt later in the day as the daylight will allow temps to rise above the freezing mark which tends to be more mid day and into the evening. During the rut - you hunt anytime you can cause anything is possible!

I have ZERO science to back any of this up - it's just what I have seen on my place.