I have a theory that most of our herd is feeding on corn now and have been for the last couple months. I think I need to be patient till the deer decide they are tired of eating corn and or when they cut it.
My land is in farming country, it is a wooded ridge and low land partially circling an AG field (second year of beans) with several apple trees and oak trees on it. I also have a small 1/2 acre food plot and water hole that the deer stage in typically..
I was very encouraged early on before the season. Many does and fawns but not many bucks on camera. Then in late July I had a bachelor group show up with some nice ones in it.... Fast forward to the start of my season and I have seen fewer and fewer deer on cam. I am not hunting hard yet because I want to be careful not to mess up any one stand site (I have about 8 on my 38 acres).
Last weekend I hunted Saturday and Sunday morning with no sightings. Oh, I do hunt the wind and am careful about scent. This is not because of me. I am letting my cams scout for me.
OK, as I mentioned my land borders a 200 acre field. This is the second year it is in beans. My neighbor to the west of me has the same observations on deer sightings as I do. I drove east to the farmers on that side of our area and they are all in corn now.... My neighbor and I think the deer are zoned in on that corn. Funny, I have acorns (red and white) and apples falling on the ground with no takers... Weird, weird year. I have had this place 15 years and never seen the deer so concentrated on one food source like this.
I am being patient. I know they are still around. It is still very early. The leaves are dropping now so I expect things to change soon.
Have any of you guys had a year like this before where the deer were (I am assuming) so concentrated on one food source? I have been hunting this place a long time and when the 200 acre field is in corn I have had my best luck. Our local deer just really seem to like corn. They can eat and bed in safety I guess but you would think they would want more variety in their diet.
The farmer with the 200 acre field plans to grow beans for three years before he rotates in corn so I will have one more year like this. Not sure what more I can do to draw them out of the corn to the east. I do have a pasture that is CRP now that I am thinking about planting about an acres worth of corn next year as an experiment. I know it is small but might be a nudge to get them to travel more.
Time, season change and patience are my best hope this year. What do you think?
Bill
It would be great to see my typical "Bed to Feed" pattern but this year they are not bedding by me. I only have 38 acres but my neighbor has 100 and he says the same thing. Deer will do what deer do I suppose.
The area has decent deer numbers so I know they are around, just not by me right now. Ha
Thanks! Bill
Dug, My deer have never really hit my red oak acorns much. They do normally hit the white oaks I have in my ravine hard... Wish I had more than the two I know of. Well, I mean they did that last year. Ha
Funny, to the west of my ridge there are miles of corn fields. Maybe it just happened this way that my neighboring farmer and the two to the east are all in beans at the same time. Now that I think of it the farm down the road was in corn last year...
One good thing is my woods run straight down the ravine into the neighbors land and connect to these westerly corn fields. So, when they get pushed out they should just follow the ridge back to their normal range.
Just seems odd that they would be into that corn exclusively. I am hoping that that is to my benefit. If they have in fact been eating corn since late July. Now with the cooler temps, falling leaves etc they will change their pattern. Heck, I have a bunch of Maple trees too and in years past, I have seen the deer eat maple leaves. I suppose they taste good to them because I have an area that I have seen that for years at first falling of the Maple leaves.
Well, I know I learn something new all the time in the woods about these critters. Maybe this is another lesson.
I have never planted corn before. With out a seed drill it might be a tough row to hoe. Pun intended.
Bill
I'm not sure that there is a way to draw out of the corn, if they are bedding and feeding there. On my property, we have good bedding areas within 100 yards of the corn fields, so the deer just "commute" back and forth.
Damp, I can go bigger in that pasture if the smaller corn patch gets hammered. Actually i would be willing to have that the first year. That would mean I was on to something. If one acre is too small I may be able to get 3-4 acres in that area. My initial issue will be the grass and getting that down to dirt. I usually mow, round up, then till with my disk. In this area the ground is kinda hard. last time I tried a food plot down there I had a tough time disking. I will have to add weight to my disk to break ground. If that does not work I might have to rent a pull behind ATV tiller (I have an ATV). My 1941 Ford 9N goes to fast for a PTO driven tiller so that is not an option..
Oh well, that is FUN for next year. Ha
Depends on your deer population, I plant only a 1/3 of an acre of corn and have plenty to last throughout the winter. Same with my soybeans, 1/3 of an acre is plenty. This is central Wisconsin, farm county, Monroe County.
Broadcasting soys and corn works great. I've been doing it for years. Plow, disk, fertilize by hand & broad cast the seed, cover with an old spring tooth. 1952 Ford 8N is what I use.
I think the deer use the large corn ag fields for bedding now more than anything. With more activity in the woods, ours and the neighbors, it has got to be one of the safest places to bed. End of October rattle in the woods adjacent to standing corn. BC
Not really, the more sun the faster they grow. Unlike white spruce they will grow in wet soil. A 3/0 bareroot will not do much till year 4 then look out. Plant them spaced 9x9 or 12x12 for bedding purposes. 1/2 to 4 acre blocks are perfect. I also use them as visual/road screens as well.
BC, You planting field corn or sweet corn? Heck if I plant corn, might as well plant something I can eat too. Ha.
Bill
Did some scouting on Sunday and found an apple tree that is getting hammered. All kinds of poop around it. I set up a tripod stand (no good trees) on a hub of trails leading to the tree. Also placed a camera.
Speaking of cameras, I have much better activity now. Like I thought they are moving on to other food sources now.
Thanks, Bill
15 yard shot and I watched her drop.
Yep, I think after eating corn so much they are now feeding on whatever green is left. My food plot has Turnips, Brassica and Ethiopian Cabbage. It is a blend. It is so green you can see it through the trees.
Bill
