Feeding Deer/Late Season Hunting

[headgear]

I hunt the bigwoods but this senario could play out anywhere, we all know people like to feed deer in the winter. I don't really want to debate wheather that is right or wrong but I do know that I have seen a couple of huge bucks going to or from these back yard feeding stations when i have been traveling to/from christmas parties over the years. A lot of times I see these bucks on the edge of town or just out in the country near some lake homes. This food can often pull deer in from vast areas of forest (10+ miles away) into these little areas for the winter.

Now baiting in MN is totally illegal, I don't plan on feeding the deer myself or even hunting near these food sources but I think a good scouting mission to find out who is feeding or locating other natural food sources this time of year (logging)combined with some scouting to find where the bucks could be bedding might at least give me a chance at a late season buck. The large bucks I see near these back yard feeding locations are usually there 3-4 hours after dark so they are more than likely bedding close but still a fair distance away from the food. I just wish we had some snow, that might put a damper on my late season scouting mission. I also hope the bucks are still sporting their racks, it is relativly common in my area for some deer to drop them in Dec.

I was just curious if anyone else has taken advantage of people feeding deer and put themselves on a good buck before. Any other tips or advice for this kind of late season hunting?

[Hodag Hunter]

What you describe is one of my go to tactics for late season. Here in WI placing bait is also legal in only 2 gallon qtys.....not really enough to keep deer around but will get a picture or two what you may be looking for. You can then formalate a game plan at least knowing one is in the general area.

The missing snow is hurting this year......i always like to travel backroads after the fresh snow to locate a good track just to let me know if a buck moved in this area or is still around. Placing a camera where a I suspect beding may be is a start to determine how close they are just by checking the time of visits. My better spots are mostly located within a mile of homes or cabins......one can guess the winter feeding is why. These spots aren't really worth a crap any other time of the year except now in December.

I think some folks just can't grasp how many miles and miles of publc land we have and so few "good" bucks. Without doing something like this a guy can find good areas on a topo but a decent buck may not be with-in miles of it because of so few mature bucks to occupy the so many good looking areas to hunt.

The lack of snow/ fresh snow this year is really cutting down on located good bucks. I have spots that seem to produce somewhat consistantly through out the years but each spot needs to be checked with cameras. These spots number well into the double digits and I'm always looking for more. One of my better spots this year, with at least some ok bucks that have showed, is a brand new area. I have also found not all bucks seem to winter in the same areas form season to season......most seem to favor consist wintering areas, but not all of them.

Chased one for 3 years and never did get him, the 1st two winters he was in the same general area and the 3rd year found him over a mile away staying consistantly in that area for the winter. He disapeared by spring and I assumed died that winter.....he was a real nice buck for our area, thought he was 6.5 years or older when he dissappeared.

I would like to add that putting 50 miles on the truck just checking roads for a track is a low mile weekend. I've been known to burn more than a tank of gas just driving from my northern WI house and back looking of spots in one weekend. This concept isn't for everyone and just finding a good buck is a huge accomplishment in itself. Shooting one is a great feeling and well earned. Hate to sound like I'm complaining but actually enjoy hunting this way and look forward to it year after year.

[headgear]

Thanks for the advice Hodag, miles of roads and woods I have plenty of. Snow on the other hand is in short order, although there might be hope for a dusting tomorrow so I might be able to get on some very fresh sign over the weekend. I have a few locations I want to key in on and plenty of backup plans if those don't work out. Time however will be limited with all the weekend festivities going on so it will be a long shot but still worth the effort to get on a buck. I still have visions of the giant 160's bigwoods buck I saw a few Decembers back, can't shoot him sipping egg nog on the couch.

[Hodag Hunter]

I try and backtrack a buck from one of my "mini-bait" stations..... to get closer to the actual bedding if I didn't "guess" close enough. This is all loosely based upon times of visit to the cameras

I understand MN a guy can't bait and backtracking from the lake houses may be difficult with all the dfferent deer feeding at these spots and possible property boundries. Cutting a track a half mile back from the lake house may only tell you this is the bucks travel to or from the bait. Bedding a mile or more back from the bait wouldn't be unheard of.

Also these bucks seem to run a type of circut. Kind of like bears.....they may onl use a certain trail once every 3rd day or something. Also there return trail back to bedding is usually not near the same as the trail to get to the bait. Make sense? As you get closer to the bedding the to and from trails will be obvioulsy closer to each other but a "mile out" these to and from exist trails could be 1/2 mile apart.

Soooo if you find and exit track from the baiting area don't assume the to trail to the bait will automaticly be reliivley close by. Topos, cameras and actual walking/searching will reveal more intel to utilize.

[headgear]

More good advice Hodag, thanks! I did suspect the bedding might be a ways back and I have been scouting out potential bedding locations in that 1/2 mile to mile range. It's also interesting you should mentio they travel in a circut, I got a tip about a nice buck in a certain residential area but he seems to show up for a few days and then is gone for a week or two.

[Hodag Hunter]

Placing the bait is the most "dangerous" part of my methods......to close to bedding and you risk blowing him out after the repeated intrusions.

To far back is nice for easy in and out rebaiting/camera checks but it gets difficult to find the actual prefered bedding of the buck. This is where your situation is going to require more work and gathering intel may be more time consuming than the time allowed to actually hunt.

If a guy knows where for sure the buck is bedding is a huge part of the method.....as how Dan hunts, and how now I know is so important to know where the actual beds are.....instead of guesing or pinpointing in just general areas. Problem is there is so much territory that should hold beds that doesn't, beds that are only used for certain times of the year, food changing ever winter season (differnet houses baiting or clearcuts) and scarce bucks moving around in such vast areas with endless good possibilities to bed.

It's a daughting task but love hunting this way when snow is fresh on the ground. A guy should really take a few weeks off of work in december to do this correctly.

Good luck to you and let us know how it goes.

[Hunter74]

Hodag I've started an approach something like what you are describing here a couple weeks ago... The one thing that I'm really struggling with is getting myself to put a camera anywhere near were I believe the bedding is... I'm not wanting to get close like within a few hundred yards of the suspected bedding with a camera for fear of spooking him... But so far putting the cams were I have I havnt got pics of an animal I'd target... So my question is how close do you think you can get without making the buck abandon that particular bed?

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[Hodag Hunter]

Every deer is different and if your entry and exit is in an area that the buck doesn't know you are coming and going until he hits the bait 400 yards will work. At the bait he will smell you were there, no way to hide that.

Now.....will 400 yards be close enough to get him to show at that camera in daylight, probably not. The trick is not to hunt at the camera or mini bait site but when making the decision the time is right sneak closer to where you suspect he is bedding and set your stand up. I have killed some bucks this way and boogered them up too. It's a guessing game for sure but at this time of the year it's time to throw all your chips in. Hunting this way I like to have more than one buck located. Like to add, with snow on the ground I may just elect to hunt on the ground with snow camo. When you find the "spot" just sit down and get ready........the added bonus of not setting a stand and risk making any noise in the cold crisp air out ways the benifit of being in a tree.

Sometimes.....rare, but does happen, a buck can show at the camera during daylight. You need all the varibles to be aligned, bedding location, quiet snow, good access in and out, deep snow, cold weather, getting ready to drop his horns, and maybe a storm approaching.

When and if they start showing earlier(shooting light) at your camera, get in to hunt him NOW. My findings are he is getting close to shedding. Once bucks shed I can get more or the 1st daylight pics of them at the baits. Must be a decrease in testosorene or something.

I have a good bud that hunts somewhat the way I do too, Magic if your reading you know who I'm talking about, he just called me this morning. He had 3 bucks in last night (smaller ones)....and a huge "doe". Pulled his trail cam card and it's a shed buck and the he thinks the 10 he was after. I told him last week to get in earlier....that buck was gradully showing earlier and earlier and warned him of the 10 getting ready to shed......