Taking a good buck on public land late season?

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jonsimoneau
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Taking a good buck on public land late season?

Unread postby jonsimoneau » Wed Nov 30, 2016 6:17 am

We all know this is about the ultimate challenge in deer hunting. Some say it's basically impossible. But who has taken a good buck on public land and with a bow during the late season? How did you do it? Any pics? I know it can be done on private land with foodplots and blah blah blah but how about on public land? I've already tagged a nice buck but I've got another tag in my pocket and this will be the challenge I'm faced with.

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Re: Taking a good buck on public land late season?

Unread postby tbunao » Wed Nov 30, 2016 6:24 am

My plan this year is to hunt with the stand on my back. Look for pawing, acorns they may not have been consumed(most likely reds), browsing on the outer edges of bedding areas.

I think with public it's hard to narrow down what food source they will be on. They can be on one source one day then another the next. Hoping to cut some big tracks to paint a better picture.

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Re: Taking a good buck on public land late season?

Unread postby Jrichard » Wed Nov 30, 2016 6:41 am

I have not, I took my 8 point on private land. No food plot. And I know the guy and he signed 200 permission slips this year. So I guess you could say its pretty much public land lol. But anyway. I have learned, you have to not only learn the deer's habits when not under pressure so you know where they are and where they are trying to go. And once you have that in-tell, you have to learn how they run when they are under pressure.

For example, my old spot. I knew how the deer ran because I put my trail cameras out last year and "patterned" them. So I pulled my cameras a month before the season, and went to my spot on opening day and the next 4 days after. I didnt see a single thing. Then after going through the heart breaking work of figuring out that they were still bedding right on the field edge, i realized it was because they were not being pressured on the field edge like they usually area. Then after a couple weeks of hearing people talk about how they were hunting that field edge I went back up the hill to that spot and still didnt see anything. I could not believe it. I put my cameras out again. When I was moving my cameras one day I found a few tree stands I didnt know that were there. So I set up my cameras away from those stands where I thought that the deer would run. And wouldnt you now every Saturday Sunday Monday the deer were running through the areas where I set up my cameras. Then usually around Wednesday they would start tripping my other cameras where I would get all my pictures on the off season and unpressed times.

So the big thing is finding where the deer run when they are pressured. Its kind of easier said than done, and most people I say that too say "yeah no crap, everyone knows that".

But it was crazy, I went and sat in a tree one day with my buddy about 75 to 100 yards away from me. And when the leaves started falling I could see a long way. I watched the deer walk around the stands I had found prior, and walk right up the hill to me. When I drew my bow I spooked them and they ran right under stand and right through a stone wall. Eventiually after killing my first doe, I spooked a few more a few weeks later and they did the same thing. Its crazy. It is almost like deer are programmed to do the same thing every time. Then a could weeks later my buddy went to that same pinch point and I pushed up the hill to him. Low and behold i pushed 2 does and a 7 pointer right to him. I had him sit right near the break in the wall, and I walked up from the field, saw a doe bounding up the hill but nothing else. about 4 minutes later i hear CAPOW! he shot the 7 pointer that i bumped. he stopped just before the opening in the rock wall almost like he knew my buddy was there and he ran down the wall about 20 yards and crossed where it had fallen down. When the deer lifted his leg over, he shot him. .

The local guy I hunt with is usually busy, but he always preached that once you start thinking like a deer, youll see and kill more deer. And I never believed him. But the more I observe and learn from there movements the more I realize how robotic they are when they are pressured this time of year the more opertunities I get. And that shows. My last deer I killed, I was on an observation sit. Just got a good vantage point. Sat on a big hill so I could see. Low and behold I shot at one deer and missed. Then deer came from the opposite direction a half hour later and I put one down. Never thought I would see anything, never mind get 2 shots off.

My point is I find that pressured deer are easier to predict and "pattern" than unpressured deer. I like hunting deer on there way to and from there beds and to and from food. I dont like sitting on food because who knows how long it will take them to get there.

Just a few things for you to think about.
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Re: Taking a good buck on public land late season?

Unread postby Bowhunter4life » Wed Nov 30, 2016 11:45 pm

I have taken a couple decent bucks late season, one of my better ones was in the 150s. You read the articles in the magazines and watch the tvshows your going to be mislead. Yes deer need food and that is their main focus during the late season but that does not mean that is where you want to hunt for them at. The thicker the better. Spots that have been overlooked or untouched is where you need to zone in on. A big bucks number one is security. Often movement is surpressed by the late season cause they have been pressured for months now. They still move in daylight but you need to push the limits late season or if you can't get close enough to his bedding area wait for a good cold front to push in and jump in on him. The 150 I killed was in early December after out 10 day rifle season. I heard about the animal being on the property and had made it through gun season. I went and did some scouting. Tons of sign from hunters but little from the deers. Typical after several long days of people stomping around. Well found a patch of willows and there was not a tree big enough around to get a climber or latter stand in. Noticed some pretty good sign in that small section so I backed out. Another thing to note here is I didn't walk in that patch of willows. I scouted from a short distance away and saw what I needed to see. Came back a few days later as there was a good front moving in and I set up in a small tree with my LW hang on only a few feet off the ground and got him slipping out at last light. It can be done but it is a challenge for sure. Tracks are another big indication of where a big buck might be traveling. Search around the thick stuff and see if you can cut any big tracks coming out of a thick area or a spot that would offer good security for a buck during the late season.

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Re: Taking a good buck on public land late season?

Unread postby Sam Ubl » Thu Dec 01, 2016 5:20 am

In southeast Wisconsin, walking into public hunting lands in the late season is what I imagine it might be like to walk on the moon - no one around, no nothing around. The close proximity to cities brings plenty of orange during the gun season, and after the second weekend, surrounding private absorbs a lot of deer that get kicked out of the public during big party drives. I lease some land a half-mile from a large public marsh, and between myself and my neighbors, our cameras start lighting up with new bucks. Some stick around, others return "home", but it's a familiar recurrence year after year. Despite this story, there are some homebodies that never leave, they just move. The best advise I can offer is to locate isolated pockets and don't be afraid of putting in a lot of work to get there. Go with a stand on your back and honestly still-hunt your way in under daylight, and as soon as you find hot sign, set up on it immediately and wait it out - the days are shorter in late season, anyways. It's a tough game out there in late season if you're hunting pressured public close to major cities, but the ones who work the hardest and think outside the box are the ones who stand the best odds.

Either that, or make a drive to get away from the cities, but I'd still find isolated pockets and set up under daylight on hot sign to see what shows. It's pretty hard to be picky when you're down to the wire and hunting "ghost" bucks, so remember why you're out there and all the work you've invested when a buck shows up.
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Re: Taking a good buck on public land late season?

Unread postby Ravenhunter » Thu Dec 01, 2016 5:45 am

In southern Ontario I took a nice 10 pt second last day of the season. Buck was bedded in a cedar swamp and I had observed deer coming from the swamp to a radish field. I setup at 1pm with lots of layers and waited. At 450pm he just appeared at 35 yards and as he angled towards a trail leading to the field I was able to take him. We were lucky with lots of snow and cold cold temps that December.

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Re: Taking a good buck on public land late season?

Unread postby dan » Thu Dec 01, 2016 6:25 am

It can be awesome on the right propertys... Deer move earlier and are more patternable. Unlike Sam's experiances, I have had real good luck in late season and the biggest obstacle is keeping a tag that long and the short days. You need to find the right property though, there going to be bunched up near food. Some places will look like a ghost town, and some will have more good bucks than late season...

a lot of the public marshes I hunt are better late season after the gun hunters on the surrounding private drive and pressure everything... Its certainly property specific.
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Re: Taking a good buck on public land late season?

Unread postby tgreeno » Thu Dec 01, 2016 2:28 pm

dan wrote:It can be awesome on the right propertys... Deer move earlier and are more patternable. Unlike Sam's experiances, I have had real good luck in late season and the biggest obstacle is keeping a tag that long and the short days. You need to find the right property though, there going to be bunched up near food. Some places will look like a ghost town, and some will have more good bucks than late season...

a lot of the public marshes I hunt are better late season after the gun hunters on the surrounding private drive and pressure everything... Its certainly property specific.


So that says to me...one sit per set til I find some deer. And hopefully I have a set that's in the right spot!
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Re: Taking a good buck on public land late season?

Unread postby Tufrthnails » Thu Dec 01, 2016 2:40 pm

tgreeno wrote:
dan wrote:It can be awesome on the right propertys... Deer move earlier and are more patternable. Unlike Sam's experiances, I have had real good luck in late season and the biggest obstacle is keeping a tag that long and the short days. You need to find the right property though, there going to be bunched up near food. Some places will look like a ghost town, and some will have more good bucks than late season...

a lot of the public marshes I hunt are better late season after the gun hunters on the surrounding private drive and pressure everything... Its certainly property specific.


So that says to me...one sit per set til I find some deer. And hopefully I have a set that's in the right spot!



That's kinda what I was reading into it as well. I got a plan and points to hit early in our gun season here in a couple of days. But by mid Jan If I hadn't gotten it done or I'm not zeroing in on something I plan to just hunt scout my way through this WMA I'm hunting. This will be my second season hitting this WMA Beast style with at least 10 seasons prior to that just killing time hunting with the rest of the knuckleheads.
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Re: Taking a good buck on public land late season?

Unread postby Lockdown » Thu Dec 01, 2016 3:22 pm

Late season can be crazy fun, but man does it get cold. I hope to tag a late season bruiser before I die, but it won't be easy. The biggest obstacle for me is crunchy snow.

I don't have a lot of late season experience, but the years I didn't fill my lone tag during rut it became very apparent that the colder and snowier it is, the more herded up and predictable they will be. That goes for ALL deer. The only time I see similar consistency is a late July/early August bed to food pattern.

If you are lucky enough to find standing corn... Start licking your chops. I have also seen good numbers on alfalfa fields, and wheat regrowth once in a great while.

2013 was crazy cold... Had 19" of ice the last week of December. I knew of properties where does and small bucks were lining up single file to head to food (1/2 mile away sometimes) 3 hours before dark. As always, the big bucks wait till last light and are always at the back of the pack if they're with other deer. NOTHING GETS THEM ON THEIR FEET LIKE BRUTAL COLD WEATHER. Killed on the last day in -15 actual temps.

2014 was wayyyy tougher. It was much warmer with very little snow. Food and bedding was more abundant, which means bedding is less concentrated. Tag soup for me that year.

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Re: Taking a good buck on public land late season?

Unread postby PK_ » Thu Dec 01, 2016 3:33 pm

I know JoeRe killed a good one last year late season with the bow. Story is in his journal.

I heard a podcast with John Eberhart. He said he did really well late season by waiting for fresh snow. Find the fresh sign and hunt the area accordingly.

I have never even attempted a late season bow hunt.

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Re: Taking a good buck on public land late season?

Unread postby Lockdown » Thu Dec 01, 2016 4:08 pm

Fresh snow is a must for stealth. If temps get above freezing then cool off again, that snow will be loud, guaranteed.

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Re: Taking a good buck on public land late season?

Unread postby olivertractor » Thu Dec 01, 2016 8:03 pm

With the deer ratios I deal with 2nd rut can be tremendous, sometimes better cause most hunters don't like cold. Which creates less hunter pressure.

If I'm getting cold and snow, I'm monitoring food and waiting for a pattern. While waiting for a pattern I'm putting miles on the truck looking for mature survivalist.

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Re: Taking a good buck on public land late season?

Unread postby Jonny » Fri Dec 02, 2016 1:01 am

Find the fresh sign, and you will find the deer. Don't waste time hunting spots that have no fresh sign hoping one comes through. I have hunted late season on occassion and I think I spend the majority of my time walking and scouting than actually hunting. But the amount of deer I see when I do get the stand up is pretty good. I also believe that does tend to herd up during gun season and stay together for the winter. If you find one, you find multiple. And the bucks won't be far away.
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