Late season tactics - Where did they go?

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Bud TN
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Location: Southeast Tennessee
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Late season tactics - Where did they go?

Unread postby Bud TN » Wed Nov 29, 2017 7:37 pm

I have heard that deer will typically return to there "bed-food-bed" routine after the rut has completed. Knowing that bedding is the common theme there, I am having a hard time trying to find where they are bedding when food in my area is scarce. The mast crop was extremely light this year and I am having a hard time narrowing in on them to begin with.

I have changed my tactics to scouting clear cut edges, but I'm not being successful.
Deer season here is currently closed due to bear/hog hunting and will not open until the middle 2 weeks of December and I'm trying to build a game plan.

I struggle with late season buck strategy.
I'm fighting my impatience since I have yet to see anything larger than a spike buck and pressuring myself to make something happen before Christmas since that marks the end of my 2017 season?

What suggestions do you have for late season hunting on large tract (250,000+acres) of mountainous land with no crop fields within 20 miles, no grass lands, mast is non-existent, and most Forbes have been killed down by frost or snow? Also Since bucks slow down making sign in late season, Should I look for old sign (scrapes, rubs, beds) and hunt that? Since the deer don't pass through regularly, is it still bad to hunt a stand more than twice in the same week?

As you can probably tell based on the above, deer population is low here (averages 5-8 per mile normally) which complicates things even further!

I'm too stubborn to quit (or just stupid),because the reward is so great after persevering a season of hunting through that.

Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Thank you!


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brancher147
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Re: Late season tactics - Where did they go?

Unread postby brancher147 » Wed Nov 29, 2017 9:21 pm

Late season in big woods/mountains with no mast can really try your patience. As it sounds like you have already found out... If you have clear cuts I would guess the deer will not be far from there. The problem I have encountered with that scenario is deer are bedding and feeding in the clear cuts and don't come out much during daylight. So, hold tight to the cuts or even try and sneak inside the cuts if you can. But other than that do not hunt old sign, look for fresh deer tracks in the leaves and mud and fresh beds, if there are fresh tracks/beds with old sign then they may still be using the area, but they are probably not traveling the same as they were when the sign was made. and don't worry about hunting a stand twice in the same week as long as you have good entry/exit and hunt it on a good wind. Good luck.
Some do. Some don't. I just might...


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