Late season tactics?
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Late season tactics?
What are some late season tactics y’all have been successful with? I know a bunch of people have different views of late season, so let’s say late season is after the lock down phase of the initial rut. Is bed hunting still successful? Are deer still as likely to bed in the swamps when it’s cold like this? Or will they find ridges and points instead?
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- Ragingun
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Re: Late season tactics?
Personally I go back to bed hunting but probably later than others. It's a well known fact that there is often a 2nd rut in areas with high doe populations where some did not get bred. In many cases bucks will tend to continue running some of these does and have not yet returned to their "normal" bedding routines until after mid December. I'm not sure if this is for the same reason but as Dan mentions in his videos late season seems to get better and better the later it gets. I believe that bucks tend to return more and more to those normal habits the later it gets and to top it off they bed/eat even more consistently since they need to feed when winter settles in on them.
One of the biggest factors that I am more conscious of after it snows is the condition or state that the snow is in. Is it crunchy? If so, then which beds can I be stealthy enough to get to with that condition and wind direction. If its fluffy and covers sound then I will likely take a chance at getting to a much harder to reach bed when noise is what would typically limit me. Also, some of my beds are nearly impossible to get to due to the depth of water combined with the type of terrain. For example, I hunt a swamp with a "false floor". The initial root system from the alders, dogwood, and cattails in not much more than ankle deep however it doesn't take much extra weight to break through and in some places you are over your head. I've even got wet with chest waders on going through that swamp. There's an island in the middle of it though with oaks and some larger trees located sparsely throughout that swamp. Every one of those trees has a bed under it. It's a gold mine but you can't get there unless it's froze.
One of the biggest factors that I am more conscious of after it snows is the condition or state that the snow is in. Is it crunchy? If so, then which beds can I be stealthy enough to get to with that condition and wind direction. If its fluffy and covers sound then I will likely take a chance at getting to a much harder to reach bed when noise is what would typically limit me. Also, some of my beds are nearly impossible to get to due to the depth of water combined with the type of terrain. For example, I hunt a swamp with a "false floor". The initial root system from the alders, dogwood, and cattails in not much more than ankle deep however it doesn't take much extra weight to break through and in some places you are over your head. I've even got wet with chest waders on going through that swamp. There's an island in the middle of it though with oaks and some larger trees located sparsely throughout that swamp. Every one of those trees has a bed under it. It's a gold mine but you can't get there unless it's froze.
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Re: Late season tactics?
Gotta find food....
I have had success at this point in yr gaining access for late season bow only. Limited time frame and most don’t think you have a chance in ....
I have had success at this point in yr gaining access for late season bow only. Limited time frame and most don’t think you have a chance in ....
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- headgear
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Re: Late season tactics?
I know most will say food and they aren't wrong but I've had my best late season ever buy going back to buck bedding. Called in a nice one at the very end of Nov next to a bed I know well, let him walk because half his rack was busted off, looked like a pretty nice public 3 year old that will be a top priority next year. Was making a drive to my cousin with the muzzy and jumped a big one, neither of us got a shot at him and he gave us the slip in a huge cedar swamp. He was bedding on a north facing ridge with wind to his back on a point 1/3 of the way down as usual. I was in a new area and just guessed at bedding based on a topo and there he was. Years back I would try and focus on food and just ended up chasing my tail around looking for fresh sign, not that it was a bad way to go about it but it wasn't working for me.
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Re: Late season tactics?
headgear wrote:I know most will say food and they aren't wrong but I've had my best late season ever buy going back to buck bedding. Called in a nice one at the very end of Nov next to a bed I know well, let him walk because half his rack was busted off, looked like a pretty nice public 3 year old that will be a top priority next year. Was making a drive to my cousin with the muzzy and jumped a big one, neither of us got a shot at him and he gave us the slip in a huge cedar swamp. He was bedding on a north facing ridge with wind to his back on a point 1/3 of the way down as usual. I was in a new area and just guessed at bedding based on a topo and there he was. Years back I would try and focus on food and just ended up chasing my tail around looking for fresh sign, not that it was a bad way to go about it but it wasn't working for me.
You said you called him in, just using a grunt call? What kind of calling sequence will you use when you’re close in on Bedding like that? I figure I won’t chance calling yet since I’m new to beast hunting and tactics, but it’s interesting.
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- <DK>
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Re: Late season tactics?
headgear wrote:I know most will say food and they aren't wrong but I've had my best late season ever buy going back to buck bedding. Called in a nice one at the very end of Nov next to a bed I know well, let him walk because half his rack was busted off, looked like a pretty nice public 3 year old that will be a top priority next year. Was making a drive to my cousin with the muzzy and jumped a big one, neither of us got a shot at him and he gave us the slip in a huge cedar swamp. He was bedding on a north facing ridge with wind to his back on a point 1/3 of the way down as usual. I was in a new area and just guessed at bedding based on a topo and there he was. Years back I would try and focus on food and just ended up chasing my tail around looking for fresh sign, not that it was a bad way to go about it but it wasn't working for me.
Great tip Headgear!
I was going to suggest rattling as well. Iv seen other people's bucks taken in early-mid Dec doing this, in the right spots. If its not happening, then make it happen.
If you decide to try calling, one thing I would suggest is giving it longer than usual after the sequence - before giving up. At the moment I cant find or remember which thread its in but Magicman talked in depth about his observations of bucks coming into calls. Talked about how long a buck is willing to make his approach.
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Re: Late season tactics?
I've had my best late season success around some type of a food source. If you have bedding that is in close proximity to food then your are going to have some action. Late season around my parts(western PA) is after Christmas. By then the deer have calmed down enough after being chased around during the gun season and are back on bed to food patterns. Once in a while you might find a buck harassing a doe but not usually. I'm not good enough with the whole buck bedding beast tactics to know how well that might work but I wouldn't rule it out.
- headgear
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Re: Late season tactics?
Blakebry123 wrote:
You said you called him in, just using a grunt call? What kind of calling sequence will you use when you’re close in on Bedding like that? I figure I won’t chance calling yet since I’m new to beast hunting and tactics, but it’s interesting.
Basically I spaced out some grunts and bleets, nothing too crazy. Took him about 25 minutes to get over to me, but he didn't move right away but somethign I did got his attention at some point. I think I was setup within 75 yards of him and he didn't want to move far at all, very slowly made his way over my way with a lot of stops to scan the area. I was right in the bedding areas with him, had I been further out I don't think I would have seen him or he would not have made it to me.
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Re: Late season tactics?
Darkknight54 wrote:
I was going to suggest rattling as well. Iv seen other people's bucks taken in early-mid Dec doing this, in the right spots. If its not happening, then make it happen.
If you decide to try calling, one thing I would suggest is giving it longer than usual after the sequence - before giving up. At the moment I cant find or remember which thread its in but Magicman talked in depth about his observations of bucks coming into calls. Talked about how long a buck is willing to make his approach.
Ha, hit reply to the previous post and then went back and ready yours. Spot on, every older buck I have ever called in has been very slow and catious. The one I grunted in 45 minutes before last light and maybe shot him with 5 minutes to go, he did not want to step foot on the island I was hunting. Had another one tearing about some poor tree one evening last year but he didn't want to move at all and I ran out of daylight.
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Re: Late season tactics?
I think it really depends on what you would consider late season. Where I live, Dec 8-14 is the latest the season ever goes. 2 weeks later, deer are REALLY on the food compared to mid december. Late Dec, early Jan seasons IMHO are truly late season. I watch target bucks coming to food sources much more regular on camera during those periods as opposed to first of December. December 15th is when I can start baiting trail cams again and I will put cams out to try and figure out what bucks made the season. Gives me a good idea of where I am going to concentrate my post season scouting.
Dec 8, 2016 I came very close to killing a 4.5yr+ buck that showed up end of November and hung around. That night, I had bucks in ground scrapes...still rutting behaviour. The does were coming into the leftover acorns. And bucks were following.
2015 another piece of urban ground. Food was always the issue late season. I abandoned this piece because of the food plots that were on top of the mountain. They pulled so many of the deer in that no matter what I did, I would rarely see a deer. My buddy would snicker and laugh at the stupid amount of deer they were seeing on those food plots.
My buddies right now are in IA hunting guided. The weather is cold and the deer are piling into the foodplots LIKE CRAZY. First shotgun, 5 out of 6 guys killed bucks 140+ on food. Granted, its private. Granted its part of IA with a stupid amount of deer.
Dec 8, 2016 I came very close to killing a 4.5yr+ buck that showed up end of November and hung around. That night, I had bucks in ground scrapes...still rutting behaviour. The does were coming into the leftover acorns. And bucks were following.
2015 another piece of urban ground. Food was always the issue late season. I abandoned this piece because of the food plots that were on top of the mountain. They pulled so many of the deer in that no matter what I did, I would rarely see a deer. My buddy would snicker and laugh at the stupid amount of deer they were seeing on those food plots.
My buddies right now are in IA hunting guided. The weather is cold and the deer are piling into the foodplots LIKE CRAZY. First shotgun, 5 out of 6 guys killed bucks 140+ on food. Granted, its private. Granted its part of IA with a stupid amount of deer.
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Re: Late season tactics?
mainebowhunter wrote:I think it really depends on what you would consider late season. Where I live, Dec 8-14 is the latest the season ever goes. 2 weeks later, deer are REALLY on the food compared to mid december. Late Dec, early Jan seasons IMHO are truly late season. I watch target bucks coming to food sources much more regular on camera during those periods as opposed to first of December. December 15th is when I can start baiting trail cams again and I will put cams out to try and figure out what bucks made the season. Gives me a good idea of where I am going to concentrate my post season scouting.
Dec 8, 2016 I came very close to killing a 4.5yr+ buck that showed up end of November and hung around. That night, I had bucks in ground scrapes...still rutting behaviour. The does were coming into the leftover acorns. And bucks were following.
2015 another piece of urban ground. Food was always the issue late season. I abandoned this piece because of the food plots that were on top of the mountain. They pulled so many of the deer in that no matter what I did, I would rarely see a deer. My buddy would snicker and laugh at the stupid amount of deer they were seeing on those food plots.
My buddies right now are in IA hunting guided. The weather is cold and the deer are piling into the foodplots LIKE CRAZY. First shotgun, 5 out of 6 guys killed bucks 140+ on food. Granted, its private. Granted its part of IA with a stupid amount of deer.
Good points Maine. Very much region based and food is still #1
- Tradstalk777
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Re: Late season tactics?
Bucky wrote:Gotta find food....
I have had success at this point in yr gaining access for late season bow only. Limited time frame and most don’t think you have a chance in ....
I second that bucky. Most farmers, and their hunters, have called it quits. Their more likely to give access. Scouting active fields can be great
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Re: Late season tactics?
Awesome thanks for the tips guys! I’m thinking I’m going to take the rifle and do some still hunting and grunting on the ridges around the swamp. I think I’m gonna hit it pretty aggressively tomorrow. If I don’t see anything around the ridges then I’ll push into the swamp. Gonna use what I’ve learned from Dans YouTube videos since my dvds haven’t come in yet
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- Airborne
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Re: Late season tactics?
Is it even worth to try to stealth hunt in single digit weather on crunchy snow? Has anyone had any success? I got one more tag to fill and 2 hunts left to do it.
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