Winter foods on public?

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hunting_dad
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Winter foods on public?

Unread postby hunting_dad » Fri Nov 30, 2018 2:33 am

So....I’ve never really hunted the late season and really want to start giving it a try. This year will be mainly scouting and learning the public areas nearby, which are new to me. I live in northwest Indiana, so you know the region I’m referring to.

My question is, if the row crops are all picked and the hunting pressure is “moderate”, what type of food sources are generally preferred in the winter in these areas? My plan is to find the thickest nastiest areas I can to begin with, but what am I looking for as far as food/browse goes? Thanks for your help!


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Hawthorne
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Re: Winter foods on public?

Unread postby Hawthorne » Fri Nov 30, 2018 2:54 am

Red osier dogwood, red oak acorns, and old field habitat has a lot of browse with the many different weeds and woody browse. Always lots of sign in them during winter.Just a few, there is probably many others. I’m in southern mi so similar to northern Indiana
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Re: Winter foods on public?

Unread postby hunting_dad » Fri Nov 30, 2018 3:03 am

Thanks Hawthorne. I figure I should be able to verify with fresh sign as well if they’re hitting it or not, but want to know what I’m looking for in the first place. Appreciate the info.
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may21581
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Re: Winter foods on public?

Unread postby may21581 » Sat Dec 01, 2018 5:24 am

Look for greens. Examples would be any field that was mowed and contains green stubble, tall grasses, weeds, ect. I see deer walk straight past cornfields to go for this. Far more nutrients in it and they know this. Also any acorns, and small stem plants.
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Re: Winter foods on public?

Unread postby Ack » Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:50 am

What I'm seeing on the public right now, with snow on the ground and zero acorns to be had, they are seeking out wintergreen big time.
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Re: Winter foods on public?

Unread postby brancher147 » Sat Dec 01, 2018 9:53 am

Mast (main things I see now are grapes and acorns), woody browse, anything green
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Re: Winter foods on public?

Unread postby Jdw » Sat Dec 01, 2018 12:34 pm

Look for honey locust pods if you have them.


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