Preparing for the shift off their summer pattern

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TriStateBowHunter
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Preparing for the shift off their summer pattern

Unread postby TriStateBowHunter » Tue Jul 13, 2021 2:21 pm

As im sure many of you, i have located a target buck glassing fields. I have watched him feeding to a crp type field each night. How do you guys prepare for the shift off their summer patterns? For me this is SW PA, rolling hills, timber and some farm land. What steps do you suggest taking to be able to get on this deer in early October?


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Ghost Hunter
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Re: Preparing for the shift off their summer pattern

Unread postby Ghost Hunter » Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:08 pm

Knowing where he is going be at come October. Try figure where he is entering field. Work backwards from there.
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Re: Preparing for the shift off their summer pattern

Unread postby Bowguy » Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:10 pm

I’m not sure if ghost hunter is local or not but you’re one state away from me and I’m sure I run into some of the same issues. Ghost hunter is correct find out where they’re gonna be. This is where we differ though. I’d not work backwards from anywhere, no disrespect to his experience, but first you need to say what type field he’s in? What other preferred food sources n such are nearby.
Without knowing say it’s a green bean field. I know it’s prob not but I’m just trying to get you to think. They’d def be in that, once it yellows you can back track all you want he most likely won’t be there. Your information is useless.
I always scout thinking forward. Find the preferred food source for OCTOBER. Imagine you’re speaking a hay or clover field. They’ll prob still visit but if there’s a white oak dropping giant nuts, I’d bet they may be there. At least if they aren’t in field you know where to try. Green often trumps other things so be aware of that too.
This time of year you can actually scout forward by visiting the oaks, look for white, black, every other fall food source too but I’ll give you an acorn type strategy.
You can walk into any oak ridge right now and have low odds of bumping a deer, even more so if it’s mid day. As you notice the trees look up w binoculars. Remember the preferred food sources, learn the order. What species of white oaks, than black, notice what is loaded up and where. You’d have a plan about where they’re headed and not spook him getting the info.
Squirrels often climb ripe trees, they cut branches and throw them down, you’ll see a green ring around an active tree. Squirrels are actively there, so will deer be. If the ring is brown or non existent look for the green ring.
Cornfields around here are planted right to the edge. Cover is thick, field has food, cover, water. No reason to leave. How can you scout ahead? Watch the field to see what stage they’re in, once ready to be harvested keep looking for farm machinery. After they’re arrived, get ready cause once done and gone you may have the best few days of the year ahead of you. The deer seem oblivious as they walk around naked field.
Check apple trees, if you know some that drop late, check em for fruit. You shoulda already cut them way back when to enhance tree. Early dropping trees are no good.
I’ll also say if a drought occurs and water is scarce, where do you think he’s headed pretty regular?
Some of these ideas may or may not help, but you get the gist, you need to take an educated guess at where he’s going. If you can get him first sit or two is prob best chance. Use your head and think ahead of him and be waiting.
Give more info about the whole area, and we can give more ideas.
Find your deer than figure where he’s headed come fall. Remember the rut changes everything so you have 4 weeks.
I’ll say something else, hopefully you can consider this. You talk “target buck” but seem to not be sure about somewhat basic information. If I’m correct in that a “target buck” is a limiting type exercise. Typically reserved for “older hands” who don’t even care what they shoot this year as they’ve shot enough. Imo you can def attempt to hunt him but if another decent deer comes by and you haven’t shot very many don’t pressure yourself unless you too are really ok with him or nothing. Enjoy your hunt and be proud of your secondary deer. I hope I don’t offend you saying that. Not my intent. Hope I got you thinking as well.
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Stingray713
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Re: Preparing for the shift off their summer pattern

Unread postby Stingray713 » Wed Aug 03, 2022 6:51 am

Basically what Ghost said. Find out where he’s entering the field. Look at a map and see what bedding he may be using, and What bedding is available relative to early October food sources.

Go check it out, throw up a camera, scout your way in when season starts. Lots of options to find answers. Hard to say what the best option is.
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Re: Preparing for the shift off their summer pattern

Unread postby Stingray713 » Wed Aug 03, 2022 6:52 am

Bowguy wrote:I’m not sure if ghost hunter is local or not but you’re one state away from me and I’m sure I run into some of the same issues. Ghost hunter is correct find out where they’re gonna be. This is where we differ though. I’d not work backwards from anywhere, no disrespect to his experience, but first you need to say what type field he’s in? What other preferred food sources n such are nearby.
Without knowing say it’s a green bean field. I know it’s prob not but I’m just trying to get you to think. They’d def be in that, once it yellows you can back track all you want he most likely won’t be there. Your information is useless.
I always scout thinking forward. Find the preferred food source for OCTOBER. Imagine you’re speaking a hay or clover field. They’ll prob still visit but if there’s a white oak dropping giant nuts, I’d bet they may be there. At least if they aren’t in field you know where to try. Green often trumps other things so be aware of that too.
This time of year you can actually scout forward by visiting the oaks, look for white, black, every other fall food source too but I’ll give you an acorn type strategy.
You can walk into any oak ridge right now and have low odds of bumping a deer, even more so if it’s mid day. As you notice the trees look up w binoculars. Remember the preferred food sources, learn the order. What species of white oaks, than black, notice what is loaded up and where. You’d have a plan about where they’re headed and not spook him getting the info.
Squirrels often climb ripe trees, they cut branches and throw them down, you’ll see a green ring around an active tree. Squirrels are actively there, so will deer be. If the ring is brown or non existent look for the green ring.
Cornfields around here are planted right to the edge. Cover is thick, field has food, cover, water. No reason to leave. How can you scout ahead? Watch the field to see what stage they’re in, once ready to be harvested keep looking for farm machinery. After they’re arrived, get ready cause once done and gone you may have the best few days of the year ahead of you. The deer seem oblivious as they walk around naked field.
Check apple trees, if you know some that drop late, check em for fruit. You shoulda already cut them way back when to enhance tree. Early dropping trees are no good.
I’ll also say if a drought occurs and water is scarce, where do you think he’s headed pretty regular?
Some of these ideas may or may not help, but you get the gist, you need to take an educated guess at where he’s going. If you can get him first sit or two is prob best chance. Use your head and think ahead of him and be waiting.
Give more info about the whole area, and we can give more ideas.
Find your deer than figure where he’s headed come fall. Remember the rut changes everything so you have 4 weeks.
I’ll say something else, hopefully you can consider this. You talk “target buck” but seem to not be sure about somewhat basic information. If I’m correct in that a “target buck” is a limiting type exercise. Typically reserved for “older hands” who don’t even care what they shoot this year as they’ve shot enough. Imo you can def attempt to hunt him but if another decent deer comes by and you haven’t shot very many don’t pressure yourself unless you too are really ok with him or nothing. Enjoy your hunt and be proud of your secondary deer. I hope I don’t offend you saying that. Not my intent. Hope I got you thinking as well.


I think he said it’s a CRP type field. From my experience he’s probably not going too far when he sheds velvet if he’s hitting a crp field in the daytime.
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Ghost Hunter
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Re: Preparing for the shift off their summer pattern

Unread postby Ghost Hunter » Thu Aug 04, 2022 12:06 am

Bowguy I understand your thinking. Walking backwards is only good for that opening day and next if you are lucky. From there forward you have to spend your time trying figure where that buck is going to be at next. There are many of hunters that hunt tower stands in our camp. If they hear or see a good buck come through in sight of tower stand they we hunt it day in and day out. Waiting for that buck come back through that location. Most all of time it never happens again. I always say when see a good buck moving. Where is he headed? Try figure out his next move. Experience and past hunts will help make that happen a lot of times.
I'm reason they call it hunting and not shooting.


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