Late Season

[DannoBoone1]

Am directing this to all you experienced deer hunters. The
deer are VERY wary now, since the Iowa Shotgun seasons
have more than educated them. That, along with the cold
snap we had the last 2 weeks, have changed all their habits.
They no longer cross the creek (seems they don't care any
more for thin ice than we do). The bucks have already done
something they usually do in mid-January; that is, to herd
up among themselves. There are still a couple of singles
(as of Monday) going through our property (just 17 acres),
but apparently at night.

With all their habits changed as they have, what would be
YOUR approach to bagging a buck or doe? (No snow here,
no old trail activity, no discernable new trails in the
leaves, a small herd of five big bucks were spotted, but
seemed to be "on the move". The singles noted above
were tracked in 1/2" of snow, but now that's gone.)

[Sam16]

Well you can count on one thing, they will definitly be out finding food an hour before dark. If you have any food sources on ur land then i would most definitly hunt that. The last 2 evenings i've sat over a food source and have seen 31 deer total, 30 does/fawns and 1 scrub 8 pt. Waiting for the big one to make a mistake. Good luck!

[muggs]

I just picked up on this tip recently, if you have any red oaks on your property, they drop there mast late in the year. They could be a real hotspot.

[wtnhunt]

Dont know. Really thought here after the ice melted away the deer would return to feeding in our plots really heavily and likely during daylight, but seems they are only feeding in them after dark.

[Swamphunter]

Definitely hunt the deers best food source on your property.

[MUDRUNNER]

IT WAS PRETTY COLD HERE LAST WEEKEND AND I SAW MOST OF THE DEER MOVING AROUND AFTER 10 IN THE MORNING AND ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE DARK.I WOULD DEFINATELY KEY IN ON FOOD SOURCES.