I would say it’s officially upon us! After looking at -8…someone try to argue!
I am 2/3 on tags and I really don’t want to eat WIsconsin tag soup. I was trying to round up some of my best late season knowledge and was hoping for a little input from the IDO community!
In my opinion, a hunter who succeeds in harvesting a mature late season buck has truly accomplished a great feat. All the odds are stacked against you.
Late November – Yes, there are still quite a few does going into estrus and bucks are still chasing after does but my strategies will change dramatically in the coming week or so.
How do you guys hunt the late season?
Here are a few things I try to focus on for post Turkey Day bucks.
1. Hunting Breaks.
Deer will be moving during breaks in the weather. It can be either way. If it has been unseasonably warm for the last week and all of a sudden here comes negative temps, I would be in the stand, as deer are often on their feet in search of food.
The opposite is something which also holds true. If it has been frigid for a period of time and then we get a warm up, I would be out in the tree.
2. Patterning Deer.
The beauty of winter is we have snow! It makes finding patterns significantly easier. I’ll find a set of fresh tracks after a new snow and follow it back towards a bedding area. Often times these trails converge and end up forming super highways of deer movement. I’ll throw up a trail cam, put it in video mode, overlooking the deer trail, and come back a few days to a week later and see what kind of movement I’m picking up.
As many people know with the cold temperatures deer will be seeking food sources. As it holds true during the first few months of the season, the mature bucks will often be the last in the field letting other deer scope it out and jumping out right before dark or after dark. I will really try and focus on the transition areas between the food and bedding area, leaning more towards food sources. I also won’t hunt mornings, as deer movement is often much slower. If I have the inkling to hunt a morning, I’ll stick more in the timber closer to the bedding area and either catch them moving to their beds, or quick popping in and out of it.
It’s very similar to how I hunt in the early season. I’ll key in on food sources, and realize that is what is driving deer movement!
These are a couple pictures from some transition plots deer will sneak out to right before dark and as it becomes later in the year, the drawing power increases!
3. Don’t be afraid to back off your poundage!
I thought I was manly enough to continue to shoot 70lbs when the weather dropped into teens and single digits until it cost me a shot at a 160″ in Wisconsin. I went from shooting 73lbs in August to 63 in November. The funny thing is the speed lost was pretty minimal. I shoot the BowTech Experience and the draw cycle is a little more radical, which definitely made me want to back down the poundage even more. I wouldn’t be so concerned with a Mathews or another bow with a softer draw cycle, but it doesn’t hurt. Cold weather is hard on everything!
lastly, make sure you keep tabs on fingers and toes…..
What are some things you guys like to keep in mind when going out in search of a late season buck?
your right about fingers and toes. the two things that took me outta the stand this weekend after about 4 hours each time out…I saw deer every time though, just didn’t have a shot offered up to take.