Anymore success with the bow this season?

I have not been successful with the bow this year. Going to try one last time late season in 2 weekends. Only have 2.5 days to get something. Where I hunt is mostly big woods and scarce deer. Sitting all day may or may not produce seeing 1 deer. For the late season, I am setting up on known trails and hoping to catch something early morning or late afternoon. Been doing all day sits for 2 months now and just about had enough till next season.

Between me and my partner we have three down with a combined 10 days out. It has just been awful this year as we work different schedules and when we are off together it's either the weather or the gunners that are keeping us down.

We can do this Friday and Saturday (god willing) so we are not down for the count yet.

We can only fit one more in the freezer anyway so while we are able to do the hunters for the hungry program here, we are doing just fine if we do end up not getting anything else in 2012

I plan to do some late season hunting myself. Got some birds to shoot first, but have some time mid January to chase deer.

I would suggest abandoning your "known trails" that have produced little action and re-scout. After the seasons pressure, success in the late split needs four things. Fresh deer sign, and Food Food Food.

If it's cold, concentrate your efforts midday to evening. A deers metabolism slows in the winter, and they tend to move less, saving their activity for mid afternoon when it is warmest, and then only from beds to active food sources.

Yep, not going to the same places for sure. Good tips thanks Slow Bow. Only thing with food is its all browse and big woods so hard to pinpoint. I was planning on setting up early on south facing slopes where I have seen beds and jumped deer in the past. Good or no?

SlowBow wrote:I plan to do some late season hunting myself. Got some birds to shoot first, but have some time mid January to chase deer.

I would suggest abandoning your "known trails" that have produced little action and re-scout. After the seasons pressure, success in the late split needs four things. Fresh deer sign, and Food Food Food.

If it's cold, concentrate your efforts midday to evening. A deers metabolism slows in the winter, and they tend to move less, saving their activity for mid afternoon when it is warmest, and then only from beds to active food sources.

Posted Boy Gallego wrote:Yep, not going to the same places for sure. Good tips thanks Slow Bow. Only thing with food is its all browse and big woods so hard to pinpoint. I was planning on setting up early on south facing slopes where I have seen beds and jumped deer in the past. Good or no?

SlowBow wrote:I plan to do some late season hunting myself. Got some birds to shoot first, but have some time mid January to chase deer.

I would suggest abandoning your "known trails" that have produced little action and re-scout. After the seasons pressure, success in the late split needs four things. Fresh deer sign, and Food Food Food.

If it's cold, concentrate your efforts midday to evening. A deers metabolism slows in the winter, and they tend to move less, saving their activity for mid afternoon when it is warmest, and then only from beds to active food sources.

Personally, late season, I blow off mornings most hunts. I'd circle out from those bedding areas, and look for the nearest food source I could find, hunting it noon to dark. It could be a red oak grove, japanese honeysuckle is real good this time of year if you can find it, any green brushy growth on the forest floor where you can locate fresh droppings. FIND FRESH DROPPINGS in a suspect food source! Then hunt a good temperature drop.With this warm start to the winter, a good ten, fifteen degree temperature drop will have all the deer scrounging for food all afternoon.

Great imfo, looks like i'll be out still later this year also