As we are getting into december in the next few days I was wondering how your approaches will be changing? I know most articles and books say to hit the food, what food do you guys focus on? Also Im down in NC now and the weather is far from frigid, it will be 80 tomorrow, for the next week I will probably keep my stands where they are but I would love some input on where to move to as it gets later in the season.
I peraonally look for an isolayrd white oak tree. That has action around it Sent from my LGL44VL using Tapatalk
The deer are grazing thru the pasture as well as going to the food plot, I have not noticed any brousing on the hazelnut brush yet but then again no snow so there is plenty of food for them to eat.
I look for Christmas Trees. The deer tend to move more into areas with Lower hanging pine trees for bedding, once the snow flies.
You answered your own question. Food, food, and more food. It's basically like going back to very early season. We have brutal winters here in central Minnesota - Any standing crops are the number 1 target. Every year we have deer under our apple trees after the first significant snow. Pine trees can be a prime spot to find bedded groups.
Any thing still green is good. Winter wheat fields are always good. If hunting in the woods, I like hunting green briar patches in the winter. I have noticed while walking in to hunt, that deer are already eating green briar.
Yep focus on food. If you have acorns in the area or big white oak patches hunt those areas. Such as between bedding and feeding. It will kinda go back to the early season they will focus on main food sources only now they are skittish and on edge. and every sense they have is a lot sharper. That is if your going threw my trouble surrounded by the orange army.
Just did a short video on this with a few things that may help! Post-Rut Success Essentials - YouTube
I find plenty of sign around food in the late season, but with muzzloader and later private land antlerless seasons immediately following two weeks of general firearm in November, the suvivors no longer "settle down" as the previous used to. Movement is after dark and man are they skittish. This is my 40th archery season and I have not seen an antlered deer in the month of December in west Michigan.
I hunt North Dakota, Nebraska, and northern Minnesota. The late season food sources vary in each state. In North Dakota I key in on food such as oats or winter wheat, Nebraska I look for cut corn, and if possible standing crops are prime. And then up in MN what can be money is mountakn ash berries if you have any of those around.
While food is what I am generally hunting in late season, my times change. I watch the trail cams and hunt a lot more 10-4 type shifts. The temps are highest generally from 1 to 4 and that is when I see more deer. By leaving before the whole field fills up with deer, I can hunt the same spots a couple times.
