So it's my second season bowhunting, this year I have 3 new pieces of land to hunt in Kane county IL which are small (10 and 14acre) woodlots surrounded by ag land (hundreds of acres of corn/beans,). One property has a major apple orchard business to the south by about 1/4mi with 80acres of grassland/timber across the street. I feel overwelmed trying to scout them, figuring out best trees for my climbing stand, and figuring out where deer are moving from surrounding areas into my woodlots. I have seen pretty decent deer movement so far with a good 12pt and 8pt occasionally coming through these areas. Any advice from some midwestern hunters that hunt this type of land? Also, being they are great bedding areas would it be ideal to hit in the AM before the deer come back to bed or to get in around 2pm quietly and wait till the deer get active in the PM and are heading out to feed? Any advice would be great! Thanks!
sounds like you've got your hands full this year. i would scout for good heavy trails to and from the other properties to your area. such as fence crossings. sneak in early in the morning and sit all day sounds like the best plan since you dont have much property to hold deer, just more less a travel corridor for them. but sometimes those are the best places to be. especially during the rut! Good luck and happy hunting
Shot be an exciting year. I know deer hold in the 80acres across the street because the land owner says he sees them everyday in his field. Just a matter of getting them to cross into my 10acre timber.. Maybe chasing does haha, other then that they have everything they need on the other side. I cannot wait. Is it normal to never shoot a deer and literally lose sleep over shooting a deer? haha
Go to mytopo.com and zoom down to your locations and the surrounding areas. Take some screenshots and post them in a thread asking some of the guys on here to take a look and help you find some good stand locations based on the topography. It will at least get you pointed in the right direction to help narrow down your search.
I hunt a fully wooded 30 acres that is surrounded by acres and acres of ag land. I find deer moving through at all times of the day in early season, rut season, and late season. When you are out there on all day sits you get to know what goes on. The more you are there the more you learn. You sound like me a few years ago when I first started hunting this small peice of heaven I call my own. I will tell you this, I setup the very first stand on the property on a tree in an area that I thought was a good place. Not that long of a walk in and showed great deer sign all around it. Fast forward 4 years later, that stand is still there on that same tree and I have killed deer out of it every year since with my bow and gun. I even shot my first turkey with a bow in it. This was just one corner of the property but I see deer moving through this section year after year. I would like to hunt the south side more often but I havent had the need to yet.
I've grown up hunting small woodlots and have over 20 years experience doing so. I try not to get to deep into the woods and only hunt the edges during the september and october. The only time I get deep into the woods and hunt down wind of bedding areas is during the rut stages. You can keep some pretty big deer from leaving by doing this. The biggest mistake alot of people make is to go to deep to early and educate the bigger deer and they find a safer place to live and then when the rut comes around they are gone. Your best bet on bagging a book deer is usually the first week or two and then not until late october. Don't over hunt and scout an area. Use trail cameras to see what type of deer you have around and only hunt with the right wind and hunt the edges until prime time.
Entrance and exits to me are the biggest issues when it comes to hunting these small spots. Next is pressure and it will not take much to startle these deer. If you're going to use a permanent stand get it up and stay out. I am now pretty much a mobile hunter so I won't be in my small acreage spots until hunting season starts. (In season scouting) This also goes for trail cams as I won't even bother to put some up now. Good luck!
Patience is key on a small property imo. Skip the real hot days, its to hard to keep scent down. Go to a publuc land spot instead and hunt close to where everyone exits. I hunt an area where I have 17 acres on one side of the road and 3 on the other. Spend most of the time in the 3 acres. Have to go in real early (2 hrs before sunlight) so I dont spook any deer. In my little goldmine they always use the same trails and its always does in the first couple weeks. Rut brings a lot of bucks in, but if ya pass one, its likely thats he wont be back through. Late season is the best on these little areas I think. Here in IL, hunt them like you would any field edge. Have at least 2 stands up so the wind isnt an issue. I personally use ground blinds any more. If you can, get permission to hunt that 80 acres of grass and do some spot and stalk. Unsuccessful so far, but theres about 30 acres of waist high grass that butts up to mine and I have stalked to within 20 yards of deer. Then blew it thinking it was 40.... Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2
Sounds like a plan, won't be able to get that 80 acres though, the gentleman who knows the 14acre has been 'neighbors' with her for 15years, says she hates hunters and doesn't wanna talk with anymore. I have a climber so i'll get in early. Now with late season hunting this areas, once all the corn/crop is down and cold weather move in, these deer all seek the cover/timber correct? so could be a lot of action.
Once the crops are out, you will want to push yourself to stay in stand all day. I have similar areas and figured out after screwing it up several times that the deer were coming in at all times fo the day to bed. Also try to rotate keep a good rotation between the pieces that you are hunting. It is extremely easy to favor one spot and completely push the deer out of it.
I would set up on the pinch point's, Those little parcel's of wood's are great spot's just find where fence line/tree line's come into it and that will be your best set up untill you can pattern the deer if they dont come by you. The bedding area's I would set up on for a morning hunt. The place that you said had an apple orchard and some ag fields is where I would go for evening a lot of food and you can do a lot of calling and try to bring one in.
I would recommend you get a good spotting scope and glass the timber edges in the evenings from the comfort of your vehicle too. Right now that would give you a good Idea where to be on opening day. Catch them on those feeding patterns, and you may tag out early and not have to worry about the late season.
Totally agree w/IHB. I hunt 30 acres that I also live on. The easiest thing to do is to wear out your welcome on these small plots. It's hard not to hunt every chance you get, but you've gotta pick your moments when conditions are best.
I have some ground just like this,I would rather hunt the fence lines that connect the woodlots most of are deer bed in small fingers that jet out into the farm fields some of them only 30-50 yards wide Anytime you intrude into the small woodlots you will push the deer out and change the habitat. Lucy are fence-lines are filled mature trees or great funnels with ditches and streams in them. some of the best hunting i have ever seen. The bucks travel from woodlot to woodlot during the rut so it's a lot of fun.
