How do you guys feel about being in the stand while they are harvesting fields right next to you? I'm sitting here right now and they are harvesting corn in the field next to the woods I'm in. Just saw a forkie but I'm not sure what effect it will have as the evening wears on. What say you? Blessings........Pastorjim Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
I've had deer walk right out in the fields while they were picking corn. They skirt the edges once the farmer gets out in the middle of the field. I know deer like to bed out in the corn also so finding a connecting ditch or tree line may be good also, for when the combine starts bumping em out of the field.
I think as long as you are in the woods near the corn that is being harvested you should be good. Unless they go to another woods! One time I was about to go hunting on a stand I have on a field edge. Once I got all my stuff on and started to walk out the combine came in and started harvesting. I turned around and took everything off and called it a night. Thats just because it was on a field edge and the deer by me never come out when there is lots of activity near especially cutting corn.
I've had some of my best sits ever while sitting on escape routes from fields being harvested. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Well being from Indiana I've always hunted near crop fields. I kinda go back and forth on this issue and I'm never sure if it's good or bad. I do think that if I had my preference I would rather hunt if they are picking in the morning rather than the evening. You know the deer are in the crops in the mornings and the picker will definitely run them out. On the other hand, if it's evening I think the deer tend to hold in their beds longer with all the commotion going on. Tonight there was so much dust being raised by the picker, I could barely breath. Plus the noise was really hindering me from being able to hear like I would prefer. I almost got down and went to another stand when the farmer started up but I decided to stay put. They had been picking about an hour when a small fork horn came by me and actually hung around for a good 20min. I watched his reaction to all the racket going on and honestly he just ignored it for the most part. Blessings.........Pastorjim
It can be very productive. Kind of like pheasant hunting when you get to the end of the spot your hunting. Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk
Last season I was set up on the edge of a DNR bean field and the combine came through around 3:45. He left the field about 4:30 and 20 minutes later a doe came out with a five point right behind. I shot the buck (first buck ever!) I almost got down when the combine came through. Glad I stuck it out.
The last field we were combining, this past Saturday, we had deer keeping up right behind us in the field we were in. They would be about 200 yards back in the direction we came from but would move their way over as we did. I hunted it the next night and saw 7 does and every one got within 20 yards and ate for over an hour and a half. Deer are not afraid of machinery; in fact, I parked the grain cart on the headlands Friday night so it was ready for Saturday morning and 4 does were standing within 5 yards of it eating Saturday morning. I have never killed a deer like in the situation you are talking but I see it over and over again.
I love being on stand...especially if they start the harvesting on the other side of the field and work your way...push them right out your side.
I'd say it helps chances, bumping the odds in your favor by like 10% overall. I'll take a 10% better chance any day of the week. The deer aren't as focused on immediate surrondings while machines are running and they could be booted out of the field to you.