Haven't seen a lot of movement this week and was wondering if group members are experiencing the same thing? It is unusual to me because in my 3 years hunting the property, this week has been the least amount of movement I've seen, and I think it is due to the full moon. Just interested in some others who have hunted this week and what your opinions of the best time left to be out there this season. Just figured I would bring this to the board to fill some downtime and maybe some interesting conversation. All of my pictures have been at night.
Movement this week
- Thread starter flankston
- Start date
Hunted 5 of the last 6 days and seen very little movement. Checked 3 trail cams and had total of 5 deer pics. Normally each camera would get at least 5 deer per day. Did have one nice buck on camera. He came through at 11:45 am on Monday.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2015
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This time is year I only hunt in the afternoons as I think I'll bump deer off food sources in the morning. Could be that I'm just beat from hunting all year. But I've been seeing a tremendous amount of deer hitting green food sources. In my opinion it's about the preferred food this time of year they are now thinking about their stomach. I'm very careful about my wind and refuse to hunt stands on a bad wind. My last few sits I've seen 15 to 20+ deer every trip.
Yeah all the movement I have seen is right at daybreak or dusk on my way out. Nothing in between which is rare, but I'm getting a lot of night pictures of them feeding. I'm hoping a cloud covered night or when the moon gets smaller it will be better. That is a nice buck you got Rob, congratulations. A lot of it is the season taking its toll on the deer too and the pressure, but this time last year all my sits were 10+ deer.
Camera pics have been the slowest so far this year in last 10-12 days
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
Hunted past 4 days in middle TN. Saw 25 deer in the pouring rain Saturday. Sunday post front was terrible... only 10 or so. Monday and today were incredible with over 40 deer seen between 2 groups on Monday, and 30 this morn alone.
My daughter and I sitting together had 6 racked bucks cruising and pestering does in front of us this morn.
A lot of that is by design, however.... I shut all hunting down on my farms 1st week of December, leaving the deer completely unpressured for 3 weeks. When we come back, daytime activity is off the charts once again. Unfortunately, we just don't have any mature bucks (well actually 1, and he was seen on Sat afternoon right after the rain stopped... my son was guiding one of my daughters best friends and he came out at 600y cruising. He led her to 250y on a stalk, but she wasn't comfortable with that shot distance and they ran out of real estate before he crossed off the property).
Was a great trip, no tending seen, but lots of checking, lip curling, sparring, and bucks generally putting on a show. We even got to watch a doe rear up on her hind legs and slap the crap out of a spike pestering her!
My daughter and I sitting together had 6 racked bucks cruising and pestering does in front of us this morn.
A lot of that is by design, however.... I shut all hunting down on my farms 1st week of December, leaving the deer completely unpressured for 3 weeks. When we come back, daytime activity is off the charts once again. Unfortunately, we just don't have any mature bucks (well actually 1, and he was seen on Sat afternoon right after the rain stopped... my son was guiding one of my daughters best friends and he came out at 600y cruising. He led her to 250y on a stalk, but she wasn't comfortable with that shot distance and they ran out of real estate before he crossed off the property).
Was a great trip, no tending seen, but lots of checking, lip curling, sparring, and bucks generally putting on a show. We even got to watch a doe rear up on her hind legs and slap the crap out of a spike pestering her!
Yeah I sat out all of November until Sunday and Monday with the same intentions but no luck. Seen some scraping but I've been seeing that all year. Saw most of our activity in November as far as the rut is concerned. I'm sure some late does are coming in but just not a lot of activity. Very cool that you guys take out people and get them involved!
I loved hunting Bear Hollow this time of year
I meant sat out all December
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
If you didn't pressure the deer for the past 3 weeks, and aren't seeing anything now, then you don't have the food.
Most acorns are gone, deer have shifted back to browse, crop residue, and plots. That's where the does are, and that's where the bucks are looking for does (and getting a well earned snack in the process). Food plots do more for late season hunting than any other time of the year.... or heck, you don't even have to plant a food plot, just manage native browse. We saw a pile of deer this morning over a 100 ac valley of coralberry, catbrier, and other browse that was bushhogged back in late Aug and had plenty of new growth before winter to keep feeding the deer. The top of the valley is 300ft above the floor of the valley, so thermal temp differences kept the upper third from being severely frostburnt so far this season.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
Oh, I will say this... I didn't hear a single shot in the past 4 days hunting. I usually hear 5 to 10 an average day during the peak in Nov.
Yeah I have a 50 acre green field of grass that they are in during the night. Maybe next year I will plant some wheat of other crop. Perhaps there is a neighboring property that has something more appetizing. I've noticed that they are utilizing the trails on top of the ridges so maybe they are already closer to the bed by the time daylight breaks. I can walk to my stand with just the moonlight now so hopefully it picks up as the moon gets smaller
Movement has been great here.
Movement where I have been hunting has been pretty good. I killed a doe for the freezer tonight and had to wait almost an hour for the other deer to get out of the field before I went and got her.
Only been out once this week, Monday morning. Covid making for me not wanting to go. I did see a young nice 9 early on, and about 30 minutes later had a group of 4 does. I may go tomorrow if I feel better.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Fascinating stuff Mega. Can't believe you all saw so much rut-type activity so late in the year. Amazes me.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Haven't had hunters out since the 1st weekend of December, but cameras show most movement at night in food plots. Still getting a few older bucks working scrapes, but again, primarily at night.
Deer everywhere this morning. On the property and driving up 65. Looked like a petting zoo. Get'm boys!!!
Doing it in southern Wayne Co. Seen 7 bucks so far this morning. Three chasing different does & 4 cruising. 10 bucks yesterday with 5 chasing.
Also our plot usage has been minimal so far this year. Deer still on acorns, still have clover 6" tall.
Also our plot usage has been minimal so far this year. Deer still on acorns, still have clover 6" tall.
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BigAl
Well-Known Member
My deer sightings have gone down, to almost zero. Mostly afternoon hunts. I did see some deer movement at mid-day while taking a drive to town. Suspect that's due to the full moon.
Texas Horns
Member
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- Aug 12, 2020
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- 7
Very slow on cameras. Only where there is still a little food.
catman529
Well-Known Member
Deer have barely used the property I live on for the past month. I'm guessing better food somewhere else. But I did run down to a doe killing spot on a WMA on Monday and saw a few. Fact of the matter is deer move every day whether you see them or not. If I was to gauge it only by the 60 acres in my backyard, I'd say they weren't moving. But they're across the property line somewhere and I can't see em. Not much sign on my place either. Waiting for em to come back
DeerCamp
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- Jul 28, 2020
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It is a perfect excuse to sleep in a little either way!
BSK
Well-Known Member
We still have a TON of acorns on the ground (good red oak acorns). We're seeing more activity in food plots than earlier in the fall, but deer are still primarily existing on acorns.
Saw 8 this morning and 12 so far this afternoon. Most have been small bucks chasing does.
BSK
Well-Known Member
White Oak family acorns usually go to root in late November, but that is dependent on rainfall and temperature. Going to root is important because it changes the taste and makes them much less palatable to deer. For those who question that, ever had a malt, or drank beer? Malt is nothing more than grains (usually barley) that has been allowed to germinate and then kiln dried. Just the process of germination changes the flavor of the grain dramatically. White oak acorns go to root so early because they have a very low tannin content (which is why they taste better to deer - tannins produce a very bitter taste).
On the other hand, acorns from oaks in the Red family have much more tannin, which keeps them from going to root until spring. But this high tannin content is also why deer do not like Red Oak acorns as much as the Whites. What usually happens is deer eat on the Whites until they're gone or go to root. Then they switch to the Reds for as long as they last or until spring.
I'm seeing lots of deer in red oaks and a standing corn field. They seem to start moving about 4 pm and go steady until dark. I just can't see the one I'm after.
