[mikem]

Well came close but couldn't pull the trigger yet on some venison. My other spot is now closed so I am stuck to public land, will be hunting my local reservoir/state park this month

I have about 4 spots I have either been to or looked up on google maps. Since I don't have time to scope them all, give me your opinion on which ones are worth hitting:

1) fruit tree - Persimmon maybe? Last winter the deer were all over it, although I have no idea what time of day. This spot is close to a road and a hiking trail. This is one concern. The other concern is that it's pretty thick in there and the deer were bedded within 100 yards. How/where to set up without getting busted...

2) Ag field - one of the few left that is south of 36. No idea what crops are on it, and can't see it from the road. To find out, I'll have to hike in there and check it out. Looks like a decent bedding area close by, and will work with the winds, but is it worth the 1 mile hike to find out the deer aren't hitting it.

3) Suburban back yards - deer likely flow into a neighborhood during the evening, then back into the thick stuff in the park. Could I set up early morning and catch them?

4) Oaks on lake points - See evidence deer are kicking up acorns in some open woods close to the lake. There is no trail nearby. Could I set up and wait for them to come in the evening?

Let me know your thoughts. Thanks guys!

 

[crappiedude]

For me I would want to be hunting any active food sources.
I don't know that you'd have to be in before day light but I would sure want to be in and everything settled down by 8:00 and would expect to see deer up and feeding between 9:00 and maybe 1:00.
If I were hunting an ag field I would want to be hunting it in the evening. If ya got some standing corn it can be good all day but it's hard to get shots in a standing corn field. I would look back in the woods for entry/exit points.

 

[Fish-N-Fool]

Buck only on public land so most expect a large decrease in pressure. Personally wouldn't go for the ag field when I don't know what it is planted in. Good luck!

 

[G-Patt]

I kind of like that suburban option if it's close by and offers you more opportunities to sit before the end of the season. Take some time to scout for active trails and fresh tracks and set up on those.

 

[Flathead76]

It's all about the food come January.

 

[Shed Hunter 365]

2 and 3

 

[mikem]

With the 1-3" snow coming in this weekend I am planning a scouting trip mid-morning on Monday or Tuesday. Should be some pretty defined travel routes by then. If anybody else is local and interested in walkin some public land, send me a pm.

 

[TheKing]

Persimmon is a fall fruit, but those awesome seeds are a winter forage. They are substantial in a good stand of these trees. It's a birth sanctuary at my place.
An Ag field is great if you put some shelled corn and apples at the shot site. Go upwind and downwind with Tink's 69 gel spray.
Suburban is a safety concern for me...maybe not where you are. Again, bait the shot a minimum of two days before.
Oaks rock. My two day bait approach makes them red hot.

 

[mikem]

I can probably get safe setup near the suburban neighborhood because of the creek coming through there, there's some up/down in the land to catch an arrow that may miss. Of course state law is 400 feet from a house before hunting and this gives me just one little area in the public land that is legal. Unfortunately can't bait legally on state land.

I also will check a spot further into the park where I think the deer may be crossing the road to get there. I'll let you guys know how it goes!

 

[mikem]

Update so far: Found deer at sites 1 & 3. Didn't make it to #2 & 4 yet. Kinda decided I'm going to hang up the bow and walk the heck out of this place for the rest of the season, see what I can find.

Deer are browsing on what they can find. A lot of sign along the road where they are eating green grass sticking out of the snow. I did find one packed down trail that met another one at a ravine crossing. Wasn't too hard to find: Red survey tape all along it and a double ladder stand just down from the crossing! The neighborhood spots had something like 4 deer on the trail over 3 days, that's low % odds so I am going to keep looking for now.