# Late season: who’s still hunting?



## cast n' blast Kev (Apr 5, 2016)

Cold weather is finally about to hit the region and will hopefully get the deer up and moving during daylight. I’m hoping to get out some this week/end and see what happens. I’m hunting public land in NE Ohio so generally ag fields and abundant food sources are scare or not so apparent. How does everyone else approach late season? I’m looking to fine tune my tactics...


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## STRONGPERSUADER (Nov 5, 2006)

I will be out in NE Ohio for the big chill tomorrow. I’ll be in a climber on public land close to a known bedding area. Good luck!


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## FlyFishRich (Feb 3, 2016)

I'm gonna try to get out tomorrow as well if the wind dies down some. ...Rich


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## Shed Hunter 365 (Dec 3, 2007)

I am now it's the best time to pattern the big one. Food sources are the key


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## Sammy Bixler (Dec 29, 2018)

January to me is the best time to bowhunt besides the rut of course. If you have acess to food source hunt it.


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## Harry1959 (Mar 17, 2011)

good luck SP. good luck with the new climber. Another tip on the climber. It’s always difficult to get the cable length exactly right, so your platform and seat are level. If you are going to use the same tree more than once, note the number of rubberized notches showing once you get it leveled out, that will get you level next time on the same tree.


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

I’ll b back out after Wednesday’s snows , I like some ground cover to see them in advance coming from there bedding area, and any tracks to see what’s moving.


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## SelfTaught (Mar 27, 2014)

I’ve been wanting to post something similar! I will be watching this thread closely. I will
Be out as well, still trying for a doe for more freezer meat and also chasing a nice buck that’s still living. 

I am choosing to hunt off of our garden. It’s more of a field, 5 acres that we put sweet corn in, pumpkins, & all the veggies you can think of. It’s a sandy knoll so we plant cover crops in it for winter to hold the soil. So lots of green stuff deer love late season. Right off the back side is a woods, and drops down into a creek bottom with a creek 60 -70 yards behind woodline. Deer tend to stage right behind the garden until dark and come out to feed. Late season, so I resorted to a small corn pile 30 yards into woods. My climber is set up to shoot down into woods as well as out into field if deer come out at a different place. It’s my best option for late season. 

Also like the fact I have a group of 10 does living there. Thick cover, very light hunting pressure as this woods is a long skinny creek bottom, not many ppl hunt it. The buck I’m after has spent most of his time across the road from this parcel. But the last few weeks all of his pics are now behind the garden where I’m focusing. Green cover crops, lots of does, 5 of which is a group of yearlings I hope he’s checking out to see if they come in late season. Less pressure than across the road, fingers crossed!! Weather finally is looking good to get them moving. Will be in the stand every evening I can!!!

Here’s a few pics of the him - 1st two pics are from Saturday of muzzleloader. I was hunting with family a 1/2 hour away. Wish I i was in my stand the night instead at home!!

















Here’s a few others from December


















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## cast n' blast Kev (Apr 5, 2016)

SelfTaught sounds like you’ve got a near perfect setup for late season! And a great buck too! I have a feeling this break to cold weather should get him up and moving. Just have to hope the wind blows in your favor! High pressure Friday/Saturday could be the key element. Keep us updated...


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## halfrack (Oct 13, 2004)

I will be back out for a week starting next Thursday. I am looking forward to it. Just a big 9 point just starting to show on cam. Plus will be hunting closer to home for another doe. I just hope the snow stays a while. So basically i will have 10 days off to hunt.


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## slashbait (Jun 26, 2008)

Okay question for you late season guys. Were the crops are all picked and mast crop about all gone were do you look in big woods to find were there feeding now? And this is public land


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

SelfTaught said:


> I’ve been wanting to post something similar! I will be watching this thread closely. I will
> Be out as well, still trying for a doe for more freezer meat and also chasing a nice buck that’s still living.
> 
> I am choosing to hunt off of our garden. It’s more of a field, 5 acres that we put sweet corn in, pumpkins, & all the veggies you can think of. It’s a sandy knoll so we plant cover crops in it for winter to hold the soil. So lots of green stuff deer love late season. Right off the back side is a woods, and drops down into a creek bottom with a creek 60 -70 yards behind woodline. Deer tend to stage right behind the garden until dark and come out to feed. Late season, so I resorted to a small corn pile 30 yards into woods. My climber is set up to shoot down into woods as well as out into field if deer come out at a different place. It’s my best option for late season.
> ...


He shows up on food in the evening. Skip the morning hunting. With cold weather a bait pile set up will wrap your tag around this deer. Run a couple of cameras and drop bait every few days in the morning. When you put bait down throw it in a 20 foot circle instead of a large pile. Make them work a little for it. With a large single pile the deer come in quickly stuffing their faces and leave. Also when they come to a pile they do not work around hardly at all. If they come in at a bad angle chances are they may not present a good shooting angle even though they came in. When you get him on a pattern then hunt him. Till then leave the spot alone.


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## STRONGPERSUADER (Nov 5, 2006)

.


Harry1959 said:


> good luck SP. good luck with the new climber. Another tip on the climber. It’s always difficult to get the cable length exactly right, so your platform and seat are level. If you are going to use the same tree more than once, note the number of rubberized notches showing once you get it leveled out, that will get you level next time on the same tree.


Sat this am on public land and all I got was snow covered. I mean it was coming down. Probably 5-6” when I left. I didn’t see any, I would imagine they bedded early. Got a good workout carrying the titan climber about 2 miles round trip. Lol. Not bad for an old man on chemo drugs but it did kick my ass. A lot of stop n go on the way back haha. I’ll play it by ear but I may go back out in the evening tomorrow and see if any has been moving in this snow.


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## Shaun69007 (Sep 2, 2009)

Snuck outback last night for about 45 minutes. Got froze and came back to the fire. Does are getting pretty consistent on my feeder. 4-430 every night except last night obviously.. Go figure


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## CHOPIQ (Apr 6, 2004)

I'm still at it, but only until we get good ice for ice fishing!


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## SelfTaught (Mar 27, 2014)

Flathead, thanks for the info and tips. Will definitely do! I’m not real experienced baiting..... I’m not against it or huge advocate of it but Late season def can use it as an advantage. I’ve been lucky last few years shooting my bucks with my bow in Oct/Nov setting up in traditional funnels, mast crops, primary scrape, & rub line areas. Will take that spreading corn around in a larger area technique. 

That buck isn’t very patternable at the moment. Hopefully colder it gets and having a consistent food spot for him will do the trick here the last few weeks of season. Will keep you all posted. 



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## Shed Hunter 365 (Dec 3, 2007)

Call off work and hunt until you kill him. Lol


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## SelfTaught (Mar 27, 2014)

Shed Hunter 365 said:


> Call off work and hunt until you kill him. Lol


I work in sales..... my office, is my home and I make my own travel schedules. I might just have to do that 


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

I’m heading back out in a bit till dark, we already have our snow from Wednesday, out last night , nothing but some tracks past my stand from Thursday, my SIL called after I left her place and asked if I saw the deer, ?? No .she said five deer were out in front near the road milling around the picked beans. That figures I think there bedding behind the neighbors across the street. Just need them in back where I am. Hope they might move early before the leftover snow from down south comes north.


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## Shed Hunter 365 (Dec 3, 2007)

Bump them off the bed and then set up on them.


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## mikem (Feb 17, 2010)

Cast N Blast, see my post over in Bucks N Does. I have about 5 spots am going to scout as fast as I can tomorrow. If I can't find a well-worked trail in the snow, which will be 3 days old, I may try what Shed Hunter above me suggested: I know for sure where some are bedded, in an area that I can walk through but not hunt. Bump em up off their beds early, back out, and set up at a pinch point about 100 yards downwind of where they were bedded? Hope they decide to come back. Best wishes to you, ~mikem


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## 93stratosfishnski (Aug 25, 2011)

was still hunting but just got my 4th in franklin county so I think i'm done. freezer is stuffed full. keep bait down and hunt 3pm to dark..play the wind right.


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## TomC (Aug 14, 2007)

I shot one Monday been tracking him for two days now


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## Shed Hunter 365 (Dec 3, 2007)

How'd you make out bumping the deer


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## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

Goose hunting in the morning, Deer in the afternoon on this coming Sat.. unless wind is over 20mph in the afternoon


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## Monark22 (May 25, 2015)

Going out tomarrow evening after work before the snow let’s loose Saturday. Did not harvest a buck this year, Plan to harvest a doe. Love huntin with the white stuff on the ground!


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## cast n' blast Kev (Apr 5, 2016)

I’ll be doing the same except on public land so antlered deer only for me. With an Ohio doe and PA buck already in the freezer (what’s left anyway) harvested in October and early November, I’m not feeling much pressure to provide (although there’s always room in my freezers for more venison). I’m treating this late season as an opportunity to learn some new areas and acclimate myself to Ohio public land hunting and mostly just to enjoy being in the woods. I grew up hunting the public land big woods in PA so things are quite a bit different out here. As Monark said, snow on the ground makes for an awesome hunt!


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

Headed out this weekend maybe longer , since I got a good eye again and Dr. Release (catact surgery) like to get one more ....lean year for me with the bad eye (I passed on 2 with the bow) couldn't see good with the red dot glare


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

I got out a.m. , wind was brutal but saw one doe at 11.
I'm probably not tough enough to hunt until Sat when it warms up.








I was hoping to put one more in the freezer, we'll see.
Good luck and good hunting !


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## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

I got this one yesterday morning...


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## G-Patt (Sep 3, 2013)

Going to hit it hard this Friday thru Sunday. Hoping to get one more under the buzzer.


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## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

Going this afternoon. 13 degrees... There's lotsa coyote tracks in the snow where I'm going...


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

We're coyote hunting Friday night!

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## walleyekiller (Mar 24, 2011)

My daughter shot her first deer last saturday afternoon. Still can't believe it. Awesome feeling


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## Matt63 (Jun 1, 2016)

Awsome congratulations to u and her I got 2 days to get it done the deer have gone nocturnal it seems. Getting all night pics nothing during day. I can't hunt evening's during the week due to work but will be Saturday and Sunday hopefully get it done


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## TheKing (Apr 15, 2004)

Congratulations ! That's a happy gal and a proud Dad !!!


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