Feeding Area Strategies
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Dominic from OH asks:Mr. Winke, I am an avid bowhunter and have been enjoying the sport my whole life. My question to you is, how effective can it be to hunt over food plots? We have a 120 acre farm, with approximately 90 acres of woods. Each year, we tend to a clover plot that is a little over an acre and sits in the center of our farm. I have taken some pretty good bucks within the 140 and 150 range, but never outside of the woods. What advice would you have for hunting over a food plot? What time of the season, time of day, etc. Thank you so much, God Bless DominicWinke Responds:Dominic, I think clover works fine during the rut and is a great plant for a small plot in or close to cover. I get the most benefit from my food plots during the late season. That is when food plots really pay off (December and Jan in our area). Keep them near cover is imporant so the deer don't feel as vulnerable when using them in daylight. Small plots tend to better than big plots during the rut and bigger plots tend to be better than small ones during the late season (because there is still some food left in them). Good luck. (3-29-12)
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Landon from MO asks:Hey Bill, love the show! Congrats on killing "Daggers." My question pertains to microplots. Last summer we put in 4 microplots on our different properties and me and my dad have different views on how we should hunt them. My dad seems to think we should sit right on top of them, but I feel that a mature buck will most likely circle down wind of these spots inside the timber, scent checking the field. So i suggest that we should sit 15-30 yards downwind of the microplots. My dad is very intent that a mature buck will feel safe since its the a small field in the middle of thick cover, and that the buck will walk straight into the field. How do you suggest we hunt our microplots?Winke Responds:Landon, I tend to side with your dad. I have seen them walk right down the middle of the plot more often than I have ever seen them sneaking around the edge. I think when the rut comes, the logic of what they should do goes out the window. It is kind of chaotic. I don't think that the mature bucks are that careful and studied in their movements except when they are alerted or coming in to a call. If they are on their feet at all in daylight, moving naturally, it is probably because there is or was a hot doe in the area somewhere. That means they will be taking a few chances in their travel patterns. I rarely see mature bucks sneaking around during the rut (except as already stated). They are either cruising boldly with a purpose or they are tied up with a doe somewhere or they are nocturnal in their habits. I think your dad is on to something here. I always hunt the edge. Good luck. (11-17-11)
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Wiull from AL asks:Question that came up from watching your "daggers" hunt...generally speaking, when you are hunting a field edge, do you like the wind to blow out into the field or into the timber behind you? I noticed that you mentioned the wind was blowing into the timber behind you, but it was blowing out over a valley? It seems that in the afternoon this could work against you...but really just wanted to hear your thoughts on wind directions when hunting a field edge?Winke Responds:Wiull, I like for the wind to blow into the timber on the opposite side of the plot from where I think the deer will come out. Daggers actually came out on a crosswind. I will set up plots just for this kind of arrangement. It is very hard to get things right when hunting a big plot where you have to set up on the same that the deer are coming out. Small plots are much better for bowhunting for this reason. Or else you really need to use a ground blind if you are hunting a big plot or field. Good luck (11-14-11)
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zach from IA asks:Hi Bill first off love everything you do for the sport of whitetail hunting. One of my favorite stands is located off the edge of a large corn field. There is a great funnel between two large pieces of timber I use during the rut to catch bucks cruising. I like doing all day sits the only problem is accessing it in the am. I can only access it by walking through it. I thought about entering it an hour or two after daylight maybe 8 or 9 when the deer have moved off of it? What would you do? Thanks!Winke Responds:Zach, I would wait to access it after first light. Let those deer get off the field first. Watch the field with binos until they are all gone. That may seem like you are getting in too late, but during the rut, a lot of buck movement is still after daylight. Good luck. (11-6-11)
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Tom from IA asks:Morning hunting... If you only have one access point to your property and that entry is through a food source mixed with timber. Would waiting till 1st light be a better option then going in early? Hunting piece is big timber with crop field on the outside edges North and South. Even though there are a few very thick areas that are know bedding areas from the sign, they also will bed down every where else as well. Hard to not bump something going in even 1 hr early.Winke Responds:Tom, Yes, waiting would likely be better nearly every time. I don't like going in super early unless it is rainy or windy. Then you have a chance. I like for the woods to wake up just a bit before I go in (usually about the time I can see the ground well enough to miss stepping on branches). Good luck. (11-1-11)
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Bill from GA asks:Bill: I was wondering...I have a 10 acre field that's grown up around a 2 acre clover plot I have. The overgrowth is 2 years old so not real tall. I can see two paths where deer are entering the field. Should I hunt the field edge or into the timber and how far into the timber should I hunt?Winke Responds:Bill, I would almost have to see the area to be able to tell you for sure. Ideally, you hunt far enough back that you can get away from the plot at the end of legal shooting time with out the deer in the plot knowing. If you can't do that and still be on a good travel route to the field I would be tempted to set up the area differently in the future. With this entire ten acre area you have the ability to change the way the plots are shaped and how they are laid out. Consider forming four smaller plots connected by narrow (15 yards wide) stretches of about 50 yards or so. All clover, maybe one or two in brassicas. Just widen out to form the bigger plots (30 yards wide or a touch more). Then I would hunt right on the corners of the plots or on the narrow passages between. That way you have the ability to spread your pressure and get out of there without the deer knowing. If you make the entire plot complex form a slight curve shape you can hunt a few differnt winds and further keep the deer on one plot from seeing you when you sneak out of one of the other ones. I really like the potential here. Good luck.
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C.J. from GA asks:I went hunting this afternoon on a hayfield that several good bucks are using. Had 2 bucks n range but they didn't present any good shots. I had several does acting a lil "jumpy" but the bucks didn't know I was there. My question how long should I give my stand a break before hunting there again? Enjoy your show!!! Thank you C.J.Winke Responds:CJ, I would say at least three days, four or five would be better. The longer the better actually, but I think if you reinforce your intrusion too often, the deer will really stop feeding there during the day. Good luck.
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Kelsey from VA asks:Hunting Fruit Trees. Bill, Have any luck hunting persimmon trees? Y'all have them in the Midwest? Our New farm has a lot of these, wasn't sure if I should hunt by them or the white oak trees.Winke Responds:Kelsey, We have a few persimmon trees in the Midwest, mostly in the southern areas such as southern MO, IN, IL. I have seen only a very few in Iowa. If you have persimmon dropping, I would definitely hunt it. Also, hunt the white oak acorns when you have them, but persimmon are a preferred food. Good luck.
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Chris from OK asks:Hi Bill! Love the show! During the late season on a lot of the hunting shows you see some big old bucks killed in crop fields.From my experience some special conditions must exist for this to be possible,ie isolated field hidden from roads,next to nonexistant pressure,absalute undetected entry,very cold weather,ect,ect.Ive tried it and it sure doesn't seem to be as easy as they make it out to be.Does and little bucks,sure,the big ones I don't know? I would like your opinion and thoughts on the late season. Thanks ChrisWinke Responds:Chris, We have some very good late season hunting because of basically the conditions you refer to. We have moderate but not heavy hunting pressure in the area, lots of food (that may be the real key) and cold weather. I think the food is really why we do so well. If you have the food (and I always do) you have the deer in the late season. Standing food is ideal when there a foot of snow on the ground because the deer can't scrounge food off the ground as easily. They come to the standing crops then like they are on rope. I remember one evening I was trying to shoot does. I ended up shooting four or five in about 90 minutes with a muzzleloader. It was cold with snow, I had the best food and they just couldn't stay away. It may not get cold enough where you are to really put the deer in a panic state. Or maybe the hunting pressure is too high or possibly your food source is not much better their other options. Those are the main factors.
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Brian from IL asks:Bill, i hunt west central Illinois and it seems all the shows i watch i see hunters taking deer on field edges. I always seem to take my bucks in the timber. What can i do to take monster bucks on the field edges?Winke Responds:Brian, I shoot a decent number of bucks in the big timber, but it is usually on morning hunts. Many of these guys are hunting near food plots in areas that receive light hunting pressure so the bucks are comfortable coming out during the daylight to feed or to check for does during the rut. If you have a good food source and limited hunting pressure, the food sources will be a good choice for afternoon hunts. They are especially good during the late season when most crop fields are picked. Good luck.
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Buzz from MO asks:This time of year, deer seem to prefer soybeans vs. corn, my question is what part(s) of the bean plant do they consume? and is it true that, what ever plants are still around in winter the "rock hard" soybean has soften and is edible during that time.Winke Responds:Buzz, They eat the leaves now and will tend to stay away from the beans when the leaves start to turn yellow. However, once the beans dry down, about the time the farmers will be combining them, they will start to get back on beans again. At that time, they are eating the beans themselves. We find them eating beans very well during all times of the year except when the leaves are yellow and the beans are not dried down - about a month, roughly.
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Justin from VT asks:Hi Bill. Ever since I found your site last fall I have been a huge fan of your video work and your articles in "Petersen's". Here is my question. I hunt primarily on a 1500 acre family farm that has 3 standing corn fields and 5 plus smaller grass fields. The property is split by a road ( fields on both sides of the road). Almost all deer (above and below the road) come to this one field area to feed, which is below the road (it isn't a busy road so deer can cross pretty easily without being seen in many places). Every fall there is a major trail that crosses the road. I have been watching a lot of deer (does, fawns, and some bucks) come out into the grass field to feed all August, every night without fail. Next to the grass field is standing corn that generally with stay standing through December. If I were to place a stand on either field which would be best for the October bow season? Will they still be going for grass or will they go for corn in October? Thanks very much.Winke Responds:Justin, I would say the corn. More than likely there are some weeds that they like in the grass field, or volunteer clover or something like that. They don't often eat just grass unless it is young a palatable. So as fall comes, the weeds will dry up and the grass will mature and they will not be nearly as likely to be grazing in that field. As it starts to get cooler and the corn starts to fill in and dry down, the deer will begin shifting to the corn. We see that start to occur in about mid to late September here. It really depends on when the corn was planted, but that is a pretty good rule of thumb.
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Joe from MI asks:Hey bill, love the show. Here in michigan the bow season starts the first of October and I was wondering where should I set up food plot, travel routes, or bedding area. Thanks, JoeWinke Responds:Joe, Thanks for your support. I would try to glass the feeding areas from a distance during the week leading up to the opener. If the deer are getting there before dark, that is the easiest pattern to hunt. If not, you have to start guessing. You can work backwards from the feeding areas on the most heavily used trails until you find a decent bottleneck and set up there or you can look for a grove of oaks dropping acorns. If you have acorns dropping, that is where the deer are likely to be. I personally would save the bedding areas until the rut because you can do a lot of harm educating and alarming deer in these places. May as well wait until the potential reward is higher before taking on this much risk. Good luck.
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Chris from AL asks:Hi Bill, I hunt in southern Iowa and northern Missouri where the large expanse of crops and small areas of timber seem to create bed to feed routes that are very short,ie yards in some cases.how do you hunt these places in the early season without getting busted?I love the site! thanks, ChrisWinke Responds:Chris, Thanks for the support. A lot of times they will work their way out into the feeding areas. You don't have to hunt them right where they leave the cover. Try to find a brushy fence line or even a slough where you can place a ground blind that is far enough from the bedding areas that you can get in there without being detected. Then, hopefully, the deer will work their way out to you. The only other option is to look for those few situations where the deer are traveling a little ways to feed. Again, a tree at the end of a finger of timber, or tree in a fence line, etc. will be your best ambush site. Good luck. Bill
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Josh from IA asks:Bill, I just got permission to hunt ALOT of big timber! The problem is it is surrounded by ag fields, corn, bean and some alfalfa. There is deer sign everywhere! How do you go about hunting the big timbers, exspecially when there are "food plots" surrounding it? Does this boil down to being in the right stand on the right night? I guess I'm overwhelmed. Any info would help!Winke Responds:Josh, For sure your morning hunts should be back in the middle of the big timber near an area where does bed. At least during the rut. Early and late season I'm not sure I would hunt mornings. Use some kind of draw or fenceline to get into the timber and past the deer that may still be lingering near the open fields. For evening hunts, you will have to pick out specific trails to hunt. You may be able to find a few funnels near the fields, like the ends of ditches, fence crossings or gates, etc. You can watch the open fields from a distance at first to learn where the biggest bucks are coming out and focus on that area initially. During the rut, it is not as critical that you hunt right on food, you can hunt deeper in the timber near funnels as the bucks will be cruising more. If it gets overwhelming, just pick one small area and focus on hunting that well before moving on to a new area. Good luck.
