Late Season Strategy

[bowhunter1023]

I'm banking on Jan 21 through the end of the season to be the best hunting of the year. I have two established feed sites going right now, one with a feeder and the other is fed directly on the ground. I'll be running a cam over each one, and two cams on trails leading in to those sites 100 yards or more away. I'll find what I am after and work on taking him down 200-300 yards from the corn...

 

[jagermeister]

I'm banking on Jan 21 through the end of the season to be the best hunting of the year. I have two established feed sites going right now, one with a feeder and the other is fed directly on the ground. I'll be running a cam over each one, and two cams on trails leading in to those sites 100 yards or more away. I'll find what I am after and work on taking him down 200-300 yards from the corn...

I like that approach, man. I may have to invest in a few homemade feeders this year myself.

 

[Dannmann801]

No doubt about that. I'm just stocking up. But it better get cold fast or muzzy season will suck!!!

Dang I hope you didn't just jinx it dammit jesse :smiley_blackeye:

 

[moundhill]

We are putting some out this week just to try to get the boy some action. After this weekend I'll be saving it all for before Muzzy unless he connects sooner.
That's a heck of a load!

That's what she said..ickle: lol

But i put some corn out this week, along with some greens. Kind of an experiment. It's about time to head across the road to the harvested con fields and start picking up ears to take out.

 

[saddlepants]

Iv eoften wondered about putting out some good alfalfa hay with /as bait during the late season but I imagine only if there were deep snow it might help?

 

[brock ratcliff]

They use hay in Canada. I tried it here one year and nothing touched it, but then again these deer have so much food, they hardly come to a corn pile!

 

[Schu72]

Iv eoften wondered about putting out some good alfalfa hay with /as bait during the late season but I imagine only if there were deep snow it might help?

There were some trail cam pics floating around last year of a bait site with hay. The deer were bedding on it at night!

 

[jagermeister]

Iv eoften wondered about putting out some good alfalfa hay with /as bait during the late season but I imagine only if there were deep snow it might help?

My dad put out a pile of hay last winter and the deer went crazy for it.

 

[saddlepants]

Not just any hay I think. Good alfalfa might be the better attraction but its like $5-$6 a bale or more.

 

[jagermeister]

Not just any hay I think. Good alfalfa might be the better attraction but its like $5-$6 a bale or more.

Might be better, might be worse, might not make a difference. Deer are weird. I tried to talk my dad out of the hay thing last year because someone else I know tried it and the deer didn't touch it. To my surprise, he had great luck with it.

 

[Gern186]

Iv eoften wondered about putting out some good alfalfa hay with /as bait during the late season but I imagine only if there were deep snow it might help?

I tried that 3 winters ago here at the house when the snow was deep.....I got some premium fresh alfalfa from a local guy and put some out....the deer barely even touched it, but ate the corn right next to it like it was candy.

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

I tried that 3 winters ago here at the house when the snow was deep.....I got some premium fresh alfalfa from a local guy and put some out....the deer barely even touched it, but ate the corn right next to it like it was candy.

If they had nothing, the deer would eat the alfalfa. But next to corn, heck that's like putting tofu and a steak in front of someone!

 

[Gern186]

Yeah, the snow was over 2 feet deep and they couldn't get to the natural left over corn, they would eat the corn I put out every night down to nothing, and still not touch the alfalfa....even after the corn was gone.

 

[Lundy]

When I hunted in Saskatchewan they used hay and grains of some kind. The deer were on the grains immediately every morning when I new supply was put out along with new hay. I don't think I ever saw then actually eat any of the hay. They did bed in it during the day however.

I would like to try some good alfalfa hay and see what happens. The worst case is they don't eat it. It would certainly be better for the deer if they would than the corn, that is why next week I am trying to introduce some soybeans into the corn in my feeders. I'll know by the end of this year how it works or not.

 

[xbowguy]

I myself wait until snow or a long freeze usually.....But I buy the good 3rd cutting alfalfa hay and the deer go crazy over it. Plus it is cheaper than corn in the long run. I get it for 4.00 a bale.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I myself wait until snow or a long freeze usually.....But I buy the good 3rd cutting alfalfa hay and the deer go crazy over it. Plus it is cheaper than corn in the long run. I get it for 4.00 a bale.

I have access to just such hay. Might have to try this out...

 

[rgecko23]

might not be a bad mix together either, wait till that snow falls, throw a byunch of hay out, then broadcast corn. insant bedding feeding area maybe?

 

[brock ratcliff]

The year I put it out we had snow on forever, and it was deep. A buddy had deer coming into his barn lot to eat his horse's hay. I thought it would be a sure thing to get pics (I had no tag). The deer walked past it without eating it. I had spread it out over a small area. By spring, it looked like a southern swamp full of spanish moss. :smiley_blackeye:

 

[Lundy]

I myself wait until snow or a long freeze usually.....But I buy the good 3rd cutting alfalfa hay and the deer go crazy over it. Plus it is cheaper than corn in the long run. I get it for 4.00 a bale.

Since I don't know hay about alfalfa, how do I know that I am buying good 3rd cut alfalfa versus other less desirable alfalfa? Is it sold in feed stores?

Thanks

 

[Milo]

first cut has very little alfalfa in it. it is mostly grasses like orchard grass.. 3rd cut hay will be VERY green as opposed to 1st cut hay will generally have more brown and yellow in it. I would be surprised if there is much 3rd cut hay left from this year.