Early season whitetail

[Karl61]

Thinking about chasing whitetails near opening day (Sept. 15).  Crops, corn in particular, are of course still going to be in the fields and high.  Anyone care to share some tips for hunting bottom lands next to high crops? Morning vs evening? Does vs bucks? Other tips????  Big thanks in advance!

[Mitch-In-NJ]

The farm I hunt on still has standing corn.  My scouting this year and experience from previous years shows that the does start hitting the corn about 45 - 60 minutes before sundown.  Bucks come in later from the nearby creek.

I have taken deer by sitting in the first row of corn near where they come out of the woods.  They tend to jog out of the woods a few yards and regroup.  Then make their way to the corn.

I have also sat in a tree or a blind at the edge of the woods or near a trail in the woods.  But being the lazy guy I am, sitting in the corn suits me best... too bad it will all be cut within the next 10 days or so.

The important thing is to keep the wind in your favor.

Your mileage may vary.

[BigRonHuntAlot]

Do some scouting  and look for trails entering the fields from the woodline. Set up back off the field edge if you find intersecting trails with good travel signs. If you can get some sights of animals entering the field edges before your hunt you will have some good areas to start with. Put your time in even if it is HOT. It has paid off for me in the past. Best of Luck to You.      As far as morning vs evening I have had more deer sightings coming from the field to the woods during morning hours due to the cover of the corn and more sightings coming from the woods to the fields in the evening. Bucks tend to lay in the creek bottoms on hotter days than in the middle of the corn field from what I have seen. Your stand locations will be a key on which way to face and hunt.

[Karl61]

Thanks, guys.  Anymore????

[kennym]

Around here,sometimes they live in the corn.They still come out to the edges to piddle around and to go to drink. When ya cut corn,seems like the perimiter of the field gets hammered the worst as far as deer damage.Depending on how dry your area is,might be good between corn and water. Check the outside of the field and see if there is any beaten path,set up accordingly.....Good luck!

[jonesy]

Forget about hunting the crops in the a.m. unless you have a good silent approach, and the wind is correct, if not hunt in p.m. only.Jonesy

[Shawn Leonard]

If ya are hunting bottoms, sit high in the morning and the bottoms or up high in tyhe evening . Due to thermals ya want to stay out of the bottoms the best ya can in the mornings. Shawn

[fyrfyter43]

Look for trails in and out of the corn. Or, possibly a spot where two fields meet.

I have a blind set up under a maple that is right in the elbow where 2 corn fields meet in an "L". One field was planted later than the other. There are only a few corn stalks within a 15 yard radius of the tree. The deer have worn what looks like a cow path through there. Like clockwork, the does move through about 30-45 minutes before sunset. For some reason, I haven't seen a buck around there lately, but I'd just as soon take a nice doe.

[Papa Bull]

I've had good success on does in very early season hunting feeding areas in mornings and afternoons using a fawn in distress call.  Fawns are weaned by early season but the does will often come trotting in, anyway, conditioned to respond to the fawn-in-distress.

[VinnieB]

i plan on chasing some whitetails opening day as well(saturday won't come fast enough).

i would stay away from the crops in the morning and stick to hunting the exit trails from the crops heading back into the woods.

me personally i will be about 50 yards back into the woods where the deer leave the cornfield and cross a creek on the way back to where they bed. it is kind of a bottom situation so i plan on staying on top of the ridge so that i keep the wind in my favor. in the afternoon i will be on a biologic food plot bordering a corn field.

good luck to you. i have always said that the early season is the best time to get a deer.