Hunting the Corn?

[JSimon]

Who's had success hunting standing corn fields and what are your techniques and tips? I'd love to take a deer from the corn this year and could use some tips to increase my odds. Everyone loves pics, so feel free to post some cornfield deer pics if have them.

[bentpole]

Check out Hunting October Whitetails. I think that was it or was it High Noon Bucks!!?? AHHH get both actually all 3. October Whitetails I and II. There is a darn good segment when the boys show you how to slowly walk the rows of standing corn. Look right look left up and down the rows. You would be surprised how many deer bed in that high corn. Take it from me it works be patient. If you set up in standing corn get a few rows back corners are good places to check out. Check the fields for trails threw hedgerows and into woodlots. If you follow one back you could follow it right to a bedding area.

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

If you have timber next to the corn, or a road in the corn, you can setup just inside and "stand" hunt them.. Anything from a stool to a pop up or a step ladder will work.
Around here they have a lot of center pivot irrigation and the deer travel the tire tracks, especially  the out side ones that come close to cover.

[Jeff Strubberg]

Can't really hunt in corn around here anymore.  All the farmers have switched to such a dense planting pattern that the stalks literally lay against one another in a mature field.

[JSimon]

Thanks bentpole, My dad has October Whitetails and I remember the corn segment, but it's been a couple of years since I watched it. I'll have to borrow it again.

I've sat a few rows back in the corner a couple of times this year overlooking a hay field. Had several deer feeding out in the hay and a small spike worked his way down the fence row toward my position but didn't get close enough. I also had two fawns walk along the edge of the corn directly in front of me at about 10 feet. It was awesome, but the only bad thing was I didn't see them until they were right in front of me. Too small anyway, but I couldn't have gotten a shot off since I couldn't see them until they were too close.

I know the basics of stalking corn but still looking for more specific pointers and tips. I did a search and found one thread where binoculars were highly recommended for seeing further down the rows and picking out pieces of deer. I'll definitely take advantage of that advice. A few other questions I have:

What's the next step when you see one bedded?
 
Do you move over a row or two and stalk toward the deer? How many rows do you move over typically?

If you're directly down wind from the bedded deer, do you move down the row adjacent to its back to avoid the deer's sight?

If you're a row over and close enough, but the deer is still bedded, what do you do? Wait till it stands? Shoot it bedded?

Any different strategies if a deer is bedded facing you or facing away from you in the row?

Is it best to try to shoot down the row or across rows? Across rows, you have to deal with stalks in the way, but shooting down the row it seems like it would be tough to get a decent angle. It seems unlikely to get a broadside or even a decent quartering away shot when shooting down a row.

[nonamesleft47]

I used to live next to a huge corn field and stalked it many times.  I would always wait for a windy day and start on one corner and then move very slow through the corn.  Moccasins or sock feet help to keep the noise down.  Stick your head and binos into the next row and look out ahead 40-50 yards then slip into that row.  I always worked in a zig zag keeping the wind in my face.  Make sure you look in both directions even if you just came from that way.  

When you find the deer they are usually bedded but I wouldn't shoot when they are bedded.  Kneel down and whistle or grunt to make them stand.  The last thing they are expecting is a human and you can usually get in position if you see them far enough ahead.  I shot two does that way (wheel bow) and neither knew I was there, their head was in one row and their vitals were in the row I was in.  Another thing to try is collect rocks or dirt clods as you go, when you find one bedded chuck them on the other side of the deer so when they get up they are watching the other direction.  Hope this helps.

[JSimon]

Thanks for the replies. I was thinking about throwing something to get them to stand. Like you said the last thing they expect is a person in the corn so making any noise would probably work without instantly spooking them.

Corn fields have changed from years ago.  The corn ears are lower and the rows are closer together.  I bought a Browning 50" Cobra for hunting in corn fields. The first time I met Toad Smith was in the middle of a corn field, we were stalking each other. We worked the rest of the field in a complementary pattern and both missed shots at bucks, before we got to the end rows.

[longbowben]

We stay back away from the corn and wait fo them too leave the corn early in the morning.We try to stay back about 300 to 500 yards in so they come past in daylight.

[Roy Steele]

I love to hunt standing corn.I only hunt it in the wind and can't wait for those windy days.Most hunters go home because your trees unsafe and deer aren't moveing anyway.Which is what you want.I use a gillie or ASAT in the corn for over 20 years.I build and hunt selfbows for the last 20 years.A killed 8 bucks 2 in there beds.All 10 yards or under.I once touched a doe with my bow.
   Theres a few things that will help you when the wind blows.
   First off bucks will bed on hill sides with breaks exspecialy the ones that are cover in tall grass are best but also with trees stalk them from the down wind side.Go slow peak between each row.
  When the corns boarders oaks early and late when there up feeding.I like to stalk a couple rows in,down a row.If its a good spot and the winds right I have done this a few different times.Like if I can move with a cross wind down a row.I may turn around and keep going back and back again.
  But when these things are not your focus and you have just corn in front of you.I do this.Start on a down wind side about 50 yards from the end.And peak down each row as you go look each way.When you get to the other side.Walk around to the down wind side and move up 50 yards or so and repeat the same thing.Get to the end again walk around to the down wind and start over untill you do the whole field.
  Go slow use the gust of wind to move if need be.Remember a bucks are not on a clock.I use'lly do this at midday when I know there likely to be bedded.It's slow going most hunters lose focus pertty quick.But their there and their not exspecting you to be there.Exspecialy pressured bucks that learn to stay out of the wood lots if they can.
  The wind only gust's(blows hard) a few days a year.But I add them into my hunting plans each year.

[JSimon]

Thanks Roy, good advice. I have an ASAT leafy suit that's supposed to arrive tomorrow. I can't wait to try that out in the corn, and in the woods.

[ksbowman]

Pavan, I hadn't heard the name Toad Smith in years! It was a blast from the past! I read an article he wrote for Bowhunter Magazine in the late 70's or early 80's about this very thing, hunting standing corn. The minute I saw the post about hunting standing corn I thought of Toad! Thanks for the memories.   Ben

[Ron LaClair]

I discovered cornfield hunting about 30 years ago by accident. I was moving through a cornfield on a very windy day on my way to check some fox traps. I walked up on two different deer that never heard me coming because of the wind rattling the corn. Since that day I've spent a lot of windy days stalking corn fields. Like has been expressed above, a good pair of binoculars is a great aid.

This little forky was taken in the corn about 25 years ago with an 85# Big Five

   

[Oliverstacy]

Don't forget about the days when it has rained...a wet cornfield is a great stalking ground, every bit as good as a windy day.  There is going to be a lot of standing corn around here…cool summer made for a late crop.  Deer think they’re safe…wrong!

If there is grass in the rows in certain spots they seem to seek these out...I think they like to bed in the weeds, always where I see them.  Any unplanted wash areas are also great; we have a field with acre size sections where we don’t plant because it will wash really badly.  I’ve set my Double Bull up in these; I’ve come close but not connected.  Deer will move all day in a cornfield in pressured areas, they just think they’re safe.

I have a 140 acre field that is calling my name but I don’t think I can make it up there this weekend, it’s killing me!

Cornfield Double Bull set; I've learned to set the blind farther back in the corn:
 

 


Josh

[Johnny Reb]

Ditto on OCTOBER WHITE TAILS, they got it down.

[frank bullitt]

Well, I have always loved hunting corn, when most scoff it. Now the problem like Jeff said earlier. Farmers are maximizing space!

 Great Plains twin row planters! It is dense! The old corn rows from years past, when October whitetails was filmed, you could drive a  truck between the rows.

  Well I guess like the whitetails, will have to find a new way to hunt the fields,or adapt!

  I guess maybe I will put a step ladder at the edge of that Crop Circle, and give it a whirl!

  Good shootin, Steve