NC deer hunters - how many use corn?

[Tom Anderson]

How many of you N.C. hunt deer over corn?  
I'm not interested in debating the issue over whether it's right or wrong - it's legal to do here in N.C. (except on game lands or national forest land).
I've got access some prime hunting land, but don't see any way to really hunt it without putting a pile of corn in the woods.

[slayer1]

I hunt with corn. I have pretty good success with it. Especially if the mast crop is bad. Last year we had a good crop of acorns and I rarely used the corn. I had a pretty good year as well.

[J-dog]

if you have bears around ya better spread it, not pile it. Won't totally stop them but it will make it harder for em.

I do not bait as I hunt on game lands only, but I have before and it works. If there is a good mast or if you are near crops fields (beans, corn) then don't bother either.

No debating.

J

[madness522]

Since the mast crop is so poor this year I started putting a little out this year.  So far no luck....

[Pat B]

I never liked hunting over bait. I lived in SC where it is also legal but the deer that come in to the bait, usually does and young deer are very jumpy and on point. The bucks eat after dark and I never saw a buck at the feeder. When I did use bait I prefered to hunt the trails going to the bait just like I do with food plots.
  With the rise of Blue Tongue going around, feeders in overpopulated(deer) areas can be a main cause of spreading the diseases like CWD and others.  Pat

[LV2HUNT]

Are you specifically asking about bait or do you want to try to figure out a way to hunt without it?

For some animals I think bait is the most effective way but with deer if you can kill them with bait you can kill them without it (IMO).

[Tom Anderson]

I'm trying to figure out a way to hunt the area, whether it's with bait or without.
The area is loaded with deer, but surrounded by corn and soybean fields.  I hunted the edge of several of the fields last year with my rifle and bagged a deer every single time I went hunting. (What was the limit, 7? Yeah, that's how many times I went hunting...).
The place seems to be almost overrun with deer and I saw no pattern to where they entered the field edges last year.  I was just wondering if putting a corn pile in the woods and using my climbing stand may be a way for me to get 'em in close enough to shoot with a bow.
There's no mast on the oaks this year - none! - but there's almost an unending supply of corn and soybeans in the fields.

[Pat B]

Try to find a trail the deer are using somewhere around the fields and set up down wind from there. If you do decide to put out corn, don't just dump a pile out but scatter it in the area you plan to hunt. This will keep them occupied while you get a shot. Good luck and keep us informed.    Pat

[LV2HUNT]

Do you know where the bedding areas are? With all that natural food around introducing bait may not be all that effective.

Give us some more information like how large is the area, is it flat, what is its shape, is it wooded, if so what kind of trees, etc...

Do you have an aerial map of the location. You can make one on google maps. You can (and should) hide the location address before you post it. For yourself if you make the map a hybrid it will show the roads as well so you can orient yourself.

We can help you do this (create and post the map) without revealing the address.

Let us know.

I love and live to figure out deer. To me that is the best part of Whitetail Deer hunting.

[J-dog]

If there are that much crops around gettin close should not be a problem. No offense but you are thinking with a rifleman's mindset. You gotta switch to predatory mode now!

With all those crops then getting close is nothing but finding good active sign and settin put for awhile. Find where those beans are being nipped off the most, where the deer are eating. Find the trails and sit and stay.

Bait might work but in my opinion (not much) it will do no good, and is truly not needed.

Later

J

[Tom Anderson]

Originally posted by J-dog: No offense but you are thinking with a rifleman's mindset.

No offense taken, my friend.  I looove a long-range rifle shot, though.
 

Find where those beans are being nipped off the most, where the deer are eating.

Well, the farmer planted a small 2-acre plot of soybeans earlier this summer. Less than 1 week after the shoots popped up, the entire 2 acres was mowed down.  He re-planted and was able to get about 1/3 of the plants up.

The aerial photos that I've found on Google Earth or Terraserver are too coarse in resolution to show y'all any detail.  One area is about 90 acres total, the other about 75.

[Rico]

How big is typical pile of corn? Cracked corn? Whole corn? Do you put it out before season and get them visiting regular. Or do you use feeders on a timer? My buddy in La says its like a dinner bell. lol I'm sure he was talking young deer that for the most part he just watches from his house.

[vermonster13]

You could always set-up a blind in the corn field and be patient.

[Pat B]

Plant your own soy beans along the edge of a field and come back when they have sprouted. You will only have a few days but this will bring them in.   Pat

[madness522]

There will be at least one staging area for the food plot...find it and hunt it or the trails leading to it.

[LV2HUNT]

Well, they may still be in the beans. The guys are right though, hunting fields with a bow will give you lots to look at but can be very frustrating.

You need to narrow down some of the space you are dealing with. If the field is rectangluar or square go into the corner(s) where the prevailing or current wind will be taking your scent behind you or into the field. With a bow you are no longer hunting the field.

10 - 20 yards in there is normally perimeter trails around the field. Then there will be approach trails that the deer use to enter the field. In the corners of the field there will be an area where the trails intersect each other. Look for an area with multiple approach trails intersecting the perimeter trails. There should be evident sign that the deer are using it.

Hang a stand in one of these areas and observe. Do not bother looking in the field but rather look in the tree line. You may get the right spot the first time or you may need to adjust after observing.

It is the same concept as rifle hunting but now you can cover a much (much) smaller area.

For morning stands you would be better off locating and identifying the bedding areas. Hunt those with the idea that the deer will be coming to them in the morning.

If you have the aerial pictures you might be surprised what you can get from them coarse or not.

[Tom Anderson]

I guess I simply need to get inside the woods and do some more observing.  I just find that so difficult to do when I'm used to covering an entire field out to 400 yards with my rifle.  I know gentlemen - "please forgive me, for I have sinned".

[LV2HUNT]

Yep, different game but I think you will find it very rewarding. Stickbows force you to be very specific in your setup. You will get the hang of it though.