# Tactics this time of year



## clu__82 (Jun 27, 2006)

What tactics are used at this time of year??? I know it is close to the pre-rut ....but what have you deer hunters out there find most successful...to give you a bit of background this is where I am hunting:

a 40 acre private plot.....there are corn fields on the south side of the acreage ....then it transitions into hills that all filter to a very small creek bottom ...there is a railroad track just above the creek ...and then the property ends ...and there is more hills on the other side of the railroad tracks....I am hunting with a ground blind near the river on what appears to be a well maintained trail .....sooo what should I do ...set up a scrape on the trail?? rattle?? use scents??? due to time constraints of my Masters program I can only hunt during the evening and then during the weekends .....here in Minnesota it has been too hot or either pouring rain ....so hopefully the weather can figure it out ...any suggestions are definitely welcomed and wanted

Thanks

CLu__82


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

What kind of population does it hold? Are there any mature bucks, or a buck in it that you are specificaly after? What are you after, doe, any buck, mature buck? Are you the only one hunting it?

This time of year ive had my best luck remaining quiet with calls and rattling. If I see a buck, and hes not coming my way and I want him to, I may grunt very lightly at him. I have had bucks respond well to it this time of year, and ive had bucks totally ignore me. Depends on the deer. I generally save more aggresive calling and rattling until later this month into november. As a general rule, save these until the rut comes, you dont want to educate any bucks before the rut as this will make them harder to kill during the rut, when their usually a bit easier.

Ive had good luck opening up scrapes this time of year and NOT hitting them with scent, let the local bucks do this, you can freshen them with scent closer to the rut. (Be uber anal about human scent when making a scrape though, wear gloves and rubber boots).


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## clu__82 (Jun 27, 2006)

Well....as I said its 40 acres ...and I am hunting by myself....the owner of the land said that he saw a 10+ point buck in there around the middle to end of AUg on a hike through his property...and on different scouting trips ...I saw a 6+ buck..and about 10ish does......I have seen some of the deer in person ...and then caught the others on my trail cam ...the weather has been rediculous ...88 degrees today ...so to be honest I haven't done much deer hunting at all....I think i will wait until the rut and some cooler weather .....also...there are a good handful of tracks and droppings...buuut I havent found any scrapes or rubs yet ....the corn surrounding the property hasnt come off...and I am pretty sure that once that comes off they will have no where to hide and be forced to go into the wooded area where I am hunting .....soooo there ya go ...please let me know if any more details would give you a better mental picture of where and what I am seeing ...thanks again for the tips so far.....good luck

Thanks

Clu__82


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## settles8 (Aug 19, 2007)

hey Clu, are there any thick areas on the north side of the woods they might use for bedding after the corn is out? if there is, i might sit on a creek crossing coming from that bedding to the cut corn, or in a staging area just inside the woods from the corn. either way, wait till the corn is out and your right, they'll be in the woods alot more.


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