# still out?



## kvernum3 (Aug 8, 2005)

Hey all, just wondering if anyone is still gettin after them whitetails and if anyone can give me and late season tips for huntin whitetails?


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## Goldy's Pal (Jan 6, 2004)

Hunt the hot trails. Like a beaver or muskrat keeping an "open run" to their house, this time of the year the deer will focus on keeping the main highways open to and from food source. I like to put a couple of burlap sacks under my feet when in a stand now that there is snow. It muffles the crunch of the snow under your boots.


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

I too have been having a lot tougher time of it this late season. Maybe it is the inconsistent weather, I don't know. I mainly hunt river bottoms and the food sources are a bit away from this spot. I am seeing deer, but I am not seeing any bucks. Last year there were more bucks around at this time of year. 
I have tried an estrus scent ( tip from Mallard) with no luck. I have tried to set up on the more used trails but have not seen as many as when I just use the stands that are on the property. Some of the stands are not as heavily used trails but I seem to see more deer.
Anyway, any late season tips would be welcome!!!


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## mallard (Mar 27, 2002)

Dan,While Monte and I were out pheasant hunting,we noticed that many deer were feeding in the middle of the day.Also,If you are hunting the same stands over and over,the deer will start patterning you,and may avoid you,move to a different area,or go nocturnal.If you can get out and scout,or maybe get on neighboring property,you might start seeing more bucks.


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## Goldy's Pal (Jan 6, 2004)

I don't know your terrain, but the sunny side of the draw or hillside is a magnet to deer on cold sunny days. Maybe shorten up their travel time to your stand by moving in closer to their bedding areas (in the sun and out of the wind if possible.) You may just be missing them, by the time they get up and reach your stand it may be dark already and you're on your way home. Until things settle down a bit, pressure during the gun season can make them more nocturnal, but one area can vary to the next. Keep at it, you'll get them where and when you want them in no time. I agree with Mallard too, different spots can put a trick on them they won't expect.

I like to use an all season trail bait scent. I like "KISS #1 trailbait" $10.00 a bottle and I hang a camera film canister with cotton balls soaked with tthis from a lanyard. PM me if you want the websight, although it doesn't help you now much.


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

Yea, that is what I thought and I have moved off the "normal" stands we use.I really didn't see and deer at all in these spots. I am getting nervous and am about to pull the trigger on a doe. I will give it till the 23rd, then I am on to does!!! :-?


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## Goldy's Pal (Jan 6, 2004)

Well I had an interesting morning. I had 3 doe's follow the trail to my right at about 75yds. at 7:30. At 8:00 had a doe come up the logging road at 75 yds. to my left. All of these worked up past me into the bedding area further up the hill. I'm in the middle with trails coming through from 3 directions. Well at 8:30 I decided to grunt a few times and a few minutes later I heard some movement on the right trail and then it stopped. I grunted 3 more times and 4 bucks in a tight group walked right in to the scent canister I had hanging on a trail at 15 yds. The first 3 were scrubs, two 4pts. and a 5 pt. The 4th deer was the buck I was hoping to see. He had been working this scrap line all fall and I was not sure if I would pull on him this year or not if given the chance today. Well he dropped half of his rack already so that helped make up my mind in a hurry.  Oh well, I'm excited about him for next year. He was a nice 10 pt. if the other half was a match which I think it was. It wasn't shot off either, I stared at the bare spot on top of his head for about 20 minutes. :lol: They all stood around there near the scent giving me every angle you could imagine. The scrubs eventually worked up into the hill further and the big guy stood around another 5 minutes and walked past me and up his scrape line about 60 yds and pawed at the ground a bit and bedded down right there. :lol: I figured I may as well have a little fun with him at this point so I grunted again just to see what reaction I'd get but he continued to just lay there and look around. 30 minutes later I finally had to just get down and head home so then he split. I guess this would be a hunt I've never had go like this before. Kinda cool. Good luck to you all the rest of the season, I really need to get out a few more times yet, you just never know what's next. 
:beer:


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## kvernum3 (Aug 8, 2005)

Nice story goldy I hope you get him next year :sniper:


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

Great story Goldy, Thanks for sharing!! :beer:


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## Draker16 (Nov 23, 2004)

Good story goldy thats to bad that the buck has already dropped an antler
pretty much figures though. (bad picture for your profile though :******: haha jk it still hurts)


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