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Post by honker on Jan 1, 2019 10:28:26 GMT -6
2 things for me are key... 1. Sanctuary of heavy cover, we just do not go in there. 2. Food available at multiple locations. Passing small bucks helps ensure that we “usually” have a few survivors. Do you leave some of the food locations undisturbed as well or do you typically hunt near or on all of them? |
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Post by Bwoods11 on Jan 1, 2019 11:45:50 GMT -6
We hunt mainly kill plots. I can say from experience that if I spend the $$$ and do the plots right, we have success. I cheaped out on a couple this year, they were failures.
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Post by Catscratch on Jan 1, 2019 11:56:31 GMT -6
I'm kind of the opposite and never hunt near my plots. I found I was good at turning deer nocturnal...
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Post by Freeborn on Jan 1, 2019 12:49:50 GMT -6
We hunt mainly kill plots. I can say from experience that if I spend the $$$ and do the plots right, we have success. I cheaped out on a couple this year, they were failures. This is where I am headed. I have hired a dozer guy to make two kill plots this winter and im adding a plot out in my prairie grass. I'll have one primary plot and 3 kill plots. I'm working towards more doe groups and a longer area a good buck needs to travel to find does. I also need to add several enclosed stands for all day sits and to cover my scent better. How the deer react will be interesting to see but I'll learn from their changes. |
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Post by honker on Jan 1, 2019 13:05:24 GMT -6
We hunt mainly kill plots. I can say from experience that if I spend the $$$ and do the plots right, we have success. I cheaped out on a couple this year, they were failures. This is where I am headed. I have hired a dozer guy to make two kill plots this winter and im adding a plot out in my prairie grass. I'll have one primary plot and 3 kill plots. I'm working towards more doe groups and a longer area a good buck needs to travel to find does. I also need to add several enclosed stands for all day sits and to cover my scent better. How the deer react will be interesting to see but I'll learn from their changes. How big are the plots you are making? |
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Post by Freeborn on Jan 1, 2019 13:13:14 GMT -6
This is where I am headed. I have hired a dozer guy to make two kill plots this winter and im adding a plot out in my prairie grass. I'll have one primary plot and 3 kill plots. I'm working towards more doe groups and a longer area a good buck needs to travel to find does. I also need to add several enclosed stands for all day sits and to cover my scent better. How the deer react will be interesting to see but I'll learn from their changes. How big are the plots you are making? From .25-.40 acres. The plot in the prairie grass could be bigger but I don't think it needs to be. I also plan on adding a water source (tub) by 2 of the 3. I'll edge feather the woods plots to control entrance and exit points and put a licking branch on each of them. |
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Post by terrifictom on Jan 1, 2019 15:41:29 GMT -6
How big are the plots you are making? From .25-.40 acres. The plot in the prairie grass could be bigger but I don't think it needs to be. I also plan on adding a water source (tub) by 2 of the 3. I'll edge feather the woods plots to control entrance and exit points and put a licking branch on each of them. Make your plots big enough in the beginning. Each year more and more deer will start using them. You want big enough plots to last until the end of your season. |
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Post by mnaaron on Jan 1, 2019 16:03:16 GMT -6
We hunt mainly kill plots. I can say from experience that if I spend the $$$ and do the plots right, we have success. I cheaped out on a couple this year, they were failures. What are your keys to successful kill plots? I am like Cat and hunt away from them however might be something I try more of next year. |
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Post by Bwoods11 on Jan 1, 2019 17:43:36 GMT -6
Two best locations
Play the wind so that the wind is good for the bucks, but slightly better for the hunter. NW wind we position stands or blinds on the southeast corner of the plot, where the wind blows away from travel routes or into no mans land.
We hunt 1-2 acre plots in late October or early November. Then again in late season if food still exists, and/or bucks are coming into the plot.
In OTC I have a cool spot just inside the woods, near the food plot. Stands works well for NW or N wind.
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Post by Bwoods11 on Jan 1, 2019 17:44:40 GMT -6
If necessary we clear the plot of deer after the hunt with coyote bark, or drive up with ATV
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Post by terrifictom on Jan 1, 2019 18:00:57 GMT -6
We hunt mainly kill plots. I can say from experience that if I spend the $$$ and do the plots right, we have success. I cheaped out on a couple this year, they were failures. What are your keys to successful kill plots? I am like Cat and hunt away from them however might be something I try more of next year. Once you learn where the deer are coming into plots, set up a permanent enclosed blind. This helps big time with marginal winds. This lets you hunt the plots a whole lot more. Another thing I have saw is that deer especially bucks like a variety, that is why I split my plots. I plant half the plot in soybeans and half in brassicas. If you split plot make sure that the split between the beans and brassicas comes within range of blind. That way depending what the deer are preferring to eat for the day, it will give you a good chance that the deer will be in shooting range for you. |
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Post by sd51555 on Jan 1, 2019 20:45:14 GMT -6
Two best locations Play the wind so that the wind is good for the bucks, but slightly better for the hunter. NW wind we position stands or blinds on the southeast corner of the plot, where the wind blows away from travel routes or into no mans land. We hunt 1-2 acre plots in late October or early November. Then again in late season if food still exists, and/or bucks are coming into the plot. In OTC I have a cool spot just inside the woods, near the food plot. Stands works well for NW or N wind. I'm setting one up like that for a NW wind, and another for a SW wind. I don't have a pickup man to get me with a wheeler, so my stands are getting pushed back close to 100 yards away from the plots, and I've got more interest in working on making sure those routes between me and the plot get checked. |
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Post by Bwoods11 on Jan 2, 2019 8:58:54 GMT -6
For the record, dominant buck might be just a 3 year old. In MN we target 3 and up, Iowa 4 or older.
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Post by nhmountains on Jan 6, 2019 11:22:10 GMT -6
For the record, dominant buck might be just a 3 year old. In MN we target 3 and up, Iowa 4 or older. Do you agree that “the dominant buck” could actually change as the rut progresses? The only guy starts out strong while the up and coming stud bides his time and wraps it up in the later rut while the old guy takes a breather? |
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Post by Bwoods11 on Jan 6, 2019 13:08:44 GMT -6
I think that’s possible. It’s so different by location, state.
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