• Help Support TNDeer:

Food or funnels.

BSK said:
Much depends on where it's located.
Click to expand...

That really can't be overstated. Each location is so unique with its own specific "hot" times. Here in TN I hunt two farms that are only 10mi apart but the timing is nowhere near similar. One gets hot early to mid November. The other gets hot around beginning of December. Baffles me. I suppose it probably has more to do with site specific does' estrus cycles than anything.
 
Ski said:
That really can't be overstated. Each location is so unique with its own specific "hot" times. Here in TN I hunt two farms that are only 10mi apart but the timing is nowhere near similar. One gets hot early to mid November. The other gets hot around beginning of December. Baffles me. I suppose it probably has more to do with site specific does' estrus cycles than anything.
Click to expand...
Our two main farms are 40 minutes apart opposite sides of the county. And it's crazy the difference in them. It's also funny how big weather fronts makes them the same.
 
Ski said:
That really can't be overstated. Each location is so unique with its own specific "hot" times. Here in TN I hunt two farms that are only 10mi apart but the timing is nowhere near similar. One gets hot early to mid November. The other gets hot around beginning of December. Baffles me. I suppose it probably has more to do with site specific does' estrus cycles than anything.
Click to expand...
Whether you prefer hunting pre, during, or post rut; that's doubling your preferred hunting season. Wish I had that problem
 
Brokenbow said:
Hunted a funnel/staging area between two food sources yesterday evening. Tons of fresh sign, scrapes, scat, tracks. I got caught up in the amount of sign. Didn't see a thing. Should have done what I normally do this time of year. Push in close to bedding. I think this was nighttime sign.
Click to expand...
Sounds like you were at the destination which is a lot of time after dark. Where they spend a lot of time.
Funnels before food.
Close to the bed or you won't see the head (gear) lol
 
Ski said:
That really can't be overstated. Each location is so unique with its own specific "hot" times. Here in TN I hunt two farms that are only 10mi apart but the timing is nowhere near similar. One gets hot early to mid November. The other gets hot around beginning of December. Baffles me. I suppose it probably has more to do with site specific does' estrus cycles than anything.
Click to expand...
Bullseye!

Shocks me how different peak rutting activity can be on two properties just a few miles apart. I'm sure it has to do with genetic estrus timing in doe family groups, but peak breeding on my property is easily a week to 10 days earlier than on surrounding areas, even properties almost directly adjacent.
 
Iglow said:
Me and a buddy are texting, I'm in one of our ladders that is killer during the rut but I told him there's really no reason for a deer to be here now. This time of year it's about food and funnels. Find the acorns and you'll find the deer, find a hole in a fence, a low gap, a bridge strip of woods leading to the acorns and you'll see deer.
Agree or disagree?
Click to expand...
I agree to an extent. If you find acorns you will usually find the deer, but when lots are falling you not only have to find acorns, you have to find the ones they are eating. I sat Sunday morning red and white acorns falling and saw 0 deer.

funnels work anytime having a food source near one will increase your odds for sure.
 
ImThere said:
Sounds like you were at the destination which is a lot of time after dark. Where they spend a lot of time.
Funnels before food.
Close to the bed or you won't see the head (gear) lol
Click to expand...
Tonight I sucked up tight to bedding cover. Rubs and trails leading in and out of cover. Tons of sign. No deer. So don't listen to me I'm just wandering around in the woods. 🤣
 
My hunting evolves all season. I start out early bow season strictly food, focusing on dominant oaks. As season moves along, and the rut picks up...i start hunting rut spots. My definition of rut spots is in the general area where does have been feeding, but land formations that funnel bucks through the area. Two or more hollows and/or ridges intersecting for example. I sit on those places. I don't needs food or buck sign...though those will raise my confidence some. Late season is a completely different animal. Hidden, thick, gnarly areas with browse.
 
DMD said:
My hunting evolves all season. I start out early bow season strictly food, focusing on dominant oaks. As season moves along, and the rut picks up...i start hunting rut spots. My definition of rut spots is in the general area where does have been feeding, but land formations that funnel bucks through the area. Two or more hollows and/or ridges intersecting for example. I sit on those places. I don't needs food or buck sign...though those will raise my confidence some. Late season is a completely different animal. Hidden, thick, gnarly areas with browse.
Click to expand...
Love those travel corridor intersections. I hunt a lot of situations like that during the rut.
 
Ski said:
Depends on what you're after. If you want does then hunt the food. If you want an older buck then hunt as close to his bed as you can and hope he moves before dark.
Click to expand...

This.

When I'm after does, primarily during archery, I'm gonna scout til I find lots of fresh droppings around food sources (usually acorns) and then I'm gonna grab a climber and hunt that sign til I've killed what I want or run them off with my intrusion.

When I'm after bucks later in October and November, I'll ignore the usual sign and focus on terrain and travel corridors that only make sense to an old, rutting
buck.
 
Iglow said:
Me and a buddy are texting, I'm in one of our ladders that is killer during the rut but I told him there's really no reason for a deer to be here now. This time of year it's about food and funnels. Find the acorns and you'll find the deer, find a hole in a fence, a low gap, a bridge strip of woods leading to the acorns and you'll see deer.
Agree or disagree?
Click to expand...
Funnels for me...Love those pinch points...
 
Iglow said:
Last year you could put your hand down randomly anywhere in the woods and there would be 5 acorns under it, me and a friend were talking about the acorn crop and agreed it was the most we'd ever see in our lifetimes, (I'm 62 and he's 79) he said his cows were not great by September last year but put on a ton of weight once they got on the acorns.
This year they are scarce everywhere I've looked.
Click to expand...
I know my cattle and Acorns do not mix... Generally they are bad for cows.... had 1 lock up her kidneys 2 weeks before Slaughter... she survived and tasted mighty fine.... Your right last year was a bumper crop almost everywhere we went...
 

Latest posts

Back
Top