bjanakos

I will try to keep this short……

I hunt a public property. It is about 40-50 acres of heavy woods surrounded by tall grass prairie. There is a small farm to the south, a power plant to the east and west and a lake the north. I have only been hunting this property once so far, but I have visited a few other times before the season and I have seen deer in mid-day.

It is now in-between firearm season and muzzle loader season. The deer are probably pretty spooky by now. I figure I have the following options……

A). Set up early in the morning deep in the middle of the woods. Look for some trails and set up to ambush.

B). Set up in the prairie (there are some small trees, but I will either have to use a ground blind or still hunt) closer to the farm to the south.

C). Set up at the south end of the woods where it meets the prairie.


I am just not sure if these deer went completely nocturnal or not. If I set up in the woods, before light, it will be VERY hard to see what I am doing. If I wait for light, then I risk the chance of spooking them out of the area.

I must also point out that I had seen a large bedding area and a large scrape about 20 yards from the area last week. This is where I had seen one deer.

If I am missing something here, please let me know.

P.S. Here is an aerial photo. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=goose+lake+state+park+illinois&ll=41.35 4021,-88.333554&sll=38.208151,-88.214719&spn=0.009594,0.020956&sspn=1.353 129,2.823486&t=k&hl=en

saltflat

chances are if it is only 40 or so acres and has been hunted by gun hunters i would say you would be pretty lucky to see deer there. What does the property have to offer the deer they couldn't find somewhere else? If it was me i would hunt close to the private farm. chances are the deer are probably coming out of that private land and travelling through this property. Unless they have everything they need on private land i would give it a try. is there any descent bodies of water or old roads or powerline right of ways. These can be good spots to catch a buck searching for a doe. Plus you can usually see for quite a ways.

bjanakos

Thanks for the help!

I talked to the property managers. They said that they only allowed 2 shotgun hunters in this area and only 1 button buck was taken. Both hunters reported seeing a “bunch” of deer. One hunter has been trying to get a particular huge buck for the last three years. He saw him, but didn’t get him.

The power plant to the west has a pipeline right of way. The property managers also said that the deer ARE feeding at the farm to the south, but don’t always come through the legal hunting area. There are some marshy bonds to the south, near the farm, but the farm itself does not provide any cover. The property manager said that other hunters have told her that the deer are coming in and out through the south.

To the north of the property is a HUGE lake, but it is only open to water fowl hunting. There is a creek that runs from the lake to the south east.

saltflat

if it was me i would try the creek towards the south. deer travel the easiest route possible.