Big Deer Blog

One mid-October morning in Montana, I froze as an 8-pointer trotted toward me through the woods. He was moving fast, trying to get back to his bed along the Milk River before the sun got too high. Something flashed behind him—a 10-pointer pushing 150 was bringing up the rear! I was hunting on the ground, and the wind was right. Those woods were flat as a pool table and pretty open, but I wasn’t too worried. I let the bucks come close and step into the ditch in front of me. When they disappeared, I drew my bow and stepped out from behind my hiding tree. The 8-pointer popped out on my side, and I ran an arrow through his [...]

Many corn and soybean fields will be cut this weekend and in the coming days. The days immediately after a farmer cuts those crops are awesome for hunting. The sudden change in habitat will force the deer to move around a lot, as they settle into new bed-to-feed patterns. The animals will seek out alternative food sources (acorns and browse) in nearby woods and thickets. Any bucks that bedded out in the stalks will transition to new bedding thickets. Hang a tree stand 100 to 200 yards off a freshly cut field, in a timbered draw or on an oak ridge and you will see lots of movement as deer sort things out. Even if you don’t kill a buck, [...]