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Early season tactics

in2harrisonCO

in2harrisonCO

New Member
Archery season is closely upon us. What are your early season techniques? I hunt drainage ditches and the same funnels
I hunt during the rut.
 
I have big deer moving on the edge of a bean field I hunt around 7 pm about once a week. Do my best to cover my scent and hope he stays consistent early season so I can get a crack at him! Good luck to you. Also have a stand over some acorns for the first time so will try that stand as we'll early season
 
Although I tend to wait until after mid Oct to hunt, IF I were to go early, I would hit big secluded scrapes, or white oak acorns. On the properties that I hunt, I feel like I do more damage than good if I hunt early. To each their own, but I like to keep it fresh until pre rut really gets going.
 
I generally try to hunt early chopped corn fields, and early cut bean fields. Acorns on the edge of bedding areas are always a good bet.
 
I'll probably spend my time around food for early season. One of the biggest/oldest bucks (probably 4.5 150 class) I saw last year was the 2nd weekend of October in a clover field. Walked in, fed a little, made or freshened a scrape along the edge, and walked off into the darkness. Don't have anything patterned (shocker!), so will just see what happens.
 
I'm always super paranoid to mess stuff up too early. Our section is near impossible to glass from distance so unless trail cams are showing something at one of the plots I usually don't hunt much until mid Oct. regardless. Good bucks are still nocturnal and showing up in the middle of the night.
 
I prefer to hunt transition/staging areas between bedding and food sources in the early season. This allows me to sneak out after dark without being detected and gives me a better chance at catching the older buck on there feet with some shooting light left. A little light rattling works also!
 
Right now their only concern is food, and there is plenty of it available. They won't be hitting bean fields anymore after they turn yellow until late season. They will do some feeding in corn fields but best bet early season is acorns and clover. Mature bucks will be hesitant to feed in open food plots during daylight right now so concentrate on acorns for now. If you can slip in and out without much disturbance you can have some good hunts early without fear of ruining your spot for later
 
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I have a white oak flat on a ridge top that runs into a corn and hay field. I am hoping a few of the good ones that I have on cam will show early on the field edge. I may set up in a staging area if nothing shows the first few nights I am out and what the cams show.
 
Thanks for all the early season tips. I haven't had much success until about the 20th of OCT. I'd like to BUCK that trend this year. A little pun intended.
 
in2harrisonCO said:
Thanks for all the early season tips. I haven't had much success until about the 20th of OCT. I'd like to BUCK that trend this year. A little pun intended.
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I agree with after the 20th, that's when I start getting opportunities. Got lucky the 1st day a couple times but after the "lull" must take affect?
 
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