Saturday, October 8, 2011

Go Green for Warm Weather Deer

The harvest is well under way, but these temperatures are more August-like than October! Not to mention the dry south winds have really been blowing over 30mph the past few days! Although warm conditions are relatively enjoyable to hunt in, they can cause some serious problems for your typical hunting approach. Here are some tactics I use to beat the heat for early season Whitetail.

Set up your tree stands and ambush sites for the two dominant wind directions in the early Fall. Southeasterly winds (coming from the south or south east) will often come before our low pressures and foul weather. Hunters should have a few stands set up for this wind direction since this is our average wind for about 1/3 of October. Westerly to northwesterly winds will blow in behind storms as High Pressure moves in and this is the predominant wind direction in Fall here in the Central Plains. It is also the most likely wind to go along with cold weather!

During dry seasons, position stands directly over or within 30 yards of a game trail intersection with a creek. With above normal temperatures, action can be slow, but animals still have to drink. Generally hot conditions come with southerly winds, so I'll set up my stands to the north of these intersections. Lately, the majority of the deer I have seen have been feeding in green alfalfa fields. I have also noticed quite a few along strips of green pasture or grasslands. These are preferred feeding sites for early season deer as the beans and corn turn brown. Plants that are still green are desirable and contain water which is essential in hot, dry weather. So stick close to water and go green for warm weather Whitetail.

Good luck!  

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