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Ok,I had my farm since 95 and I shared cropped.The deer will only eat a bit of cow corn in the fall/winter and use it for hiding in mostly because their never bothered. they prefer the cow corn in August when it's soft and sweet,try it. I have. The area around me was always double planted and no way to stalk. during the rut it's easy to call them out with a social call. The trails never had any trees in the area to climb. Their was a short cut on my property that was really productive. My farm was always productive with soya and winter wheat. one year, I talked the farmer into planting corn. no rain so it was stunted and I hardly ever saw a deer. after the harvest, my 51 acres was yellow with small cobs. I thought,I'll have the winter herd ( about 200 ) in the back 50 all winter. hardly ever saw a deer and the crows ate it all.
I have scouted the the corn fields and they tend to walk about 5-6 rows in ( so check from 3-7 rows in) for trails. It may vary a bit. Theirs going to be trails through it though.
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A lot of corn fields around here every year. You know which bucks hang out in the corn a lot, their racks are bone white, the ones that live in the Swamp are dark and covered with cedar bark.
We have hunted a field while it was being combined with good results, my uncle has told me of soooo many stories of big bucks hes seen while combining corn at night, he has even witnessed bucks fighting while he has the lights shining their way during night.
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Interesting to see the mixed experiences in this thread regarding the value of corn in one's hunting strategy.
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Yes I was just thinking I'm glad I asked this question, it's started an interesting discussion
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I've had several set-ups that were intended to intercept deer moving from the woods to the corn to feed in the evening. However, its never actually worked out that way for me. I've shot several deer that have walked OUT of the standing corn and into the woods in the PM. I also shot one that I accidently bumped from the corn during my PM walk in, only to have it wander back past my stand 45 minutes later on its way back to the standing corn.
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I 've called a few good bucks out of the corn during the rut. I hunted a few times when they were taking the corn down but passed on the does. it's fun to watch,they keep circling the harvester until their's only a few rows left. Then they bailed.
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Set up on main trails going in and out of the corn. The perfect senario would be to set up on the main trail leading into the corn while giving yourself a shot to the edge of the corn as well
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I wouldn't give the corn feild much thought in october unless they use its to bed or as travel route to another food source. I do love hunting downwind side of a cornfield when does are coming into heat. Down wind corner of corn during the rut is lethal!
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if its possible id concentrate on where the corn meets bush there has to be some corner they are using to move between the two
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Only option is to hunt the trails from bed to corn. Depends on topology though, because the corn may be the best place to bed for your deer, which will make hunting them tough.
I would look carefully for trails in and out, and put cams up trying to pattern them- then only hunt when the conditions are perfect.
Good Luck.
