Tricky Time to Hunt

Mmmmm.....Mmmmm.....Good

Mmmm….  Summer Sausage from my early bow season doe.  Just recently got it back and boy is it good!!  A package of Ritz, sausage, and cheese – that’s a snack that can’t be beat!  Ok, on to a scouting update….

In Missouri we just wrapped up our regular firearms deer season a week or so ago and are still in the extended doe season for most of the state.  Needless to say, this is making for some tricky hunting when it comes to getting back into the swing of bowhunting.

Not only are the deer spooky, they are also unpredictable during this time of year due to another pattern change as the rut starts to slow.  I was finally able to get back out in the woods for a short evening hunt tonight and saw two fresh scrapes that had recently been cleaned.  As the temps drop you can expect to see more and more deer hitting food sources.  They do this to both keep their calorie intake high for warmth, and to recover from the rut that has had them running hard for a few weeks.  This being said, I wouldn’t forsake the grunt tube and the estrous scent altogether.  Young does come into estrous late many times and you can bet the bucks will still be up for a little, shall we say “tail” even late in the game.

My best guess for this time of year is to still focus a bit on the pinch points for bucks still doing a little cruising for does as well as setting up in staging areas 50 to 60 yrds into the brush right near a food source.  I know that bowhunting is tough work this time of year, but hey, someone’s got to do it!!

Good luck – let me know what’s going on in your woods right now.

Nathan