Deep South early season

[brydan]

Yeah, I guess I can’t really figure out why it’s so hard, I mean it’s easier for me to chalk it up to pressure, and it does in general seem like the areas I hunt do get a lot of pressure…. So the reality is probably I’m just still a real Narveson being a novice where it’s really hard to hunt makes for a lot of disappointment on the struggle bus.


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The low water probably isn't helping. Over the weekend I hiked for hours into a bunch of areas I've never been before because the swamps were bone dry.

 

[deleted_user06]

Do hogs push deer off? The marsh I’ve been hunting is full of hogs, but I still find more deer scat than about any other public so far this season.


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Eh depends. I’ve always heard they do yet I’ve seen them together in the woods multiple times, hell 3 times I’ve shot a hog or a deer and then killed a hog or a deer opposite right after. I shot a hog once and as I’m watching him run and fold I notice my luminock get kicked, glance at it and a doe literally kicked the arrow in the ground that just went through the hog as she was walking by. I don’t know for sure if they push them bc of the hog itself but possibly bc hogs tear so much up and eat so much the lack of browse may cause deer to move a little. On the flip side I’ve had deer get jumped to me by hogs. But if I had to bet money I’d say if there enough food in the area both species live together fine but if food is short the hogs will drive deer out bc they tear it all up.

 

[mschultz373]

I have a bit of a hiatus here as I'll be out of the country until thanksgiving, but man, my season so far has been a blank. No deer sighted while on stand.

I attribute this to a failure to scout more than anything, and that I've been reading too much into terrain and not 'hot' sign like scat and fresh tracks. Also I've wasted hunts on areas that I simply don't know how to hunt well, like coastal marshes - I've hunted trails and beds with scat in/around them and not seen deer, which tells me they must be further out/use the area differently than I anticipated.

I don't know how much our extreme/exceptional drought conditions are altering deer patterns, but I have been struggling to find that fresh sign or hot feed trees we all talk about. I've found stands of cow oaks, water oaks, willow oaks raining acorns with little or no ground disturbance nor deer droppings - which has only made me wonder, could the drought be making it so the ground disturbance can't be 'read' as easily? or could it really be that the deer simply aren't in that area?

When I get home, I intend to get in the rhythm of arriving around 12 and scouting for 3 hours until I find a setup I like, and then start hunting terrain/perceived travel routes as the rut kicks off before Christmas and into New Years.

I've criss-crossed and spent a good bit of time + 4 separate sits in a ~500 acre block of one NWR and just not seen sign that I am confident in. I never gridded it off or anything. But I am wondering if that's just not an area that holds deer. I had success and encounters there last year, around Thanksgiving and Christmas, and maybe it will be a decent area again. At least so far, though, I've been wondering if I've just been spinning my wheels there, looking for something that's not there.

I hope y'all are knocking 'em down though. I appreciate all the help and insight y'all give. This is a super fun puzzle to try to piece together.

 

[Dmathews87]

good feed trees have been hard to find me for as well so far this season, how much of that is the drought we had...who knows...ill try to break down my last kill on public, its not coastal marsh but i can offer a little bit of my strategy none the less

I really like transitions. always seems to be some sort of sign in these areas and deer travel along them. Where i shot that recent doe is in an area thats probably 80-85% pine (theres alot of pine trees is what im saying) This particular spot is a transition from these pines to some hardwood, and even better, an oak flat of white oaks. Its also a dried out creek bed with ridges on both sides. These oaks this year didnt have much of a drop but none the less i know deer travel along this creek bed and theres a thick area off the back of it that i believe is bedding (havent mucked around it too much) Checked the weather day before and knew the wind was going to be perfect for this spot. when i got setup i was checking with my wind checker and confirmed wind was good. Deer started moving around 7:30ish and right before 8, that doe came in and gave me what i needed.

now this spot if you walked it today wouldnt impress you much as far as sign...theres a couple old rubs and some sporadic tracks here and there. Ive scouted this area a ton so i know whats around it and ive done observation sits in the vicinity and saw deer (that also saw me) and made my adjustments.

im terrible at breaking down my hunts but hopefully that gives you something...scouting really is the key for public land. I know alot about this particular WMA because in the off season and even during season at times, i just walk all over it putting pieces together. its taken several seasons to be as comfortable as i am now out there. divide and conquer...pick a large section, scout the crap out of it and learn a new section..eventually you have the whole pie.

 

[mschultz373]

just checking in with yall as our season opened. I hope y'all knock some down!

I *ceremonially* hunted this morning and probably ruined my hunt after missing my access trail, so I bombed thru a clear-cut and bumped like 5 different deer up - then finally, sounding like Godzilla sneaking thru Toyko when I hit the hardwoods. I was trying a spot I had a cam that had mid-morning movement in August/Sep, a slight ridge with lots of oaks bordering thick stuff on top and a more open bottom below.

found some white oaks with acorns but nothing dropping good just yet.

cool front next week with some morning temps in the upper 50s!

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I went out and hunted yesterday evening. I speed scouted a couple of areas that I know will get bombarded early November. I wanted a whack at them before the hoards arrive, lol. I picked the top spot from the day before as my go too. On the walk in, as I was on the gravel road, a truck pulls up. It is an older gentleman, about 80, who in looking for squirrel hunting spots. He is from South MS and is basically up this way by himself. We talk a little and he's a nice guy, and he tells me he is planning to go right into the spot to the North I had scouted the day before, my plan B spot. The spot is only about 250 yards from the road. Instead of getting annoyed, I tell him there are some white oaks back there dropping and give him the general idea.

From our conversation I can tell he is a little unprepared. I tell him about the copperheads and moccasins that have been numerous this summer and find out he only brought tennis shoes. I politely suggest at least rubber boots or better yet, snake boots. He says he will get some this evening in town and that he had not even thought about snakes, even though his father got a nasty copperhead bite on his leg years ago.

I also suggest we swap numbers so if he gets into any trouble out there, he can text me. I hope when I'm 80 and hunting new ground alone hours away from home someone looks out for me just a little. Anyway, maybe he will get his mess of squirrels.

I'm also glad I talked to him and found out he was planning to be in there today instead of going in there and being on top of each other or hunting it this evening after it had been walked out this morning. It's huge public land. There are plenty of areas to hunt.

My hunt went uneventful. I was hunting over good sign, three huge white oaks with plenty of feed sign under it, fresh acorns dropping and notched caps and old and new deer poop. Nothing showed.

I may get out this evening. There is a big drainage I'd like to check.

 

[Dmathews87]

I'll be out this weekend. Got some burner spots to sit early morning and then scouting for feed sign for the evening sit. Didn't see much going on for the white oaks but the water oaks were dropping in the swampy areas along with decent green briar browse so I'll probably end up there one evening just to see until I find better, all while fighting mosquitoes and the heat.

 

[Dmathews87]

I went out and hunted yesterday evening. I speed scouted a couple of areas that I know will get bombarded early November. I wanted a whack at them before the hoards arrive, lol. I picked the top spot from the day before as my go too. On the walk in, as I was on the gravel road, a truck pulls up. It is an older gentleman, about 80, who in looking for squirrel hunting spots. He is from South MS and is basically up this way by himself. We talk a little and he's a nice guy, and he tells me he is planning to go right into the spot to the North I had scouted the day before, my plan B spot. The spot is only about 250 yards from the road. Instead of getting annoyed, I tell him there are some white oaks back there dropping and give him the general idea.

From our conversation I can tell he is a little unprepared. I tell him about the copperheads and moccasins that have been numerous this summer and find out he only brought tennis shoes. I politely suggest at least rubber boots or better yet, snake boots. He says he will get some this evening in town and that he had not even thought about snakes, even though his father got a nasty copperhead bite on his leg years ago.

I also suggest we swap numbers so if he gets into any trouble out there, he can text me. I hope when I'm 80 and hunting new ground alone hours away from home someone looks out for me just a little. Anyway, maybe he will get his mess of squirrels.

I'm also glad I talked to him and found out he was planning to be in there today instead of going in there and being on top of each other or hunting it this evening after it had been walked out this morning. It's huge public land. There are plenty of areas to hunt.

My hunt went uneventful. I was hunting over good sign, three huge white oaks with plenty of feed sign under it, fresh acorns dropping and notched caps and old and new deer poop. Nothing showed.

I may get out this evening. There is a big drainage I'd like to check.

I love seeing good sportsmanship in the field,it's something you don't see much of anymore. I always make a point to chat,make sure we not gonna bump each other,and offer any help I can provide.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I love seeing good sportsmanship in the field,it's something you don't see much of anymore. I always make a point to chat,make sure we not gonna bump each other,and offer any help I can provide.

I've been kind of surprised. I've met several really nice folks last season just stopping to talk with them. I've even exchanged numbers with some of them. It's easy to assume everyone is out there dog eat dog and there are some a$$es, don't get me wrong, but all in all most folks seem to be ok, once they realize you aren't the a$$.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I love seeing good sportsmanship in the field,it's something you don't see much of anymore. I always make a point to chat,make sure we not gonna bump each other,and offer any help I can provide.

Everything just works better if you get to know the "regulars". It goes from seeing a truck and thinking "OK that dude is after my deer" to "hey, its Joe, I bet he's out there with his grandson again...hope he gets one."

 

[mschultz373]

did a nice 4.5mi loop and didn't see nary a deer dropping. nor any lone rubs. nor any bumped deer. maybe I shouldn’t go back?? the water oaks are dropping, along with overcups (which apparently deer eat here but not preferred) but no major deer feed sign under them. all the cow oaks I saw have dropped and been hit - tilled, caps, but no big acorns left.

I came across a few little banks or crossings along the sloughs- that had tracks but didn't hunt them since the woods are so open by the banks - figure that's night sign.

I stalked a sounder of 5 hogs and got one broadside at 16yards only to have my arrows deflect on a vine. only action I had today!

Was tough getting around, basically dead still and quiet with crunchy leaves everywhere.

 

[mschultz373]

Just for more reference of the bottoms / flat woods I was in and how I’m trying to break down what feels like monotonous woods sometimes.

- The crossings and tracks were all generally around sloughs that were open, save maybe one that had cover on either side. Still didn’t hang it. Tracks usually aren’t enough for me to hunt, but maybe they should be?
- I basically write off the “swamp bottoms” as too open for archery ranges. Plus I doubt deer use them during daylight. I chalk sign in these up to night sign.
- The “thicker flatwoods” are basically where some thickets or stems grow up and give some intermittent cover. These can be so thick you can’t get thru them, and that’s when deer/pigs will bed in them. Seems like getting close to their edge is good but you have to balance it with how quiet you can be.
- Finally the thickest is where I to want to be, though it usually requires finding a small opening where making a clean 20 yard shot is possible. Lots to browse and plenty of cover.

 

[Dmathews87]

Just for more reference of the bottoms / flat woods I was in and how I’m trying to break down what feels like monotonous woods sometimes.

- The crossings and tracks were all generally around sloughs that were open, save maybe one that had cover on either side. Still didn’t hang it. Tracks usually aren’t enough for me to hunt, but maybe they should be?
- I basically write off the “swamp bottoms” as too open for archery ranges. Plus I doubt deer use them during daylight. I chalk sign in these up to night sign.
- The “thicker flatwoods” are basically where some thickets or stems grow up and give some intermittent cover. These can be so thick you can’t get thru them, and that’s when deer/pigs will bed in them. Seems like getting close to their edge is good but you have to balance it with how quiet you can be.
- Finally the thickest is where I to want to be, though it usually requires finding a small opening where making a clean 20 yard shot is possible. Lots to browse and plenty of cover.

you've got a similar mentality to myself. I wouldnt hang over tracks alone as you said, would def be a low percentage hunt....only exception i might would make would be if there were several tracks and it was clear this was a an absolute beat down deer highway leading to something like a food source or bedding.

 

[Nutterbuster]

Just for more reference of the bottoms / flat woods I was in and how I’m trying to break down what feels like monotonous woods sometimes.

- The crossings and tracks were all generally around sloughs that were open, save maybe one that had cover on either side. Still didn’t hang it. Tracks usually aren’t enough for me to hunt, but maybe they should be?
- I basically write off the “swamp bottoms” as too open for archery ranges. Plus I doubt deer use them during daylight. I chalk sign in these up to night sign.
- The “thicker flatwoods” are basically where some thickets or stems grow up and give some intermittent cover. These can be so thick you can’t get thru them, and that’s when deer/pigs will bed in them. Seems like getting close to their edge is good but you have to balance it with how quiet you can be.
- Finally the thickest is where I to want to be, though it usually requires finding a small opening where making a clean 20 yard shot is possible. Lots to browse and plenty of cover.

That looks like my home turf.

If I was you, I would identify all of those drainages/ditches/sloughs like the one in the second picture that I could. Especially if they have any length to them. I'm assuming you're in a large river's basin, and that that basin floods. Any drainages that come off of that river will deposit sediment on their banks during flooding, and over time that sediment builds high ground. The drainage also makes a gap in the canopy, letting in sunlight for plants.

High ground and sunlight make food and cover. The water and steep banks are also a barrier to movement. If you can find a drainage that has a trail paralleling it, and follow it until you locate a crossing, or locate a hot feed tree on it (or all 3) you will kill deer if your place hunts as similar to mine as it looks.

 

[mschultz373]

That looks like my home turf.

If I was you, I would identify all of those drainages/ditches/sloughs like the one in the second picture that I could. Especially if they have any length to them. I'm assuming you're in a large river's basin, and that that basin floods. Any drainages that come off of that river will deposit sediment on their banks during flooding, and over time that sediment builds high ground. The drainage also makes a gap in the canopy, letting in sunlight for plants.

High ground and sunlight make food and cover. The water and steep banks are also a barrier to movement. If you can find a drainage that has a trail paralleling it, and follow it until you locate a crossing, or locate a hot feed tree on it (or all 3) you will kill deer if your place hunts as similar to mine as it looks.

This is helpful for sure and something I’ve been doing more lately. A lot of these sloughs aren’t on any maps. At the same time, the whole area where I was yesterday will be inaccessible except by pirogue (or with mud shoes) if we get our typical winter rains. The main gauge now for the river is like 6’; usually in winter it hovers around 13-15’.

in the early season, I just struggle out here for deer. (extend that to everywhere I hunt down here) I think they can spread out so much when the water is low, there are acorn trees everywhere, and the cover can be both sporadic and often so close to the water that getting with 100yards of it risks bumping them out.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

This is helpful for sure and something I’ve been doing more lately. A lot of these sloughs aren’t on any maps. At the same time, the whole area where I was yesterday will be inaccessible except by pirogue (or with mud shoes) if we get our typical winter rains. The main gauge now for the river is like 6’; usually in winter it hovers around 13-15’.

in the early season, I just struggle out here for deer. (extend that to everywhere I hunt down here) I think they can spread out so much when the water is low, there are acorn trees everywhere, and the cover can be both sporadic and often so close to the water that getting with 100yards of it risks bumping them out.

I run up against the same thing every season. I've just concluded that I have to go out and find them where they are right now. That usually entails a lot of leg work. I walked a big block yesterday and cover probably 5 miles and checked 200 white oaks. 3 had acorn sign that weren't rotten or worm infested and one had what looked to be fawn poop under it. I kept going. I did not bump out any deer. I've gotten to where I like to bump them out. As long as I see them on the hoof and they don't wind me, I can usually drop down, do some turkey calls and scratch leaves and then mark the spot and return the next day or two and hunt. If it's thick and they don't bump hard, I go right to where they were and set up fast.

Walking and looking for sign, I'm just not going to set up anymore unless I find fresh acorns, heavily disturbed leaves, old and new deer poops. Ideally, I will see a deer there too before i set up.

 

[mschultz373]

does anyone have any success calling before the pre-rut? I’ve heard mixed things about light rattle sequences in the early season. our dear responsive to grunts, but only once December hits and they’re starting to move more.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

does anyone have any success calling before the pre-rut? I’ve heard mixed things about light rattle sequences in the early season. our dear responsive to grunts, but only once December hits and they’re starting to move more.

I've never had any luck with calling or rattling here. It seems to be deer repellent. Other folks I know report the same around here too. It worked like a charm for me in Ohio.

 

[NMSbowhunter]

I think it boils down to deer density. If you have a 20,000 acre property and there are roughly 150 deer (5 deer of any kind per square mile on 31.5 square miles) on that property, the few bucks there are don't have to compete. Rattling and calling are sort of dominance/pecking order behaviors. I think those tactics work in places with a lot of bucks in a relatively small area that are competing for does. It might work in a suburban setting around here with more deer. I haven't tried that.

 

[mschultz373]

that sounds right. I’ve only had small bucks respond to grunts.