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Hunting a cornfield

Swampwalker said:
Hey Barry, why do you wear your hat sideways like that? Ever seen someone shoot deer while they're running? Incredible!
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It wasnt all that uncommon to shoot moving stuff back in the day with stick bows. Running targets and aerial shooting were normal but they werent dependent on sights either. I routinely practiced running shots with a compound before I stopped shooting fingers and went to a release. Still fine with a slow to moderate walking shot at close range but wouldnt try running now because havent practiced it in a good long while.
 
woodsdog2 said:
These two are probably my most favorite bowhunting whitetails films of all time. I still get excited to watch them!!!
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Me too.

If I had a bunch of standing corn to hunt, I'd definitely pick a day when conditions are right and try to go in and get 'em like they do.
 
Horn said:
I asked a friend, as I have no experience. His response

"Got trees on the edge? Walk the field, find the runs, setup within 10 yards of where the runs enter the woods. Almost guaranteed recipe for success" also mentioned that you might find beds out there.
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Iowa chiming in to agree with this 100%. Can’t tell ya this method will guarantee you a wall hanger but you can do zero scouting, walk in and do this, and have opportunities.
 
HuskerInIowa said:
Iowa chiming in to agree with this 100%. Can’t tell ya this method will guarantee you a wall hanger but you can do zero scouting, walk in and do this, and have opportunities.
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I'm sure.

But if you go in after them, it's so much fun you'll be smashing watermelons in your face.
 
Plebe said:
I'm sure.

But if you go in after them, it's so much fun you'll be smashing watermelons in your face.
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I’ll have to watch the video to see the idea and fun for deer better.
I’ve walked enough standing corn in my life chasing ditch parrots while the stalks were cutting the bejesus out of any exposed skin so the adults could get the good shots to really have to evaluate the fun level. Lol
 
HuskerInIowa said:
I’ll have to watch the video to see the idea and fun for deer better.
I’ve walked enough standing corn in my life chasing ditch parrots while the stalks were cutting the bejesus out of any exposed skin so the adults could get the good shots to really have to evaluate the fun level. Lol
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It’s not just hunting corn it’s also stand hunting strategies but the cornfield techniques and the tire rollin’ shoots are very cool entertainment.
 
I tucked into the first row of corn on the ground one time on a farm I hunt. Corn was still standing. I watched a mature buck pop into the corn in the evening in the lowest spot of the field with good overgrown edge cover coming out of the timber like a finger. I will always regret not being ready because he was in range and I wasn’t holding my bow. I will keep taking a random stab before corn is cut where trails are going in and out. My advice/story is not based off a ton of experience so take it for what it’s worth, but I think corn is exciting.
 
MattMan81 said:
I would not forget how they traveled last year. Generally there is a reason they travel how they do. Can you get to an observation point before season? Are you after a big one? Or just anyone?

Once the corn is down, hunt the travel corridors to and from the doe bedding to catch Cruzen bucks.
Property I hunt is kinda similar. The does 9/10 times come from the same spot. The bucks cruze those bedding areas in November.
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I can scout / observe anytime. I’m lucky my wife’s family owns the property. I have some cameras out year round. Right now travel patterns seem roughly the same so far but the corn isn’t too high yet.
 
Charliekelly said:
I tucked into the first row of corn on the ground one time on a farm I hunt. Corn was still standing. I watched a mature buck pop into the corn in the evening in the lowest spot of the field with good overgrown edge cover coming out of the timber like a finger. I will always regret not being ready because he was in range and I wasn’t holding my bow. I will keep taking a random stab before corn is cut where trails are going in and out. My advice/story is not based off a ton of experience so take it for what it’s worth, but I think corn is exciting.
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The lowest spot is key. Thermals will gather there at first light or late in the evening as the sun finally ducks below the tree line. Deer like entering fields there so they can try to scent check everything around. Deer 100% bed in the corn but won't always. You didn't mention what's around your property? While deer like corn I don't think they like it as much as beans and possibly other crops in your area. Where I'm at, the crops are always beans or corn, and they rotate every year. Early season I think they like it as cover more than food. In the year my side is planted in corn, I hunt a thin strip of woods that's between the corn and a bean field. Deer pile out of the corn to head toward the beans every night and then back in the AM. They don't usually cover a lot of ground quickly in the evening in my situation at least. It might take them an hour to get from the edge of the corn to 60 yards inside the woods as they like taking their time munching acorns before they get to the beans. Usually in the AM they stay in the beans as long as they can and are much quicker coming through the woods betting back to corn. All that is with the corn still standing. IMPORTANT: ask the farmer to give you a heads up when he's cutting it. Sit an escape route the night he's cutting but sit farther back from the corn than usual. Deer will use that route and then calm down in the woods. Sit several times in the 2-3 days after the corn is cut as they'll be pounding that field to eat anything the farmer left on the ground. Also, in my experience, it's much more difficult to stalk corn now than it used to be. Better equipment allows farmers to plant with much less space between rows. With patience it can be done, and is a lot of fun, but you need an edge to walk and they've gotta be within range when you see them. I can't quietly get down in between rows around here to close the distance because they're not wide enough. Feel free to PM me. Every other year of my hunting life has involved hunting a corn field. This thick boy came out of it a few years ago

IMG_5671.jpg
 
hokiehunter373 said:
The lowest spot is key. Thermals will gather there at first light or late in the evening as the sun finally ducks below the tree line. Deer like entering fields there so they can try to scent check everything around. Deer 100% bed in the corn but won't always. You didn't mention what's around your property? While deer like corn I don't think they like it as much as beans and possibly other crops in your area. Where I'm at, the crops are always beans or corn, and they rotate every year. Early season I think they like it as cover more than food. In the year my side is planted in corn, I hunt a thin strip of woods that's between the corn and a bean field. Deer pile out of the corn to head toward the beans every night and then back in the AM. They don't usually cover a lot of ground quickly in the evening in my situation at least. It might take them an hour to get from the edge of the corn to 60 yards inside the woods as they like taking their time munching acorns before they get to the beans. Usually in the AM they stay in the beans as long as they can and are much quicker coming through the woods betting back to corn. All that is with the corn still standing. IMPORTANT: ask the farmer to give you a heads up when he's cutting it. Sit an escape route the night he's cutting but sit farther back from the corn than usual. Deer will use that route and then calm down in the woods. Sit several times in the 2-3 days after the corn is cut as they'll be pounding that field to eat anything the farmer left on the ground. Also, in my experience, it's much more difficult to stalk corn now than it used to be. Better equipment allows farmers to plant with much less space between rows. With patience it can be done, and is a lot of fun, but you need an edge to walk and they've gotta be within range when you see them. I can't quietly get down in between rows around here to close the distance because they're not wide enough. Feel free to PM me. Every other year of my hunting life has involved hunting a corn field. This thick boy came out of it a few years ago

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There is a ton of useful information in this post, thanks man! I don't get to hunt ag but soooo helpful to have those explanations and strategies
 
@Andrew920 not great access but I'd be willing to bet I could kill a deer somewhere in this circle on a NE/N/NW/W wind. If you had deer patterned coming from the N (assuming this pic is oriented correctly) I'd even love a SW wind where the deer are quartering into the wind but you've still got the advantage

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hokiehunter373 said:
The lowest spot is key. Thermals will gather there at first light or late in the evening as the sun finally ducks below the tree line. Deer like entering fields there so they can try to scent check everything around. Deer 100% bed in the corn but won't always. You didn't mention what's around your property? While deer like corn I don't think they like it as much as beans and possibly other crops in your area. Where I'm at, the crops are always beans or corn, and they rotate every year. Early season I think they like it as cover more than food. In the year my side is planted in corn, I hunt a thin strip of woods that's between the corn and a bean field. Deer pile out of the corn to head toward the beans every night and then back in the AM. They don't usually cover a lot of ground quickly in the evening in my situation at least. It might take them an hour to get from the edge of the corn to 60 yards inside the woods as they like taking their time munching acorns before they get to the beans. Usually in the AM they stay in the beans as long as they can and are much quicker coming through the woods betting back to corn. All that is with the corn still standing. IMPORTANT: ask the farmer to give you a heads up when he's cutting it. Sit an escape route the night he's cutting but sit farther back from the corn than usual. Deer will use that route and then calm down in the woods. Sit several times in the 2-3 days after the corn is cut as they'll be pounding that field to eat anything the farmer left on the ground. Also, in my experience, it's much more difficult to stalk corn now than it used to be. Better equipment allows farmers to plant with much less space between rows. With patience it can be done, and is a lot of fun, but you need an edge to walk and they've gotta be within range when you see them. I can't quietly get down in between rows around here to close the distance because they're not wide enough. Feel free to PM me. Every other year of my hunting life has involved hunting a corn field. This thick boy came out of it a few years ago

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I would think high wind would be the key to slip hunting a standing corn field but you are right that the rows sure seem tighter than they used to be and even with high wind to cover sound, you might still have a hard time getting a clear shot down a row. Looks like it would be a really fun way to try to whack one though.
 
Ever since I saw the "cornstalker" ladder from EWO, I have wanted one or at least similiar. These were on clearance at Lowes for less than $100.Screenshot_20230630-123330.png It's 6' and will allow me to see down into those edge openings and yet let me back into the stalks without having a bunch of ground level weeds and leaves to deal with. In my case, I'll position it just off of the irrigation trails where the wheels leave a circular highway through the corn.
And I just used it to trim the tree limbs around the house. The platform is nice.
 
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