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Cold Front Strategy

ThumbsMcGee

ThumbsMcGee

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2018
Messages
223
With the cold front this week, what are your strategies going in?


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As a newer mostly clueless bowhunter, I'm getting in some of my "good spots" early in the afternoon where I have pictures of some nice bucks on a beaten down area where many trails come together. Big area of timber in between CRP, corn, and beans on three different sides. Maybe I'll get lucky. I only have a few guesses as to which beds they're coming from that I scouted in the spring.
 
ThumbsMcGee said:
With the cold front this week, what are your strategies going in?


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Click to expand...

Wait late enough in the day that I know they are in their bedding area (10 or 11 am) and then climb a tree as close to their bedding area as I can get away with and along an exit path (of course playing the wind) and then sit until dark. Early in the season, the only luck I have is near thick stuff or other bedding. I'll hit funnels and travel corridors closer to the rut when they are cruising more.
 
On cool days, hunt food sources, transition zones, and scrape and rub lines...warm days I like to get closer to beds, thicker cover, and water. Cold fronts hit I usually hit some of my better spots...Just like Raisins mentioned, I’d get there plenty early, go slow, be quiet, and wait. Not a terrible idea to eat an early lunch, and go out there until dark.
This early in the year, I’d stick to food sources (food plots, feed trees) or transition zones.
 
Do you all generally avoid early mornings in early season? First ever deer hunt this weekend and trying to figure out my strategy of what time to go and how to play the morning.

Leaning towards going early both days because outside of this weekend won’t be out again until last week of October.
 
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Cold front is not here yet 80F and 100% humidity today in PA.
 
syrio said:
Do you all generally avoid early mornings in early season? First ever deer hunt this weekend and trying to figure out my strategy of what time to go and how to play the morning.

Leaning towards going early both days because outside of this weekend won’t be out again until last week of October.
Click to expand...
I hunt mornings and afternoons all season long--no times are "off limits" for me. Personally, I think that should be especially true for you since your hunting time is limited. Worst case, you bust some deer out of a good spot, but they'll have nearly a month to settle back in, so not a huge deal. Best case, you capitalize and get one! @MathewsMan7 's post above is solid advice on how to play it.
 
TNbowhunter said:
I hunt mornings and afternoons all season long--no times are "off limits" for me. Personally, I think that should be especially true for you since your hunting time is limited. Worst case, you bust some deer out of a good spot, but they'll have nearly a month to settle back in, so not a huge deal. Best case, you capitalize and get one! @MathewsMan7 's post above is solid advice on how to play it.
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I agree I hunt when I can and like to have some options so I can go to a place with the right wind and access. Over the years I've learned that sometimes accessing a place easier almost trumps wind direction and sometimes almost the wrong wind provides the best hunting.
 
TNbowhunter said:
I hunt mornings and afternoons all season long--no times are "off limits" for me. Personally, I think that should be especially true for you since your hunting time is limited. Worst case, you bust some deer out of a good spot, but they'll have nearly a month to settle back in, so not a huge deal. Best case, you capitalize and get one! @MathewsMan7 's post above is solid advice on how to play it.
Click to expand...
A month to settle back in!!! I hunt on public where hunters are stomping all over the place. The deer only have overnight to settle back in.
 
syrio said:
Do you all generally avoid early mornings in early season? First ever deer hunt this weekend and trying to figure out my strategy of what time to go and how to play the morning.

Leaning towards going early both days because outside of this weekend won’t be out again until last week of October.
Click to expand...
If you are trying to climb in the dark with minimal experience I would get there at first light so you can see what you are doing.
 
I’ll be on public so I’m sure a lot will change between now and then.

Getting set up in the dark is the big concern. The place I’m headed has some large fields I’ve seen deer in in the morning so my other option is just to find some ground cover and be patient. Then later in the morning go get in a tree once they’ve left the field.
 
Cold fronts for me are just a sweetener for a hunt. Seems to amplify normal deer movement. Just puts another card in your favor. I still hunt however seems fitting given the time of year and pressure.
 
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