Late season hunting

[brosc016]

Hey guys, as you can see this is my first post here and I have a question for you. This is only my second year bowhunting and I'll be going out thanksgiving and friday morning with the bow (thanks to a lousy gun season). I'm just wondering what to expect in late season, never been out after gun season before. Are the deer back to their old patterns, should I be set-up on something specific, will I be catching the last..last of the rut? Fill me in!

[stevejedlenski]

i have hunted this time of year and its definately harder than i like. the deer have been pressured and they are hungry from the rut, if they are rutting for the second time you may have a chance, but from my experience the deer lay low and arent moving a whole lot except to feed. i would look for routes between bedding and good food sources. also with the water freezing its a good time to hunt near creeks and rivers

[Mayfly]

i have hunted this time of year and its definately harder than i like. the deer have been pressured and they are hungry from the rut, if they are rutting for the second time you may have a chance, but from my experience the deer lay low and arent moving a whole lot except to feed. i would look for routes between bedding and good food sources. also with the water freezing its a good time to hunt near creeks and rivers

You nailed it. Food, food and food! 

[Model12]

Keep the hopes high and be ready to console yourself w/the marked decrease in activity/movement. I'd say we're just a bit early on the "2nd rut". Another 10-14 days and you may see some increased activity but for the most part, it's going to be the situation where they're largely moving 20mins before legal shooting hours end (if they move before then) to well after dark and it's mostly about feeding and getting back to a safe bedding area.
Consider being as close to a bedding area as you can that is on the way to their food source. If you're too close to the food, they may not get to you in time. I took my camera down last week and ALL the pics were after midnight to 5am.
I honestly think that the last week of December is considerably better in that they seem to have calmed down enough to start moving before its too dark in the evenings or they actually do some moving in the mornings.
You are a rare breed to be bowhunting this late and hats off to you!! You can learn an awful lot by being out there and a lot of it will be talking yourself through another ride home wondering why you keep doing this! The one fact remains, you will shoot more deer by being out there than you will in your office or home!! Best of luck to you.

[brosc016]

thanks for the quick replys guys. the dissapointing gun season really motivated me to get out there now that I have a break from school and try to get some meat in the freezer.. college gets spendy!

[MnDeerStalker]

I bow hunt from season opener the the end and every one is right food sorces are the key at this time of year but if you can't get in there well before light or dark hit the trails by the beddidg areas.