Sometimes one must find the underlying reasons why deer suddenly abandon their established feeding and travel patterns. One reason that always causes deer to change their routine is if a natural highly sought after food source becomes available. Any time acorns are falling the deer will surely be under those trees before they hit a corn feeder or a green patch. Certain food sources are irresistible to a deer. While scouting your hunting locations make mental or GPS markers of things such as White Oak trees and persimmon trees. Both of which are like candy to a Whitetail. Pin Oak and Red Oak are scooped up as well. Even the lowly Overcup is eaten by deer before they will return to a regular run of the feeders and green patches. One thing I will add. Make certain if you find a persimmon tree with fruit on it during season you better hang a stand within 40 yards of it because a deer will lose his mind over a Persimmon.
If you find a natural food source then by all means take note of travel corridors and trails leading to and from said feeding areas. Try not to set up stand right on top of the food source as that will most likely send the deer into a nocturnal feeding pattern and when that’s done you can only hope to maybe catch a stray deer passing through. Scent is your worst enemy when setting up a stand near a food source. If a deer smells you or even a scent that just doesn’t belong in the area they will high tail it. We have all heard the snort of a doe we never knew was anywhere around then the sound of brush breaking as the deer scatter for cover.
(This is part 2 of a three part series. Click here to read part 1. Check fishgame.com for the final installment soon.)
Story by Jeff Stewart
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