Late Season Bow Hunting

Late Season Bowhunting

By Paul E. Moore

Bowhunting the white-tailed deer can be one of the most challenging forms of hunting which one can pursue. Bowhunting in late winter can be not only challenging, but sometimes downright impossible.

Early season bowhunting usually means finding deer fairly easily. Treestand locations are not hard to find and a hunter can usually see deer every time he or she is on stand. However, the late season is a completely different ball game

. Deer undergo several changes throughout the fall and winter. Early fall is a time of ample food sources and plenty of cover. Deer movement peaks during the pre-rut and rut. After the rut and a lot of hunter pressure, deer movement really cuts back. Most deer will restrict their movement and some will go completely nocturnal. When deer aren’t moving much during daylight hours, it makes them very difficult to locate and hunt. So, the first step is to locate the deer.

One advantage for the late-season bowhunter is that no matter how much they have been pressured by hunters, deer still have to find food. Keying in on food sources is one way to find deer in late winter. Food sources are depleted and the pickings are slim. If a bowhunter can find a food source, he will probably find deer.

Food sources in late winter are scarce. Deer will feed on leftover acorns and persimmons, winter wheat, and honeysuckle. In suburban areas, deer will often raid lawns and feed on ornamental shrubs and trees. Of course, hunters cannot hunt lawns but may be able to locate bedding areas in nearby woodlots, which are huntable.

Browse is also a staple in wintertime. Browse consists of the tender stems and shoots of various bushes, trees, and plants. Deer will feed on browse year-round, but rely on it heavily when other food sources are not available. Browse areas are easily identified by looking at the ends of small trees and bushes to determine if they have been nipped off by feeding deer. Other signs within the area, such as fresh tracks and droppings, are also good indicators.

Another key to locating late season deer is cover. As the leaves and undergrowth die out, deer will be forced into limited areas of cover. Look for deer bedding in whatever thick cover can still be found. This may be tangles of wild rose and honeysuckle, evergreen thickets, deadfalls, or even ditch lines and fencerows. Deer will seek shelter from not only being seen by humans, but also protected from the elements. One must not overlook any available cover when searching out the hiding spots of late-season deer. They will often hold up in some of the most least likely places, such as thickets alongside a railroad or in tiny islands of cover in the middle of open fields.

Locating a good stand site in winter is a difficult task and one that must thought through carefully. With the leaves gone, a bowhunter will stand out and be capable of being seen from a long distance by traveling deer.

The best stand location is obviously one that affords a little cover to break up the hunter’s outline. Many times this is almost impossible to find. An evergreen tree will offer good concealment to the bowhunter if one can be located close to the deer’s travel path. If a hunter must set up in a tree without cover, he or she must sit statuesque to remain undetected.

Trimming tree branches and tying them strategically to make artificial cover will help greatly. There are even commercial holders now available which will allow the hunter to mount tree branches in the holder and position them for the best possible concealment around the stand. The idea is to create the most amount of concealment but still allow for good shot opportunities and room to maneuver the bow while drawing and shooting.

Remaining on stand is of primary concern to the late-season bowhunter. Winter temperatures and wind chill factors can make for bitter cold hunting in the late season and can drive a hunter home much too soon if improperly prepared to face the elements. Clothing must retain heat, stop wind, be quiet, resist water, and allow for the hunter to draw the bow. That is a lot to ask of clothing.

One fact commonly misunderstood about cold weather clothing is that no type of garment will produce heat. Clothing can only retain heat. It is very important that clothing which has good insulating properties and will retain as much heat as possible without adding bulk is chosen. Clothing should be layered to add air space and also allow the hunter to add or take away layers, as the temperature requires. Layering will also allow the hunter to carry in most of the outer garments and put them on after reaching the stand. This will keep the hunter from getting too hot while hiking in and starting to sweat, which will rapidly lead to chills after getting on stand.

The feet and head are of critical importance. The feet must be kept warm since they are the most prone to becoming chilled. Again, keeping them from sweating during the hike in is of paramount importance. More body heat is lost from the head than anywhere else. A good insulated cap or hood will keep the entire body warmer.

Only the dedicated few will brave the late season to bowhunt. Those who do will find a ple