need a strategy

[Lot to Learn 2]

I hunt 80 acres, it has 4 seperate bean fields and the surrounding farms are all in beans. I have crp to the north and south.  What are the deer going to do when all the beans are out on this farm and the surrounding farms?  In my experience once the beans are out the bean fields are more or less travel routes.  Anyone give me suggestions on what to look for as far as a good food source at that time?

Also, now about 1/2 the beans are still in. They way the farm is set up I pretty much have to walk in a field to get anywhere, I can walk edges but I am still in the fields. Due to work and the kids I pretty much have to hunt afternoons, I think mornings I would get busted every time anyway. Any suggestions on how to get into this area?

[EatDeer]

I'll bet there is alot of browse and shoots that deer can eat in the CRP fields, but even a havested bean field out ranks the CRP for a food source at this time of year. The deer will feed in the beans until the weather freezes the field, or heavy snow is covering the field.   I'd  hunt closer to the bedding (crp field) , try to cut off the travel routes, without walking the bean fields in the mornings.  In the evening the deer should be moving into the fresh cut beans,  so you could get away with moving across the fields earlier in the afternoon. You may want to set up a ground blind, even out in the open, if deer are not being hunted from blinds in the area, you might just suprise a few deer. Good luck!   

[JPH]

I continue to see deer using bean fields after they have been harvested. Maybe not in droves, but they do still hit them. If a harvested bean field is easy and convenient for does to use, they will continue to pick them over.

The next food source I would look to would be acorns. I know early-October is the time we look for acorns to be the primary food source, but deer will continue to eat them until they are all gone. In my area, the acorn crop was excellent and I suspect them to be on the ground, at least to some degree, until late in the year.

But since you are looking for advice, I'll give you this. For the next 3-4 weeks, I would look more for pinch points and travel corridors than I would food sources. Yes food matters even during the rut, but bucks are going to cruising. Once you begin to see travel activity drop off, or once gun season opens, I'd begin to start hunting heavy bedding and escape cover. This is where breeding will will take place and where deer will go once the led begins to fly.

Good luck!

[Lot to Learn 2]

thanks to you both, appreciate the advice.  It was funny, last week 2 other guys that hunt this field, but not very often maybe twice a month at most, helped me put up a stand. We were looking for other spots to hand a stand and all three of us had stands hanging in basically the same spot over the last few years, about 50 yds in heavy heavy cover near the south crp. that makes me feel better.  There is honestly no way to get into the cover without stepping foot in a bean field. I think morning is not going to happen. 

[DeerCamp]

I would start looking for other food sources, and toss out the trail cams to find them "IF" they are not by the beans. Once that first good snow hits, Id be right there looking at those bean fields as the deer know there use to be a lot of food there, and they will come back hoping to find left over food.

[buckhunter21]

From my experience, this time of the year, like has been said they will still use the bean fields, but not to an extreme like before.  I think they have been off the beans for a while now actually since the leaves turned brown, but my be coming back to them now with these colder temps.  But, getting back to the point, if you have any standing or cut corn, there is a good bet they are over there or will be.  If you don't have any corn....I would say beans and other natural browse.

[Lot to Learn 2]

we had so much rain in Il this spring a lot of farmers gave up on corn and went beans again this year,that is what happened on this farm, the neighbor farms had corn last year and they did rotate to beans this year. That is what is concerning me, they will have to travel quite a ways to get to corn, but I know they will do that.   Just trying to get a game plan.  I am thinking I just need to be on the stand now as much as possible, can't stop nature.

[howhill1]

there are many things that deer will turn into a food source. i have seen them eat locust pods ,hickory nuts, persimmons, if deer are being held on the property you hunt food water and cover are most likely there somewhere. open the rumen of the next deer you kill and see whats in it.that will give you a definitve answer as what they're eating at that time.

[Lot to Learn 2]

Thanks Howhill. Nice hearing from you again.