Standing Corn?

[OHhunter]

I like using Woods Walker's strategy later in the season, when only a few standing cornfields remain.  I read about this strategy several years ago and gave it shot in desperation one season.  It's definately not a sure thing but you'd be amazed at how many bedded deer you can walk up on, within just a few feet and they never know your there.  I've found that wide open rows work well, weedy fields limit your vision. 
 

[PrairieShadow]

ORIGINAL: Woods Walker

Here's what you do. Wait for a windy day.  The kind of day when you consider not hunting at all, because you'd get seasick up in the tree.
 
Approach a standing cornfield so that the wind is blowing down the rows, and not across them. Enter the field at one corner so that the wind is in your face.
 
S L O W L Y walk from row to row, pausing to look up each row as far as you can see. When you cross the field, walk UP WIND as far as you were able to see, and then enter the field and repeat. Do this all the way across the field.  If you see deer up ahead when you look down a row, back off a few rows, and then VERY SLOWLY work your way up the row until you are close enough for a shot. You may have to actually enter the row that they are in to shoot so you will have to use your judgement.

It's a fun, and different way to hunt. With a firearm your chances for success are much greater than with a bow.

A few tips:

Don't worry too much about any noise that you may make, as a ripe cornfield on a windy day is a FAR cry from walking on dry leaves.

When you look up each row, look for LEGS, and/or bodies of bedded deer. This is most definately a situation where you have to hunt with your EYES more than your feet. I actually use binoculars to look up each row for ANY small sign of deer, as this whole deal depends on you seeing them first. You also need to spend a lot of time on your knees. Knee pads would be a very helpful piece of gear for this.
 
If you know the fields, and their terrain, try to select one that has a swale, hump, or some other feature in the center of it that isn't planted. If you have one of these, you have a gold mine!
 
Good Luck!

 
Hunting this way is an absolute blast and a nice change to sitting on stand all day! i use Binos to look down each row. I have actually had deer playing hide and seek with me in the corn trying to figure out what exactly i am kind of following me around in it. If you have snow on the ground it is even more fun as the deer really stand out in each row then.
 
I have had some great success doing this but if you move to fast, forget it. You have to move very very slow.

[Woods Walker]

ORIGINAL: PrairieShadow

ORIGINAL: Woods Walker

Here's what you do. Wait for a windy day.  The kind of day when you consider not hunting at all, because you'd get seasick up in the tree.
 
Approach a standing cornfield so that the wind is blowing down the rows, and not across them. Enter the field at one corner so that the wind is in your face.
 
S L O W L Y walk from row to row, pausing to look up each row as far as you can see. When you cross the field, walk UP WIND as far as you were able to see, and then enter the field and repeat. Do this all the way across the field.  If you see deer up ahead when you look down a row, back off a few rows, and then VERY SLOWLY work your way up the row until you are close enough for a shot. You may have to actually enter the row that they are in to shoot so you will have to use your judgement.

It's a fun, and different way to hunt. With a firearm your chances for success are much greater than with a bow.

A few tips:

Don't worry too much about any noise that you may make, as a ripe cornfield on a windy day is a FAR cry from walking on dry leaves.

When you look up each row, look for LEGS, and/or bodies of bedded deer. This is most definately a situation where you have to hunt with your EYES more than your feet. I actually use binoculars to look up each row for ANY small sign of deer, as this whole deal depends on you seeing them first. You also need to spend a lot of time on your knees. Knee pads would be a very helpful piece of gear for this.
 
If you know the fields, and their terrain, try to select one that has a swale, hump, or some other feature in the center of it that isn't planted. If you have one of these, you have a gold mine!
 
Good Luck!

Hunting this way is an absolute blast and a nice change to sitting on stand all day! i use Binos to look down each row. I have actually had deer playing hide and seek with me in the corn trying to figure out what exactly i am kind of following me around in it. If you have snow on the ground it is even more fun as the deer really stand out in each row then.

I have had some great success doing this but if you move to fast, forget it. You have to move very very slow.

 
It can be so much fun that it's almost unethical!  [;)]

[JPH]

I spoke with a friend who does some row cropping and he said that a late planting and stunted corn growth does not equate to a late harvest. He said that once the corn begins to dry in the field, it's done growing.
 
He siad that the timing of the corn harvest is all about the work load of the farmer and weather that allows him to get into the field.
 
Maybe I won't be hunting standing corn after all?

[OHhunter]

Where I'm at they are starting to take off corn in the bottoms now, it usually dries out a little quicker in the sandy soil, they'll continue doing corn until the beans are ready, then they stop on the corn and get the beans done before continuing with the corn.  If it stays dry it all should be all done fairly early.