First Crack: Deer Hunting in September

A big-racked buck raises its head and looks through me into the big soybean field beyond. It casually munches on acorns, slowly meandering through the timber. It starts at 75 yards, but soon it’s at 50 yards and then at 25, eventually landing within bow range. The heavy-frame 12-pointer turns broadside and immediately catches an arrow in the boiler room.

I shot that buck—which taped out in the mid-160s—last fall, and I’ve tagged great bucks in the early stages of six other seasons since 2015. Along the way, I’ve put together the following strategy for September success.

FIND A TARGET BUCK

While it might be easier to pattern a big deer now than later in the season, locating a target buck still takes some work.

Begin by studying your hunting area(s) using maps and hunting apps, then scout for likely early-season hot spots based on habitat. Deer will bed down in areas offering more convenience than security until hunting pressure ramps up, so look for bedding cover and food sources, which in early season include white and red oak acorns. Chestnuts (hybrids resistant to the blight) also have significant drawing power. Of course, the early season centers around soft-mast crops, too, including apples, pawpaws, pears, persimmons, plums and more. General browse species, forbs and grasses native to the area are very important big-woods deer feed, too.

Terrain and topography are important now as well. During the early season, when it’s still warm, bucks often inhabit thicker cover shielded by north-facing slopes. These areas adjacent to ridge lines running east to west (and facing north) receive less sunlight and help deer that are starting to put on their winter coats remain as cool as possible.

Once the bulk of bowhunters head afield, expect whitetails to begin slinking farther away from high-pressure points and choosing more secure bedding areas. These include leeward ridges, brush-covered benches, ridge lines and ridge endings that overlook the direction(s) from which hunters usually approach.

While hunting apps can point out potential areas of interest, it’s crucial to put boots on the ground and confirm they offer the desired features. Glassing from afar isn’t a common tactic in big-woods settings, but it can still work in areas with mature timber where you can see 100 yards or more through the oaks that deer are targeting.

To uncover areas with the most early-season activity, look for tracks, droppings and fresh rubs and scrapes that indicate bucks are around and probably nearby. Unless bucks are still in velvet, fresh rubs shouldn’t be too hard to come by.

IDENTIFY EARLY-SEASON HOT SPOTS

During the early part of the season, deer bed close to the best food sources. That said, there are bedding-, feeding-, watering- and travel-related features that make some locations better than others, thus increasing your odds of encountering deer within bow range.

Ag field edges can be excellent areas for deer to congregate. Alfalfa (uncut), corn (freshly shelled) and soybeans (green and standing), among others, can pull deer from miles away.

While it’s unwise to dive into a bedding area, hunting the edge of one can produce opportunities when whitetails aren’t going far during daylight hours. Focus on bedding-area funnels that deer must pass through to reach food sources.

Benches between bedding areas and nearby food sources, especially any with dropping acorns, can be great spots to intercept bucks. Some trails follow or parallel benches, while others intersect with them, creating great trail crossings where hunters can set up an ambush.

Bluffs that deer rarely ascend or descend can serve as blockers. So, if a trail passes within range of a tree situated near a bluff, it can be as close as you can get to a sure-fire setup. Of course, stay safe and don’t get too close to that bluff.

Deer often frequent bowls within cover or adjacent to it. They like that the wind often swirls in such bowl-shaped areas, which can be killer bowhunting spots as long as you use a scent-holding, hard-sided blind.

Connecting ridge systems, where two or more meet, can prove superb for bowhunters. They usually make for better habitat and increase the odds of deer bedding nearby, likely providing more potential opportunities as deer work from one ridge to the next.

fields have relatively straight or slightly curved edges. However, sometimes these form  concave areas known as draws, where the field sinks back into the timber and creates a U-shaped opening where deer like to stage.

Similar to draws, inside field corners—where a field edge creates an “L” shape with timber on two sides— are consistent whitetail favorites. Deer can enter the field from different bedding areas or cut the corner when moving from one timbered area to the other.

Destination feed fields, whether hay, crops or food of some sort, are excellent early-season spots to consider as well.

Isolated water sources in areas where water is not in abundance provide a considerable tactical advantage for hunters, as deer will inevitably come around to drink.

Creeks, streams and rivers, as well as ditches, drainages and ravines, are usually crossed by deer. Over time, these crossings become well-worn and very visible.

In the afternoons, when thermals are falling, scent sinks down into the lowest areas. If you can overcome the challenge posed by the wind, these low spots—usually the lowest around fields or in the timber—make excellent stand locations for the latter part of the day.

Best described as the downwind side of a ridge, a leeward ridge tends to hold deer. Prevailing winds vary based on location, but during the early season you can expect more southerly and southwesterly gusts, unless the topography dictates otherwise. That, paired with less direct sunlight (and a cooler temperature), makes north-facing slopes classic early-season hunting spots.

Hard-mast trees dropping white- or red-oak acorns (the former fall first) and the like, are important during the early season because deer love to gobble up the high-carb morsels. Planting some Dunstan chestnut trees can have the same effect.

Soft-mast trees, such as apples, pawpaws, persimmons, pears, plums and others, entice deer from great distances.

Micro plots, small plots with clover, cowpeas, iron clay peas or other warm-season annuals or perennials, can draw deer right into bow range. Those in strategic locations can place a buck right where you want it.

Ridge endings should also be top of mind, especially where the ridge lines have great bedding cover and tower over good feed fields below.

Most deer travel the path of least resistance, and saddles (cuts through ridge lines) afford natural funnels that help them conserve energy.

Scrapes, both real and mock, are more numerous in areas that many deer frequent. Well-used community scrapes make especially attractive stand locations. Nevertheless, there’s no guarantee of daylight usage, especially far from bedding areas.

Secluded openings deep inside cover can be well-used areas also, especially if they harbor a food or water source.

Often called “crow’s feet,” thermal hubs are where multiple valleys taper into one spot. This creates a pool of afternoon thermals that come from multiple directions but drop into the same area, and deer seem to like that.

Any thick cover within reasonable walking distance of good food has a chance to hold deer. Hunt the fringes of such spots.

One well-traveled deer trail has potential; multiple ones crossing one another offer real promise. Camp out on the most downwind quadrant of such trail intersections and stay alert.

GET WITHIN BOW RANGE

Knowing a buck’s location is one thing; getting close enough to kill it with a bow is a completely different story. Start by scouting electronically and in-person, incorporating the use of trail cameras.

Maximize the efficiency of your e-scouting by using available mapping-app layers to find the key terrain and topography features outlined above. Where possible, glass early-season food sources to drill down on the tendencies the deer exhibit and the exact trails they are using.

When running trail cams, avoid alerting deer to your presence. Hide the cameras as much as possible, placing them on large tree trunks and/or hanging them high and pointing downward. Hang them when deer aren’t moving (midday hours), handle them with gloves, minimize your scent by wearing rubber boots or waders and spray down the area before departing.

Next, find the chink in the armor. Maybe it’s a topographical feature that makes all deer using an area vulnerable. Perhaps it’s something a specific buck does that opens it up to an easier harvest. Regardless, find the one or two treestand locations that make the most sense and set the board accordingly.

While scouting in the field and during a hunt, use entry and exit routes where the odds of being detected by deer are minimal. Morning hunts are riskier early in the season, but your entry routes should be well away from food sources, and exit routes ought not come close to bedding areas. For afternoon hunts, entry paths shouldn’t pass near bedded deer, and exits must not alert those in food sources or bedding areas. Of course, accomplishing these things requires understanding the deer herd’s movements.

During the off-season, hunters and land managers can influence whitetail travel by creating funnels that send deer through desired, narrow areas—a strategy sure to start paying off as soon as deer season opens. It can be achieved by planting an hourglass-shaped food plot, downing some trash trees (with no timber or wildlife value) to block certain trails, hinge-cutting some trees to create barricades or planting giant miscanthus, Egyptian wheat or another tall-growing grass to act as a screen.

You should also hunt on select days that offer higher odds of success, like during good-weather windows with high and rising barometric pressure, a significant temperature drop, or shortly after a midday or early-afternoon rain.Consider glassing from afar in the morning, or set an observation stand that lets you see the direction deer take back to their bedding spot. In the afternoon, be mobile and switch to a hang-and-hunt mode if you don’t already have a good stand location for the morning report.

Once on your stand, hold your nerve. Early-season whitetails congregate around key food sources. That will likely mean a parade of does and smaller bucks. Let them pass without spotting, smelling or hearing you to see if you get a shot at a big buck bringing up the rear.

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