Throughout much of the Midwest lies a mix of farmland and woodlots, which provide utopian “edge” habitat for whitetail deer. It is in this zone — often referred to as the “corn belt” — that oversize bucks abound. If you’re looking to expand your hunting horizons to a “best-bet” area, look no further than here.
Eddie Claypool
When bowhunting this type of habitat, post-season scouting and stand preparation are vital. As soon as the season closes, go afield and learn the lay-of-the-land of every acre on the properties of which you have access. Ferret out hotspots and prepare stand sites for the next season.
In farm country, crop rotation is the chief factor that determines where deer will concentrate. Considering this fact, look for “pinched” habitat features that are between these areas of concentrated doe feeding activity. Place stands in such locations taking into account, good access, prevailing winds and sun direction.
With this preparation accomplished well in advance, you’ll be way ahead of the game when it is time to “cherry pick” a big buck from the area come next hunting season.
For a fine assortment of Archery Gear make sure to shop at Sportsman’s Guide.
Eddie Claypool provides weekly tips on bowhunting, with an emphasis on whitetails. Over the past dozen years, Claypool has harvested 23 Pope & Young recordbook whitetails. Six of the deer were taken on public ground, with the rest coming from private ground that he accessed through knocking on doors. He has not been guided on a hunt, or hunted on managed properties. He also has hunted many other species of game including elk and mule deer.