| Big bucks like cornfields. When the urge to hunting | | | | sweet corn like we do corn on the cob. Deer will |
| hits unpicked corn often harbors incredible numbers | | | | travel considerable distance to visit a sweet-corn |
| of whitetails. Corn left standing during deer season is | | | | planting. |
| excellent hiding for deer. Here they have shelter from | | | | Circle the perimeter of standing corn in search of |
| the overhead-stand hunters shooting at them since | | | | deer sign. Hoof prints should be clearly visible in the |
| there are seldom any trees in the fields. They have | | | | cultivated earth. If rubs and scrapes are found you |
| plenty of corn to eat. They can usually find water in | | | | have located a good spot. |
| a nearby drainage ditch without exposing themselves | | | | Cornfield-hunting with bow and arrow is safest. |
| excessively. They can hear most advancing hunters | | | | Various methods of stalking or still-hunting deer in |
| as they rustle through the stalks. Indeed, few | | | | standing corn rows are employed. Driving deer from |
| hunters will venture into the scratchy stalks. Here the | | | | such areas to waiting hunters is the most logical. |
| deer nose can work well, their ears can work well, | | | | Some hunters work out systems whereby two or |
| and their sight, the least developed sense, is | | | | more hunters work a corn field in search of deer. |
| adequate. Escape routes are uncluttered and available | | | | These are close and quick shots. The situation is very |
| in all directions. | | | | dangerous when more than one hunter is involved. |
| Deer are becoming more agricultural every year in | | | | The best guns for standing-corn hunts are shotguns |
| their living habits. | | | | with buckshot or slugs, 30/30 lever actions, or even |
| Hunters who choose cornfields should hunt them on | | | | 458 magnums, or any other gun with quick sighting |
| windy days when the corn is noisy already. Stalk into | | | | and shorter range capabilities. |
| the wind or across wind for shots at unsuspecting | | | | The hunter can get turned around easily in large |
| animals while peering through the rows. Hunt | | | | cornfields. It is suggested that anyone planning to |
| cross-row slowly, carefully peering down the lanes. | | | | enter a big field with corn higher than their heads |
| When you really feel you may be getting near a deer | | | | devise a system of row walking by counting rows |
| you might get down on your knees to slowly scan | | | | and use a compass or a high landmark which is |
| the distance for deer where the foliage is sparse. | | | | always going to be visible. It can get very frustrating |
| Deer can be quite destructive to a sweet corn patch. | | | | to be lost in a cornfield. |
| With their sweet tooth, in sweet corn, deer are a | | | | Corn is usually used by game management biologists |
| true problem. In early bow season sweet corn plots | | | | who are live-trapping deer as a lure into the cage. |
| might be good hunting locations. In field corn, they | | | | Plowing under corn stalks to clean fields and compost |
| are not generally considered nuisances. Raccoons, | | | | the stalks is detrimental to the wildlife that feed on |
| squirrels, and woodchucks do more corn harvesting | | | | the missed ears of corn over winter. This modem |
| than the deer. It is not unusual for a stand hunter | | | | farming technique is good for the earth and makes |
| positioned next to a corn field to see a fox squirrel | | | | the farmer's job easier but is injurious to wildlife. |
| hauling an ear of corn as big as he is from the field. | | | | Farmers should compromise by leaving some of the |
| The greatest reason for deer inhabiting cornfields is | | | | crops around the edges of their fields standing for |
| the cover the corn stalks provide. The corn itself just | | | | wildlife. Some states offer farmers incentives for |
| makes the patch more inhabitable. Deer come out of | | | | such practices. |
| the corn fields at night to do most of their feeding | | | | Farmers agree to leave a percentage of their crops |
| on natural browse in the woodlands. | | | | for wildlife in exchange for being allowed to grow |
| Deer munch hard-kernelled field corn kernel by kernel | | | | their crop on government lands. |
| like a snack food. They gluttonously scarf down | | | | |