When the weatherman said wind gusts were approaching 30 mph and coming out of a southwesterly direction, I knew my plans had been changed. Neither the weather or wind were conducive to sitting in the particular stand I had planned on hunting that evening.
But why allow the wind to cancel a hunt? Why not stalk whitetail in the corn?
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Stalking Whitetail Among The Stalks
On windy days my father used to take his trusty Bear Whitetail and sneak through a corn field. I’ve heard his stories of close encounters and how whitetail seem to be rather unsuspecting when feeding in standing corn.
With a perfect wind and plenty of time, I decided to use the same tactic. This would be the perfect time to combine a low impact scouting expedition and whitetail hunt into one. So we headed to a new piece of property in an attempt to ‘stalk whitetail among the stalks.’
Stalking whitetail in a cornfield may sound crazy to some, but there is genuine excitement in stealthily making your way across corn rows knowing a deer might be only a few yards away. And while we did get within 20-yards of a deer, it was slowly walking away and did not offer a shot.
(Sitting home mumbling about the wind won’t provide that kind of excitement.)
Put Strong Winds To Work
Standing corn offers a natural windbreak and on days when the wind is severe deer will often move deep enough into the corn to find both shelter and food. This offers the bowhunter a unique chance to stalk whitetail in the corn.
When October winds change your hunting plans, resist the temptation to stay home. Use the wind to your advantage. While rustling corn stalks may make for a loud and irritating ensemble, they will cover any sound you make when moving through the corn.
Go Slow And Pack Light
With the wind blowing parallel to the corn rows, slowly move across the rows carefully looking for feeding or bedded deer. Remember to go slow and pack light. Traversing the corn rows will be much easier if you are carrying minimal gear.
Deer often return to the same general area of a corn field. Once you locate sign of deer having been there previously, drop to your knees and look far down the row your in and into the rows beside you. Depending on how tall the corn stalks are, getting lower will usually allow you to see farther.
Have Fun
Not all memorable hunts end in bloodshed. And this particular hunt was one of those. Sharing this hunt with one of my best friends made it well worth the time and effort. We had a ton of fun and learned a lot about deer movement on a new piece of property.
Have wind? Have corn? Try stalking whitetail among the stalks.
