Standing corn...is it that big of a deal?

B

benelli-banger

Well-known member
This isn't the first time that there is a lot of standing corn...nor will it be the last. What to do? Well, this past weekend, I hunted adjacent to it while the wind was blowing...I believe the birds are uncomfortable spending lots of time in the corn when it is windy...they can't protect against predators. So they will bounce back and forth. That was my experience on Mn opener as well...the action I had then was adjacent to corn in grass. Also, the birds leave the corn late in the day and roost in the grass, cattails, etc...so you make it an evening hunt. On my land, there were lots of birds killed in my food plot, despite standing corn all around...and we killed lots of birds in a food plot on the public land we hunted. So if the land you are hunting is set up for hunting, there should be some food plots...and they hold birds, even if there is corn on all four sides of the land your are on. Weedy ditches are great as well, right next to corn...always a winner. Bottom line, if you are in area where there are birds, blaming a lack of birds in the bag on the corn is an excuse, IMO. Same with the wind...the wind helped to keep the birds from being in the corn all day long. I watched birds migrate into my field on Sunday night (calm day) right at dark...sat and mon, when there was some wind, they were in my field earlier in the evening...and had been in the field off and on throughout the day as well. Just my 2 cents....
 
benelli-banger said:
This isn't the first time that there is a lot of standing corn...nor will it be the last. What to do? Well, this past weekend, I hunted adjacent to it while the wind was blowing...I believe the birds are uncomfortable spending lots of time in the corn when it is windy...they can't protect against predators. So they will bounce back and forth. That was my experience on Mn opener as well...the action I had then was adjacent to corn in grass. Also, the birds leave the corn late in the day and roost in the grass, cattails, etc...so you make it an evening hunt. On my land, there were lots of birds killed in my food plot, despite standing corn all around...and we killed lots of birds in a food plot on the public land we hunted. So if the land you are hunting is set up for hunting, there should be some food plots...and they hold birds, even if there is corn on all four sides of the land your are on. Weedy ditches are great as well, right next to corn...always a winner. Bottom line, if you are in area where there are birds, blaming a lack of birds in the bag on the corn is an excuse, IMO. Same with the wind...the wind helped to keep the birds from being in the corn all day long. I watched birds migrate into my field on Sunday night (calm day) right at dark...sat and mon, when there was some wind, they were in my field earlier in the evening...and had been in the field off and on throughout the day as well. Just my 2 cents....
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That advice is worth way more than 5 cents
 
Yep, that is good info. Experience is the best teacher. It helps to live next to what you want to observe, so you have more data points. Thanks, much, for the lesson! Had not considered that wind may push them out of the corn during the day.
 
I will say for certain that I have hunted areas where the milo / corn wasn't standing , and the same areas when they were. Usually do better when crops are off. Who's to say that you wouldn't have seen way more birds without the corn. Im by no means suggesting that you can't have any success with corn still on , your hunt proves that. I just think its better when crops are off.
 
I have been at this for a long time...I realize that. Just making the point that if one is using standing corn for why few birds were harvested, it is a lame excuse...you adjust your tactics.
 
BRITTMAN said:
Maybe you just got lucky.
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Yeah, I bet that's it! Thanks for the contribution. Maybe my dogs have something to do with it? Just maybe...I will acknowledge that my 2 females (2 & 6) are very productive dogs. My 12 year old male is in tough shape...but he did some decent work, despite his age. Maybe the fact that I walk 4 miles virtually daily from March through hunting season...just maybe that is a contributing factor? I will say that I don't practice my shooting much...but I have not lost a bird yet this season...have shot over 2.5 dozen between sharp tails, huns, ruff's, and pheasants...I have missed my fair share, that is for sure...but haven't lost a one. We opened each day last weekend on public land...and were at the parking area by ten those three days...some other guys pulled in as early as 10:30 on one of the days, but usually they started around 11:00 or later. I do find that the more I prepare, the harder I work at getting me and my dogs in shape, the more fine-tuning I do equipment-wise, the lengths that I go to hold down the spots I want to hunt, etc, the luckier I get! Yup, that luck...gotta love it!
 
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