Video: A Minnesota doe tag filled, and why this spot keeps producing

Eric Morken filled his first bonus tag of the season in Minnesota on the evening of Oct. 5 in a tree where he has shot three deer on three straight sits over the past few seasons.

Watch the hunt unfold as he describes what makes it such a good spot and how he ultimately decided to set up here despite the staging area on the edge of the agriculture field being about 100 yards away from a fairly well-traveled road.

Staging areas are fantastic areas to target in October (see story below). These specific areas can look different in different landscapes, but in areas Morken hunts, he often sees them as locations where deer prefer to enter a more open food source because it allows them an opportunity to scan the area before entering.

This could be low-ground areas into agriculture fields that are not far from bedding and security cover, or along soft edges within timber where thicker cover meets more open timber that has a food source for deer such as oaks dropping acorns. These are good areas to shoot does and bucks alike.

Bucks will often stay within or near the edge of the secure cover in daylight while still keeping an eye on does. It’s very common to see scrapes and rubs in these areas as we near the rut.

These staging areas continue to shine as we get further into October at a time when bucks are not quite side-by-side with does, but they are definitely keeping tabs on their location.

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RELATED STORY FROM OUTDOOR NEWS:

Target staging areas in late October for better bowhunting; here’s what they look like