Finally frustrated

[genesee_mohican]

After 6 seasons of hunting hard on state land and not getting a shot at a mature buck with bow or gun the frustration has finally set in. I scout and hunt very hard and each year I put in at least 7 full days in a tree sun up till sundown without getting down and this early Nov when the changes of seeing big deer on the move are much greater. I have passed up dozens of young bucks in the process, used gallons of scent control products along with scent loc and a very detailed ritual including brushing teeth with baking soda and rinsing with hydrogen peroxide. I hunt the thicker habitat where rubs and scrapes are present and limited trail camera use has produced plenty of mature deer day and night.

Oh, i've had some close calls, just out of range, or they come in range but the angle is going away or straight on for a bow shot. This year was more of the same, so so close a few times but needed to be 20 yards closer or a bad angle. Hopefully my trips down into state land 2 miles will produce a shot with the gun. But it's back to the drawing board with more information gained and a humbled hunter spirit.

 

>>>---------->

[thunnus]

Do you smoke...

...anything?

[ncountry]

Hold on to the hope GM. I have known your frustration. 4 of us just returned from the park. I figure we had an average of over 100 hrs apiece in the woods. Although I shot a 9 and a doe. One other got a button buck. and that was our total. 2 of us were not even waiting for anything special just a good shot at a doe or legal buck. It was an excellent year for buck activity for us but seeing them and getting them close enough for a bow shot is a whole other story.lol . We hated to even break out the guns when firearm season opened, but did out of frustration.

 

ps..Absolutely love those bottom lands! even though I am discovering more deer than  expected close to the fields..

[BfloHunter]

I'm sure you've heard this before but the most important thing is playing the wind right and it's not just as simple as have the wind in your face when hunting. How you get to your hunting spot when the wind is not in your favor is just as important. Understanding thermal temps and wind direction is also critical. Hunt high elevations(tree stands) in the morning when temps rise and low elevations (grind blinds) later in the day when thermals drop. The terrain also affects wind direction how your scent carries into the woods or fields or whatever your hunting. I learned a lesson many years ago that overgrunting and rattling can cause bucks to be very cautious. It does work but it has to be the perfect scenario and most times the deer will circle downwind to smell what's making the noise. If he smells you first he won't come in. Mature bucks stay alive long enough due to superb survival instincts. Use all the knowledge together and you'll get one. Stay positive! And good luck

Edited November 18, 2014 by BfloHunter

[landtracdeerhunter]

Studies show a lot of human scent goes right out the head. Get one of those scent control head gear thingers.

When you least expect it, it will happen. Now go out there, get a nice deer, and for pete sake, enjoy!

[thunnus]

I think a lot of people who smoke are in denial about it's stench

[genesee_mohican]

Thanks for the encouragement and listening to me whine a little.

I do not smoke and go to great lengths at scent control:

 

A) I have a washer that has never seen anything but unscented detergent, same for my dryier. Ok, i'm lucky i know.

B)I shower before every trip out, dress in base layers outside, finish dressing at site away from road. I think i'm doing well there.

C) Silver tech layer, followed by scent lock layer and scent lock outer layer. I wear two scent loc caps while on stand, one has a long neck that I can breath through to catch my exhale.

 

 

The deer don't seem to be winding me, but I still pay close attention to the wind, thermal changes during the day and use ravines or creeks to access my stands when possible. I will stay out of stand unless the wind is just right.

 

Lots of time left this season so I'm still hopeful.

GM

 

 

Edited November 19, 2014 by genesee_mohican

[The_Real_TCIII]

Kill a nice solid 2.5 and enjoy it, this is NY. There may not be an older buck within five miles of you

[jjb4900]

work on extending your effective shooting distance...with today's equipment many people regularly take deer out to 40 yards. I would hunt the outskirts of the thicker stuff, some deer are warier when they detect the slightest change inside of the areas they feel most comfortable, and as mentioned above, don't be ashamed to take a buck that is a little less than you're hoping for. There's many, many hunters who aren't even getting chances at young bucks

[noodle one]

thunnus,

 Why do you think that someone who smokes won't take deer. There was a study done a few years  back to see if cig. smoke would spook the deer off. Guess what? They found that deer could not tell the difference between cig. and or wood smoke.Deer are not worried or frighten of smoke. It is human scent that spook them. The study was done by DEER and DEER HUNTING mag. I have know this for many years first hand. I have bow hunted for close to 50 years  and gun hunted for 54 years . I have taken many buck year in and out and have had to set a lite cig  down at times to take a shot with bow and gun. Oh yes ,I hunt on the ground in natural ground blinds and have for many years. To me someone who uses a treestand are not true hunters , only shooters. The number one most people over look for scent control is my number one in scent clover is baking soda. I put it in my hats and all over my body. Try it, it works!

[thphm]

Ha, talk about being frustrated, have not seen a buck this year in person or on the cams.I go out after lunch today to try to straighten out my ground blind.which was collapsed and pull the cards on my trail cams.Wel, the ground blind collapsed from the rain we had a few days ago which changed ti snow and froze 1foot thick x 2feet wide. Have to go back with a hammer. Pull the cards from the cams, come back to the house an play them on the computer, One cam 15 minutes before I get there a 6 point buck comming straight to the blind, The night before on another cam a 8 pointer sniffing the ground, I guess the Does are in heat this week.

[WingNut]

Thanks for the encouragement and listening to me whine a little.

I do not smoke and go to great lengths at scent control:

A) I have a washer that has never seen anything but unscented detergent, same for my dryier. Ok, i'm lucky i know.

B)I shower before every trip out, dress in base layers outside, finish dressing at site away from road. I think i'm doing well there.

C) Silver tech layer, followed by scent lock layer and scent lock outer layer. I wear two scent loc caps while on stand, one has a long neck that I can breath through to catch my exhale.

The deer don't seem to be winding me, but I still pay close attention to the wind, thermal changes during the day and use ravines or creeks to access my stands when possible. I will stay out of stand unless the wind is just right.

Lots of time left this season so I'm still hopeful.

GM

OCD???? JK!

It takes a long time to get a mature buck. It took me 10 years for my first 3.5 year old, another 3 years after that one. You're doing it right! Just keep at it. Luck is as good as skill and prep!

Just have fun!

[LI OUTDOORSMAN]

Your scent control regiment seems perfect if not a little too OCD!. Start hunting closer and closer to the thickest stuff u can find and as far away from human activity as possible and you should see more deer. Take what the woods offer you..I wouldnt hold out only for MR. 200 class to walk by..its NY remember..there aint a whole lot of them going around!

Good luck and enjoy

[Doc]

You are hunting exclusively for mature bucks, then you have to hunt where they are. Don't be looking at stuff you are already doing right. For one thing, perhaps the state land you are hunting is over-pressured either by hunters or non-hunter use. Mature pressured bucks are really damn hard to hunt (during legal shooting hours).

[genesee_mohican]

Yes Doc, that is something to consider as the state land does get a fair amount of pressure and I am after mature bucks. The thing is I'm seeing them moving out in areas where they can be killed, but only when the rut is making them wander out of the thicker cover.  The area has a good population of mature bucks, as they have shown up day and night on my trail cameras, hunting outings and from talking to others hunting the same area who see a nice one now and then. I am going to adjust again, really think hard about it and go in with a new strategy for next season and am confident I'll come out with some good luck sooner or later. Still lots of time left this year to try and catch one on the move as well. Good hunting.

[whauburger]

I do not post on this forum often, usually just read but wanted to add my input on this thread.

 

I can fully understand being frustrated. That being said, realistically 6 years isn't that long to not harvest a true mature whitetale. Many hunters go decades or a lifetime and never truly get that desired rack. Hunting is like real estate it is all about location. If the area your stand is located isn't holding mature bucks, you won't get a shot at a mature buck. Deer are not dumb, especially the mature buck. You are doing 7 all day sits out of a single stand? A mature deer will notice the pressure in my opinion, even with your very well practiced scent control methods.

 

You are seeing at least one during bow season so the location isn't terrible it seems. Try working an area in the location in a different manner. You can pattern deer and scout and find the best travel routes and then they will walk a whole different direction just to annoy you.

 

If you keep putting in time and learn from mistakes (out of range or bad angle), you will eventually get a shot. In the mean time try not to stress out over it. You are seeing things many in life will never see.  

[growalot]

Forget the bucks...I've seen shot and past on bucks...would someone out there send me  just one day time doe?  WTH I've never seen doe ...from day one of bow season..... disappear like this...and of course...the three I did see since Oct 1...I whiffed on two and malfuction of x-bow on another(no shot)....normally I sit and watch them file by...I know it's the new farmers in the area and their practices....they sorta stand between us and 2 miles away a good crop farmer...the crop farmer rotates and cover crops...

 

the new guys spray down and leave feilds barren all fall/ winter then spray manure... we are talking 40,000 gals worth and plant corn...then chop leaving nothing...spraying a couple of more times to kill weeds...2 miles is nothing to a deer when it comes to 100's of acres of foot high winter wheat and lush field of clover/alfalfa....Oh well it is what it is...he has to rotate that corn out some time...lets hope the next time is for more than one season....

[genesee_mohican]

"Deer are not dumb, especially the mature buck. You are doing 7 all day sits out of a single stand? A mature deer will notice the pressure in my opinion, even with your very well practiced scent control methods."

 

My stands are spread out at least .5 miles apart and have different entries/exit.  I hunted one stand 3 full days, 2 other location/stands for 2 full days, but never consecutive days on any one location too keep things fresh. These deer are smarter than me for now, but I enjoy a good chess game and will keep at it. I appreciate all the good input from my hunting friends on here.

GM

 

 

[ncountry]

Here are a few pics from your area...for motivation..

1st one grossed over 150"

Mine are the 2 little ones..lol

Edited November 21, 2014 by ncountry

[Five Seasons]

what's your definition of mature buck? 2.5? or 3.5 and older? To be honest, a lot of us put in a lot of time and effort even on private managed land and don't get many shots at 3.5's and up. Kind of makes it all the more sweeter when you do. If it's 2.5's then your frustration is probably legit. State land can be a bitch. Don't give up man. It'll come.

[DirtTime]

Never say die! Unless you just shot a deer and it ran.....

 

Been without my wheels for almost two weeks. Got out last weekend only due to my budding pricking me and bringing me back home.

 

Hurts like hell when you can't get out there on some really great days. Told the g/f, "I am taking your truck Sat. night, you can have it back Sun. night.". Time's tickin' down now. The only way to kill a deer is to be in the woods. Unless you shoot from your kitchen window......................

Edited November 21, 2014 by JustRob