3 years, still no buck, but I see all the signs (need help)

[Imjus4u2nv]

This is my third season hunting public land, mostly the same spots as I have gotten to know them well. Unfortunately still haven't punched the card, and I have put my time (during the season and pre season scouting).

I know the odds are against me (nobody I know hunts so I have been figuring it out solo and via YouTube/internet and with boots in the ground, which can be rewarding if I ever bag one), plus its public land with antler restrictions.

I have set up cameras  (forgot to pull pic off card before I put camera back) of  a few nice bucks, and one bruiser but mostly 10 to 14 days ago, and does scattered during that time.

I found a scrape a few weeks back and rubs that I think were more recent (I think I found the rub line, as I found 3 scrapes within a half mile (?) of each other, two facing the same way and the last the other side of tree, almost like another buck from different direction)

I know where the dense cover is, and know one common bedding area (there are a few good bedding areas here). 

Wind seems to constantly change on this mountain (I use all scent free detergents, body wash, spray my feet down). 

What would you do? Have the bucks left, am I too late? 

[Chef]

What public land are you hunting, when hunting public land opening weekend hunt funnels and areas you think bucks will use to escape


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[Swamp_bucks]

Is the piece hunted hard?  And can you get in deeper if it is?  Where i killed my buck was 1.4miles in.  I sat 1 ridge over during bow saw nothing.  Pushed in saturday and had deer all over.  I dont use any scent products just use the wind.  They are there its just a matter of finding the right 10-30acres that they feel safe in.  

[Robhuntandfish]

Do you bow hunt? If you have pics of deer in the same areas over the three years at the same times of year concentrate on that esp if daylight pics.  

If only gun hunt and all your pics are prior to that and then nothing , might want to look where others don't hunt in that area. Other side of creeks is a good spot and a lot of people won't cross one .  

 

Edited November 18, 2019 by Robhuntandfish

[JRod 8G8H]

A couple places I hunt I have to make sure I pattern the does first. I also make a couple scrapes and continuously doctor up scrapes throughout the pre rut and rut. As someone else said if it's pressured make sure you know the escape routes and sit in between bedding areas for the bucks. Good luck!!

[Imjus4u2nv]

22 minutes ago, Chef said:

What public land are you hunting, when hunting public land opening weekend hunt funnels and areas you think bucks will use to escape


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There are a few escape areas which makes it tough when hunting solo. One back escape route leaves very little chance for shot (pretty much have to shoot it as it goes across a narrow path) but is best area for wind - I jumped one my first year coming in, second year, waited and waited, then decided to move closer and jumped one.

The other side is all open woods but usually upwind of bedding area, other side is up the mountain big trees and has some cover - this is where I tried second day)

[Imjus4u2nv]

26 minutes ago, Swamp_bucks said:

Is the piece hunted hard?  And can you get in deeper if it is?  Where i killed my buck was 1.4miles in.  I sat 1 ridge over during bow saw nothing.  Pushed in saturday and had deer all over.  I dont use any scent products just use the wind.  They are there its just a matter of finding the right 10-30acres that they feel safe in.  

Decent pressure but mostly only opening weekend. I get as far as I can away but can always go further).

[Imjus4u2nv]

27 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Do you bow hunt? If you have pics of deer in the same areas over the three years at the same times of year concentrate on that esp if daylight pics.  

If only gun hunt and all your pics are prior to that and then nothing , might want to look where others don't hunt in that area. Other side of creeks is a good spot and a lot of people won't cross one .  

 

I dont bow hunt but thinking of trying it out which would help eliminate some hunting pressure. 

Thanks, I will keep trying to scout out more areas, just hard to leave a spot with so much activity. 

Have to look at older pics, but this year all bucks were right at sunset.

[Imjus4u2nv]

I will be hunting there Thursday and Friday and should have place to myself.

[tarheel95]

I was the same boat as you. Solo hunter, no one in my family or friends hunted to learn from and using predominantly public land. Early season I learned to find funnel and pinch points between buck bedding and feeding areas. Once the rut started I stopped hunting bucks and looked more to pattern does. Use the wind to my advantage to find spots that a buck would check in on does. Hunt common doe travel points that a buck would likely cross to pickup a trail. Once regular season opened, find the nastiest thick stuff that a buck would hole up in for cover. Anticipate where pressure would come from and where they would try to escape. It's not easy and I still have a lot to learn.

Other advice I would give is put some does on the ground, if you haven't already. Gets you comfortable making a shot before the buck of a lifetime appears. The first shot I took at a buck was a mile off because of target panic.

I hope this helps.

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[Swamp_bucks]

Ive killed deer 40yrds off rd to this last being the farthest. What ive seen over the years and im not by any means an expert but there always seems to be a small chunk they prefer over anything else.  Just a matter of bumping some and figuring why they like that spot.

[Imjus4u2nv]

5 minutes ago, tarheel95 said:

I was the same boat as you. Solo hunter, no one in my family or friends hunted to learn from and using predominantly public land. Early season I learned to find funnel and pinch points between buck bedding and feeding areas. Once the rut started I stopped hunting bucks and looked more to pattern does. Use the wind to my advantage to find spots that a buck would check in on does. Hunt common doe travel points that a buck would likely cross to pickup a trail. Once regular season opened, find the nastiest thick stuff that a buck would hole up in for cover. Anticipate where pressure would come from and where they would try to escape. It's not easy and I still have a lot to learn.

Other advice I would give is put some does on the ground, if you haven't already. Gets you comfortable making a shot before the buck of a lifetime appears. The first shot I took at a buck was a mile off because of target panic.

I hope this helps.

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Very helpful appreciate all of the replies!!

I am going to look more into food sources (or feel free to share what you know) because that is an area I know very little about.

I tried a few doe spots (with no antler restrictions last year) and had very little luck. Need to extend out a few more hour drive from home. Just feel like public land sucks (at least that's my excuse lol)  

[Imjus4u2nv]

8 minutes ago, Swamp_bucks said:

Ive killed deer 40yrds off rd to this last being the farthest. What ive seen over the years and im not by any means an expert but there always seems to be a small chunk they prefer over anything else.  Just a matter of bumping some and figuring why they like that spot

Will see how it goes Thursday gonna try what I think is a good choke point with some decent range to take a shot. 

Other issue i had was felt like I couldn't cover 360 degrees with my eyes without moving around.

[Hunter007]

What part of the state are you hunting  ?

Only advice I will give you is go far away from any populated areas as you can .  Less people = less hunters on public land means more chances you will  run into a buck before the next guy  shoots it .

 

 

 

 

[cdbing]

Try not to get discouraged. I had to learn solo like you and hunt public. Took me years to get the 1st deer. If you are seeing fresh sign and actually bumping deer you will connect. Some good advice already given by others. You may be missing seeing deer as well. Depending on where you hunt you may only see bits of deer, like a flick of an ear or tail, etc. Which can be easy to miss.

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[Jeremy K]

Hunt the doe this time of year ,the bucks are not escaping ,they are looking for tang. 

[Zem18]

What part of the state are you located in if you don't mind me asking? It's been a long time since I hunted public land, but I would go in further than most and looked for swampy areas if possible or a saddle in a ridge that would be used as a travel corridor or escape route. Look for deer runs and set up far enough off of them to not get busted if deer travel on them past you. Acorns are a plenty this year. An oak flat on a hillside would be a good food source to look for when scouting.

 

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[Core]

1 hour ago, Imjus4u2nv said:

I dont bow hunt but thinking of trying it out which would help eliminate some hunting pressure. 

Thanks, I will keep trying to scout out more areas, just hard to leave a spot with so much activity. 

Have to look at older pics, but this year all bucks were right at sunset.

That's your issue.

I hunted public land hard for 2-3 years with both bow and gun and the drop off in deer during gun is precipitous and shocking. Once you get too many people walking through the woods the deer are more or less gone. Tracks drop off/they go nocturnal, etc.

Get yourself a bow or at the very least an Xbow and a range finder and next year hit it hard as soon as Xbow opens up.

Of course deer are still there on public and it may happen for you, but archery will really help

My public land deer I'm far more proud of than the ones I get on private land. 

Edited November 19, 2019 by Core

[Chef]

There are a few escape areas which makes it tough when hunting solo. One back escape route leaves very little chance for shot (pretty much have to shoot it as it goes across a narrow path) but is best area for wind - I jumped one my first year coming in, second year, waited and waited, then decided to move closer and jumped one.
The other side is all open woods but usually upwind of bedding area, other side is up the mountain big trees and has some cover - this is where I tried second day)

I think you are confused, I’m not taking about the areas they escape to I’m taking about the routes they use to get there, funnels, pinch points, those sort of areas


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[Daveboone]

Do you use a tree stand? Are you keeping in the shadows? Often we make the mistake of trying to watch too much area, instead of a more focused area. How early do you get there? How long do you sit? How still can you sit? 

A good friend of mine got exasperated when he wasn't seeing deer year after year, but I couldn't get him to understand that dammit, he had to get into the woods EARLY, and don't be afraid of the dark leaving! Stop pigging out the whole time he was on stand, and dammit, leave the toys at home and HUNT! I once read, and believe, that the average buck is only sighted for 3-4 seconds before he is gone....I believe it. The warmer you are, the more still you can be. 

I hunt every chance I can throughout the season, most week end days morning and evening, as well as a 9 day week at the end of the season. Most days I don't see anything. Some I do. but each year I make meat, and it is more important for me to be out in the woods than to tag quickly.That makes for a horrible season for me.

[Imjus4u2nv]

1 hour ago, Chef said:

I think you are confused, I’m not taking about the areas they escape to I’m taking about the routes they use to get there, funnels, pinch points, those sort of areas


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Got it, there are a few paths (well traveled) that go on both sides of that thick cover, I set up in o guess the funnel (the oaks) that lead Iinto that path. Felt like a good spot so gonna try there again.

Problem with that spot is i think my scent pushes into the thick cover on my way in (not while I sit) but then they travel on the other path. 

Edited November 19, 2019 by Imjus4u2nv

[Chef]

Got it, there are a few paths (well traveled) that go on both sides of that thick cover, I set up in o guess the funnel (the oaks) that lead Iinto that path. Felt like a good spot so gonna try there again.

Sounds good, just remember well used paths are not always escape routes, if you wanna PM me what state land it is I can try and give you some ideas. I hunt private in 3h also AR’s so I feel your pain


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[Imjus4u2nv]

48 minutes ago, Daveboone said:

Do you use a tree stand? Are you keeping in the shadows? Often we make the mistake of trying to watch too much area, instead of a more focused area. How early do you get there? How long do you sit? How still can you sit? 

A good friend of mine got exasperated when he wasn't seeing deer year after year, but I couldn't get him to understand that dammit, he had to get into the woods EARLY, and don't be afraid of the dark leaving! Stop pigging out the whole time he was on stand, and dammit, leave the toys at home and HUNT! I once read, and believe, that the average buck is only sighted for 3-4 seconds before he is gone....I believe it. The warmer you are, the more still you can be. 

I hunt every chance I can throughout the season, most week end days morning and evening, as well as a 9 day week at the end of the season. Most days I don't see anything. Some I do. but each year I make meat, and it is more important for me to be out in the woods than to tag quickly.That makes for a horrible season for me.

No tree stand although been looking at a few climbers (tough to haul it in and up where I go, plus I hunt alone so not sure I like the idea but haven't researched much yet on stands - for another post).

I generally set up behind a tree and always seem to feel like they will come from a certain direction (wind, paths etc.) But always hear something or feel the need to look around (maybe I am too far into a choke point and need to get a better spot a little furthur out) Will pay attention to sun and shadows more for sure. 

I am alway in position a solid hour (some times hour and a half) before sun rises. I am in wood by 430/5 -this time moon was so bright didnt need my flashlight (a few times). Last 100 yards takes me just as long as the hike in and really tale my time, but tough to be quiet with the leaves all iced up - tempted to rake a path to my spot a week before lol. 

When cold I try to sit as long as possible but by 10/11 I get cold and feel the need to start walking to the next spot, scout then usually take a brake to warm up, eat soup then go back out (sometime to same spot sometime to another spot on another mountain). Sittong still is tough and I am working on that too, only time I use my phone is for gps which is not often.  

I dont eat a thing when out (occasionally some hot chocolate). 

Funny thing, come home today (no hunting on the property) and this little SOB is standing outside my window - think he saw the red in my eyes and bolted through the bushes lol.

 

Edited November 19, 2019 by Imjus4u2nv

[Hock3y24]

Keep hunting, best way to learn is to make mistakes. You’ll get one. 

[Borngeechee]

I've had luck the last 3 years on public land and the one thing I do is find deep water sources via Google Earth and go in deep away from everyone. It's a pain getting it out but it's worth it.

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