Aggravated, Frustrated, Confused

[sodfather]

I have been out hunting the property i have been for the past couple of years and only seeing does and fawns. Im not even seeing them while i sit its only on the walk in or out. NO BUCKS. I see a couple small rubs and one time seen a scrape. I have moved tree stands twice so far and have been in the woods 6 times so far. I am this close to take up duck hunting if this keeps up. What should I do guys, go hunt a different set of woods and maybee my luck will change or what. I hate moving stands like this during season but these deer (if any) are staying a step ahead of me.

[mossy725]

How big is the property? You might be over hunting it.

[ejp419]

I have the same problem some yrs where I hunt. No rubs or scrapes. Dont see much. But 2 yrs ago was one of those yrs and I shot the biggest buck of my life. I know they're there. Set up some trail cameras maybe. I get pictures and it helps reassure me that I'm not completely wasting my time..

[screamon demon]

Still hunt in a part of the property you don't normally hunt. You may find sign elsewhere

[agross]

I tend to have the same problem on my 32 acres. Some years its oaks, some years the neighbor has corn etc etc. Its all part of hunting.

[sodfather]

Its only 20 acres and I dont think Im over hunting it and am the only one back there. I just broke down last week and bought a trail cam. I hunted the property this morning and on the way out looked at the cam and there was only 11 pics. I did not check what was on them just left it along till mid week Im going to hit it again. Thanks

[Cody]

Check the trail cam Picts immediately! One picture is all it takes to get your mural back, it's early yet.

[shooter]

Thats why its called hunting and not shopping for deer!! lol. Its nothing out of the ordinary. Trail Cams will help pattern your deer activity. I would at least have one at every stand location. Set your stands for different wind conditions. Dont worry about moving stands around during the season some of your best scouting takes place during the season and you see what deer are actually doing. Its also nice to have a climber so you can be more moble instaed of locked in to your stand locations. Keep it up your doing fine and dont worry sooner or later you will connect!! Best of luck to you. And remember you have to be in it to win it!!!

[BucktheBuck30-06]

Good luck man im in the same boat but i have to hunt state land alone with half the city i live in lol.Its still real early the big boys will start slipping up soon as full rut kicks in!I havn't had any luck this year myself but i'll tell ya now i wont give up!!!

[erussell]

Wait for it, wait for it. Cold weather is here. I havent really seen any buck movement either till the snow hit this weekend. Now there all over the place. I have a feeling your luck will change.

[BucktheBuck30-06]

I shure hope so i mean im still a young hunter ive been hunting for only 3 year but i love it so i read about it all the time watch it on tv talk with other hunters so i do have a pretty good idea of what to look for when in the feild.I got a doe last year whitch was a nice one.I also hunt state land so i have to dig deep.But im stickin in there this year my die tag is southern tear so i have time.

[wdswtr]

That is part of the problem right there, well maybe it is but I found out years and years ago that hunters are much like fisherman when it comes to stories, sorry guys but I have heard some real good stories, and those darn tv shows fills heads with unrealistic expectations and gets guys pumped up only to be disappointed after watching 100 deer on tv under this guys stand and you come home seeing nothing. Its just not like that for the majority of us. Theres times when you go out and see nothing for days. Now as far as the original post goes theres alot left out of it for more answers to it. Without seeing or a description of the property and surrounding land its hard to say. I will give you scenario to play around with. I hunt this one piece of land and its alot of acreage, a few thousand, mostly state land and my private land as well. Aside from hardwoods, a couple small 1/2 acre foodplots and some wild forage growth theres not much holding the deer up there except cover. I say that cause what borders this land is all farms, with corn, soybeans, clover, old apple orchards well you get the idea. Its basically one big transition area for the deer to get from one side to the other, the only time we start to see some real deer activity is when the bucks start pushing the does, the does head for the woods for cover until they are receptive. In that short 1 to 2 weeks out of the year its a honey hole, rest of the year its a crap shoot. If your still seeing the fawns with the does its a tad early yet as the rut breaks these groups up. But as long as your still seeing does and they dont get pushed off the land the bucks or buck will show up, the question is will you be there when he does. Keep at it its an obsession, a passion and a disease all rolled into one lol.

Edited October 31, 2011 by wdswtr

[erussell]

Same where I hunt to, Some of the areas I hunt I dont even bother going into the woods untill the rut because there is no food there that is easy to hunt. I could sit there for weeks and not see a deer. Then bam the rut kicks in and bucks are criss crossing the woods all day long checking the fields on the propeties on either side of me for hot doe.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I would say just hang in there, the cold weather is here and the deer are on the move. The bucks are starting to get interested in does, so if you just stick near the does, the bucks will show up. Yesterday while trying to track down a buck, I noticed scrapes opened up everywhere and fresh rubs galore. Try not to over hunt one stand, and only hunt the stands when the wind is right. Be careful with trail cams right by your stands, any time you go check that cam, you are pressuring that area more. The next two weeks are gonna be good.

[TreeGuy]

Ahhh, hunting..... Just be thankful your able to hunt and you have 20 acres to yourself ! I don't have advice besides what has been mentioned, wind, over hunting and stand placement but I can tell you when that magical time comes, you can be anywhere and you will see deer ! I swear they chase through Wal-Mart at peak rut ! Good luck !

[Uncle Nicky]

It's all just part of the game, just hang in there. If there's sign of deer, then there are deer in the area. You just have to be there when they show. Not to say I don't feel your pain, I finally filled a tag in my usual spot this weekend, didn't kill one at all there last year, and had only seen 3 so far this year, none close enough to shoot at.

Yeah, sometimes switching up to small game or waterfowl isn't such a bad idea either. Of course you know that when you're out their with #6s blasting away at squirrels, that is when 10-pointer will show up, right?

[mossy725]

Its only 20 acres and I dont think Im over hunting it and am the only one back there. I just broke down last week and bought a trail cam. I hunted the property this morning and on the way out looked at the cam and there was only 11 pics. I did not check what was on them just left it along till mid week Im going to hit it again. Thanks

It's very easy to over hunt 20 acres. Be careful and selective about the wind and stand locations.

[Robinson446]

If your moving your stand around that much in only a 20 acre plot, chances are your over hunting it. Maybe the deer are just using that land as a crossing to go to the next? Good luck anyways.

[sodfather]

Thanks for the pick me up guys. I checked out the land on Monday afternoon and saw alot of rubs on small trees working the edge between creek and hardwoods. I also know where the does are bedding so I put myself between these 2 spots. Not going afield till Fri or Sat. Thanks again all.

[Lexingtonlegend]

You're in the right spot between bedding and feeding areas. Make a scent drag to your stand along with a mock scrap. Its that time of year right now when the rut kicks in so any buck within a few miles of your place will be over to investigate or take claim to any does on that plot. I can't understate how imortant scent control is before rifle season. 30% comes from your mouth alone so cover up !!!

[HectorBuckBuster]

I have been seeing deer but not as many as normal. One thing is the woods seems very green and leafy for this late in the year. Also there may be alot of standing corn or soybeans around too. This is what is hurting my hunting way to many crops standing. Talked to the farmer how works my property and he was telling me the other day he cut about 10 acres soybean field on my property before it started to rain and put 7 deer out of it.