Need some suggestions

[Mike G]

I'm new on this site but not to deer hunting. I'm 70 years young and have taken whitetail deer with rifle, bow and pistol but I have always hunted where I could discover food sources, bedding areas and figure out where to set up a stand. I just moved to the Catskill Mountains this past June and started scouting as soon as we settled in. My problem is I am hunting 3A where no doe permits are available telling me the deer are scarce. I hunt only State land where no logging is allowed so its all old growth forests, no fields and essentially no opening in the canopy. This year there are no acorns. I have only seen 3 does in the woods. When we had snow on the ground last week I waited 3 days with the intention of using the tracks in the snow to help me. I planned on following a run until it intersected another run and go from there. What I found was a few deer tracks that only went in one direction and did not cross any other tracks. I found this same condition numerous times. I never found a run that was consistently used, no bedding areas and no food sources. How the heck do you hunt these deer when they don't seem to have a pattern. I would guess even with acorns it would not be any easier because there are oak trees all over the woods. Any suggestions would be apprciated.

[Mike G]

I guess the are not any hunters that can help me solve my problem.

[ELMER J. FUDD]

What forest? Find water source...

[Mike G]

I hunt the northern end of 3A and there is water everywhere.

[Deerthug]

My guess is that they have moved on to an area where there is a food source.

[adirondackbushwhack]

That is the way it is where I hunt too. Scouting is key and it may take a lot of shoe leather to get it done but it is the only way. Find the bucks core area and if there is no snow still hunt through it and if you come across any doe just stay with them and hope he comes in to check them. If there is snow try to cut his track and walk him down.

[Fletch]

I would suggest looking at some arials and topos to try to find some areas to check that may hold more deer. Benches, beaver ponds power or gas right of way.... that and keep doing what you are doing and burn up some shoe leather to find the more promising areas.It certainly sounds like a thin population.

[13BVET]

Sounds like the place I used to hunt in Fishkill. There were no specific deer runs, and oaks all over the place. Ironically, though, it turned out to be by far the best hunting spot I ever had. I would average three deer a year out of there (within season, of course). This "dead zone", actually turned into a gold mine, once the pressure began. The key for me, was to sit on a hillside, about 75 yards above a swamp. They would lay in the swamp, and consistently skirt the edges, without wandering too far from it. Half an hour before legal shooting light ended, these things would just appear out of the swamp-without moving all day. Try to find a run that goes into a swampy area, and set up outside of that. It worked wonders for me.

[Mike G]

Thanx for the suggestions but where I hunt there are no swamps, saddles, funnels or right-a-ways. I hunt the south side of a mountain with a gradual up slope until the top were it gets steep. I guess I'm just going use a lot of boot leather until I figure this out.

[faust1578]

i used to hunt 3A town of margaretville state land very tough hunting there catskills were overhunted for many years the doe population never reestablished not saying a good buck can't be found but thats why the DEC limits doe permits.

[Mike G]

I'm hunting 3A but north/east of Margaretville in the Hunter/Tannersville area, specifically in Haines Falls just outside of North/South Lake.