I think I'm cursed. I've been hunting deer for 17 years. Until a couple years ago, I had only seen 3 deer. Pretty lousy. Well now I have access to some better land but I cannot seem to close the deal. Opening day had does come in but too far out to shoot. Last week's hunt got cut short due to storms. This weekend I saw a bunch but they were behind my stand and too far. Wind shifted half way through the sit and they winded me. Then as soon as shooting light ended a deer is right below my stand. Nature is toying with my emotions. Trying to have patience but dang man....seems like I'm cursed to not get a deer.
I'm in the cursed club, too. But, it all comes down to time. Eventually everything will line up and you will get a shot at a deer. Although it makes you want to give up (trust me, there are times I want to) - just know that it'll be so rewarding when you finally do connect. Keep at it - it'll be worth it. Good luck!
Yeah that is like the guy who fished an urban pond for years and never caught a fish, one year they drained the pond and there were no fish in the pond. You are beyond patient, what state are you in?
Post a picture of the land and let some of us try and help you! 17 years you should be up for sainthood or something
Ha. Thanks y'all. I'm in TN. Good news is I'm seeing deer now. I was hunting Cherokee Nat'l Forest and TVA land but now I also have some access to some private land with a buddy. I saw more deer my first day last year on that private land than all 15 years previous combined! The TVA land I'm hunting is fairly small. I'm focusing on a pinch point leading to an opening at the bottom of a bowl and another small ravine coming down beside a ridge. Nat'l Forest is what it is. I've been putting boots on the ground but I need to find more sign.
Well, if you are seeing deer you will get your chance so stick with it. I wouldn't immediately change anything you are doing. Start taking note of things. Note what time you are seeing deer, where they are coming from and where are they going. What was the weather like. Then after you have a better idea of exactly what is going on, you can make your stand adjustment to put you where you need to be. You may actually already be in a great spot, just haven't had that perfect opportunity yet. Good luck, I'm sure I couldn't have hunted for 15 years without seeing a heck of a lot more deer than 3.
I feel for you. I shot a nice buck (nice for my area 5pt) opening day last year and it pretty much ended there. Hunted probably 20 times or so more and saw deer on 2 occasions. Once was a few doe on the rail road tracks crossing at the end of a hunt and the other was a flash of 2 tails like 100 yards away. Other than that it was a cold, long, uneventful rest to the season. I vowed I would do better scouting and pay more attention and be in the right spots. I have learned more this past spring and summer than I have over the past 10 years. I'm still learning but I'm closing in and figuring more and more out. You can't just go walk into the woods, find a comfy spot to sit and hope for the best. Do the work and it will pay off. I now have these guys within 10 yards of my stand (granted I haven't put eyes on them yet). Hopefully it will work out.
You need a better teacher. Luck is nice, but a little skill will put more meat in the freezers. Like Skywalker said, pay attention when you see deer. Weather, time, where they came from and where they are going. A camera can record a lot of information on your stand site. I once had a place on the Buffalo River in Arkansas with a trail that had lots of use but I never saw deer on it. My very first trail camera told the story... they only passed through there at about 3 am heading down hill. No other time, nor up hill. They were headed to the river to drink. About 200 yards east was a long sloping point that was pretty open. With my camera over there I found the deer wondered back up that point about daylight. Not a good place to bow hunt but became a very productive rifle stand. Here deer will bed in general area most of the year and their feeding areas change as crops come in and harvest occurs. But in the forest of northern Arkansas the deer bedded down in different areas just about everyday and depending on mast crops where they fed. Some years acorns were every where and other years only on certain places. In 17 years you learned what was not working now when you see deer learn what they are doing and why.
I feel for you, but I can't conceive why you would continue to hunt for sooo long on land where deer are so few and far between?
My first thought is that your setting up way to close to the trail. If your off the trails back off a little more. I always try to be at close 20 yards from a trail. Might not be your issue. Also, Your not a smoker are you?
Thanks for all the advice. Not a smoker. Not sitting right on trails (haven't found any to sit on this year!). I've just been learning as I go. I went with my dad until high school but we didn't really have anywhere to go...so hence public land and nat'l forest on my own. Just haven't scouted enough really. I'm going with a buddy now that is teaching me a lot and putting me on deer. It is just waiting for it to happen and closing the deal now. I will say the best decision I made was to start bowhunting a few years ago. Until then I only hunted rifle season...and on public land it is just stupid. Bow season has really opened it up for me and now I am seeing deer. And I'm able to be out more. And I own this. I'm not a victim here. Def not a patient monk. There are some years that I may have went 5 times at most and didn't scout at all. I kinda gave up for a while. Nature doesn't owe me a deer. We'll see what we can put together this upcoming week. Just keep on grinding.
I actually work in Kingsport and live more on the Kingsport/Blountville line. I live off exit 63 across from the airport. Small world. I hope you can get it done man Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
What time do you set up and also leave? It could be your leaving before the deer enter your areas. I try and stay in my stand until 10:00 AM. I'm just curious that's all. It could be the issue
