It was cold. The wind is what was getting to me. I now know I need some better clothes. I came down from the stand around 11 to go mobile. I hadn't scouted much before the season and decided to get some in yesterday with it being so windy. I figured I'd make the most out of the day instead or freezing for 8+ hours with no sightings. As soon as I got down and gathered my stuff, I saw a deer moving through the woods a couple hundred yards away. I tried to move to intercept it. I wasn't sure if it was a big doe or a medium sized buck. I ended up pushing deeper into the woods and chased two deer from some bedding in some really thick stuff. So I'm not sure it was a doe I saw who was walking back to her bed or a buck going to see a doe who was in there. Whatever i saw was moving with a purpose in that direction. I did see one more doe on the way out at night. That was all though. They were in the cover of the oaks and pines. Nothing moved near the field edge that I was hunting over. The wind was brutal on the edges Sent from my SM-G950U using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Not always an entire county either. Local municipal ordinances usually stipulate discharge/safety zones within town boundaries/residential areas.
No lock down in Westchester, saw two mature bucks and a youngster cruising(separately), and another mature buck following a doe this AM. PM was dead.
Also been witnessing lockdown behavior in MA, Northern NY, VT. Some younger bucks cruising, but the big boys are occupied.
waiting for the school bus with my daughter this morning. she says dad big buck .. we watched a 4 year old 9 point destroying my fruit trees I just planted this summer. walking circles around a doe that was bedded in the back yard. man was he swollen. biggest buck I've seen all season
A friend also told me of a big buck wandering through my mother’s backyard during mid am. They have a horse farm, with multiple people out at this time less than 200 yds from where the buck was. He must have been cruising/ winding a doe. Anyone having any luck trying to get one moving? Not big on blind calling, but wondering if grunting, doe bleats and / or rattling would help. I haven’t seen a deer, ANY DEER for nearly 3 weeks! The gods are not shining upon me & since the orange army comes out tomorrow....... I’ll b keeping my bow in hand during shotgun / riffle season. I’d appreciate any thoughts
Quickstick, if they ain't moving they ain't moving. On a windy day like today I would normally sit until 9am or so, if no movement I would get on the ground and go to them. 99% of the time it is the guy who is on stand the most who connects. Back when I'd sit well over 100 hours a season I always scored on a good buck. Now I physically can't do it. Best advice I can give is sit a different stand every sit, enter from different locations for different stands too. Don't let them pattern you because they definitely can. Keep bouncing around until you find them. Hunt bottlenecks!!!
Rattling has never ever worked for me. But blind grunting ... different story. Everyone says don’t do it but when I do it bucks come running in. I have a wall full of deer that I would have never seen if it weren’t for blind grunting and doe in heat drag rags. And Like Ruck said hunt bottle necks Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Today is a perfect day to still hunt, wet leaves for quiet walking, and wind to mask sound and move scent away quickly. Headed out right now!
Had a great sit in westchester Saturday morning. Grunted in 2 nice bucks @930am and the other at 10:45am just couldn’t close the deal. Area I was hunting was really thick and I only had a few windows none which they stepped in. Got a 4 day weekend coming up hopefully my luck changes. Any of you guys gun hunting ? I’m not opposed to seeing some NY gun bucks Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Still hunted two place in Westchester today, actually managed to get in bow range of two bucks, neither shooters, and a couple does. Scary out there though, branches falling like spears!
I killed a hit Lister this morning, old mature buck but did not score what I was hoping. I videoed him this year and had a few encounters during bow. I prefer killing bucks I have history with( I'm sure we all do).
Reluctantly, I have ventured out with a gun. I really wanted to stick with my bow, but we’ve had such limited movement I figured my best chance would be a long shot. Neighboring property has a bunch of guys that wander around aimlessly. Thought they’d push something to me, but nothing. None of the people I hunt with have seen a deer in 2 weeks. I haven’t seen any in almost 3. Gotta keep putting in the time.
Sounds to me like they may be wandering around aimlessly on the land you hunt as well. No deer in 3 weeks? I'd be looking for new ground to hunt!
