I go out to my stand 4 times a week. I have clocked in close to 50 hours since October. I have had two deer sightings. One was mid October and the other November 11th. My tree stand faces west and the wind blows 90/10 west to east. Mock Scrapes set-up and Doe estrous hanging on the branch lick. Im doing this as close to text book as possible. I am quiet and deer call every 15 minutes. Just a quick Burpppp, maybe throw in a second one if im feeling frisky and finish it with a snort wheeze. My snort wheeze is a "fsss fsss fsssssssssss". Now im just trying to call the deer in. Maybe I should refrain, but if I do refrain I get nothing and think maybe I should do some deer calls. I over think things its a problem. I just want a to come face to face with a decent deer it should not be this difficult.
I feel your pain DD89... I've only had two doe within shooting range this year [so far] passed on one... missed the other. Stay positive - it'll happen - and when it does there'll be a loud THWACK!
I feel your pain as well. But I'm curious how you are going out 4 times a week and only have 50 hours in? It seems like that often it should be a little higher. Since October 1st I've hunted 104 hours (been keeping track this year) usually only going out on the weekends. How long do you sit out there for at a time? You may not be going in early enough? Just a thought. Good luck with the rest of your season! Hope you put one down!
Maybe you are calling to much? Do you call every 15 min for the whole hunt? Also, do you do this every time you have went out?
Can't expect mature deer to tailwind straight at ya, get creative and hunt more cross winds and such. Also look for spots where they have to use unsound judgement and temporarily not be walking into the wind like they would prefer (steep inclines, houses, open field corner)
Where in little Rhody are you hunting? (you can pm me if you want) there's a few of us from RI on here, im sure I could help. I see zone II....? private or public? are you hitting the same exact spot everytime? sometimes letting nature do it's thing is better than all the "attractants"
Im a whole animal butcher at a local neighborhood butcher shop and work early hours tuesday through saturday, tuesday and friday are my late appearance days. I don't have work until 11 am so I hit the stand early hours. I go out tuesday&fri 5-8 sunday&monday 5-10:30,football break then 1-4:45. My scent control should be on par, nothing excessive although it would'nt hurt. My hunting location is a little stange. Im located across a street from a 5,000 acre audobon preserve. No food plots in my area accept for some fruit trees at the local houses. I feel like these deer do not respond to calls, but Its black powder week and I here 3 shots a sit. Someone is doing it right, well as difficult as it is with a gun. I need a mentor some one who knows what works and what does not, with my certain situation. Im patient I will wait and I will score a deer this season. Any advice for us who dont live in Illiniois would be awesome. Thanks for the response Just passin through and gltomp "jerry",swamp stalker,tynimiller and fishing dude. I appreciate your input.
how "close" to houses are you? are you setup on a well used run? are there rubs or scrapes near by? honestly I would lay off the calls. for the most part they can tell the difference, and you probably causing more harm than good, alerting them your in the woods. hardwoods hunting is hit or miss unless you find the bedding areas, the food sources (white oaks/acorns, neighbors fruit trees) and the runs leading to and from, or a water source/crossing. (kinda tough cause its so dam dry up here) explain your hunting area where your treestand is setup, example: can you see houses? what type of trees are you near? is it thick? or is it open like a pine grove? is there a water source nearby?
Any way you can get a trail camera out there? Would be a confidence boost if you knew what deer are there and when they travel. I would focus on bleat cans and rattling, which are more fool-proof. Good luck!
Sure I can describe my location. Is Heavily Pine with runs all over my area. Im situated in a late season bedding area in accordance to the land owner. To walk to my stand I go down through a Back yard that has a steep 35ft drop,then walk around the runs. Up a 40 ft hill through some brush then it opens up into a slighty open pine 2 acre pine lot. Im set up in the front left corner of the pine lot because that is where I saw the deer coming from with my first two sightings. The closest house is 350-400 yards away. Minimal Acorns my stand is set up on an oak but that is so sapp doesn't ruin my equipment. The only food source is early season when the blueberry are popping. To the left of my stand is 17 yards of tall pines and then a drop into a dried up swamp of briars and dead hard wood. To my right is a grouping of trees then opens up to more doe trails. The land I hunt is set across from an Audubon society so they cross the street or go around to the end of the road then have come down behind the houses to where i am situated. Its very hilly terrain, with advantage points in only a few locations. Mine was the best possible scenario. Unfortunatly there are no water sources. I hope this helps you have a better perspective.
