Hey Guys and Gals, I feel like I'm hitting a wall this year in Central Illinois. I spent most of the year scouting, checking cams, getting to know the land I hunt better. I hung stands and got ready for the season. Now, I know its an unusual year, I know the corn is still standing, I know the temps are warm... but I sat in the stand for many many hours this weekend, only to not see a single deer. I do believe that puts me at 3 weeks since I've seen a deer while in the stand or in a blind. I'm thinking its time to change tactic, at least until the weather and crops cooperate. Does anyone have any thoughts on the Warm Weather/Standing Corn situation currently taking hold in central illinois? Any unusual tactics to give a try? Once gun seaon hits, its going to get even tougher... so I'm looking at next weekend being my primest of prime times.
do you smell? not trying to be a jerk. are you playing the wind correctly or just sitting stands regardless. is your area full of alot of hunters? mabey all of these things are fine but your enter/exit to your stands is poor, like your making too much noise, leaving too much scent, spooking the deer off before you even get out there. the weather can screw up hunts, but mabey recheck all the things you can control first. hope it gets better for you, good luck
No doubt that those things can cause a problem. But, I've hunted stands only in appropriate or no wind, wash in sent free soap, soak myself in sent killer. I know I'm not the quietest walker in the world, but I do take my time. I do know we jumped a deer walking in sunday morning, but only heard the one, and that was still 600 yards from the stand.
are you calling deer, if so stop for a day, if your not start calling. possibly try a decoy. like focnr said mabey you have trespassers or alot of pressure around your land. mabey sacrifice a hunt and go somewhere you can see alot and just watch with the bino's to see what's happening. try some estrus scent, i know their rutting here ( wi ), and i would assume it's close to the same there. just trying to think of stuff to try
bet you will find that the most deer is in the standing corn thats how it is on my land, you can here deer running in it from the stand wich is only 30 yards away from the corn, set up high over the corn and let some doe estrous scent blow into the corn, i find that your body scent will flow over the corn and the deer scent placed just off the ground will pull some deer to you. cant hurt at this point.
