Need a little help

bhensley · 11-12-2006, 07:49 PM

I only have about 15 acres to hunt on where I live and have seen numerous deer here. I have seen them alot during bow season and 3 does spotted me in my stand at about 10 yards then a nice buck spotted me about 10 minutes later but I was out of the stand and on the opposite side of the open field. I let it set for about a week and went back since gun season opened up. Now I am not seeing a thing. Before it was nothing to walk up on them at 3:00-4:00 in the afternoon just walking around. I got kinda bummed out yesterday but walked around for a bit on my way out and I saw alot of tracks that I know were not there 2-3 days ago. Now the open field I am refering to is nothing but dirt, it has been freshly turned as we had a guy come in with a dozer 3 weeks ago to do some leveling. I hear the deer like freshly turned dirt because of the minerals in it but what time of day would they did around in it? I know they are there, I just can't find them! I have tried going out 1 hour before sunrise and in the afternoon. Here is a layout of the area. My stand is set up right along the treeline. The field(dirt lot) is about the size of a football field w/ woods surrounding it. There is no fences but I do not believe our property goes too frar into the woods, thats why I set up along the treeline, to catch them in the field.I am open to any thoughts.
Brandon
http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n252/bhensley7233/huntingland.jpg

USFWC · 11-14-2006, 12:13 AM

Deer may be somewhat attracted to freshly turned soil, but it is not usually a major draw. Since you hunted last, the rut has really started to kick into high gear. The bucks are going nuts and, as a result, so are the does. They're not at all in much of any kindofpattern.What do the properties surrounding this chunk of land look like?

bhensley · 11-14-2006, 07:02 AM

Pretty much all woods except for the occasional house and the other side of the road is all houses and the lake. The road is about 2 miles long and the side with the woods only goes back a half mile at the widest poind before hitting another road.