This year is the first time I've really tried and used calls, rattling, grunts, etc. It will also most likely be the last.

Maybe it's the increased vegetation, the weather, or something else, but I've seen less deer this year than ever before and associate at least a certain degree of that to all the scents, calls, and other things I did early in the season. My deer are much more nocturnal this year than ever before.

That said, I just gave them a two week break and am about to head out to the stand. I went out scouting yesterday morning (planned hunt really, but got a call that I was needed in the office) and saw two pretty nice bucks, but not what I was looking for. It's been a few years since I've gone this late into the season without bagging a mature buck.