The most important thing, when hunting ANY game, is being where they ARE.
If deer are in the area you're hunting, my suggestion is to remain quiet and don't move.
Your 1st season sounds a lot like mine, actually.....except I knew deer were here. Biggest obstacle I had to overcome was my own ineptness.
last year during bow season.. i didn't bag my deer
i was quiet didn't make any noise, used my rattling bag
forced out a blech like a buck grunting on my birthday i
went back into the woods at hueston woods waited rattling bag, dozed off thought i hear something wasn't nothing so i left