First, hi, i'm new. From Ontario canada. Avid moose, black bear, deer and waterfowl hunter.
While i do NOT consider self an expert, i am an accomplished hunter, but for the first time i'm stumped with an area that typically holds no less than 40+ whitetail easy.

Its public (well semi) must be registered with the local conservation authority who own it and carry a pass.

Its two heavy stands of thick evergreens with a large (have no idea of acerage but with a heavily wooded gorge that goes for more than a few miles.

Lots of ridges, saddles, benches, finger ridges that fan out, trails, apples, acorns, stream, river and swamp through there.

Been hunting since the 1st of oct, bow only here til nov when it goes 1 week muzzleloader or shotgun than bow again. To the point:

Have only seen 3 deer!!!!

no scrapes rubs or fresh tracks, some semi fresh doe droppings.

No tracks along fenceline where the conservation land meets farm fields. Some ride trails are still worn down but dont look recently used. Some former heavy trails are over grown and not used.

Hikers are allowed in there too and are generally respectful. so deer are used to people walking through and sometimes with kids and dogs collecting fossils etc.

I have located to my account, at least 5 full deer skeletons, thought maybe yotes but local hunting prostaff at a archer shop says no, alot piece be dragged off. He guess unrecovered poorly shot deer from last season.

To my knowledge and experience, even with that, it shouldnt be basically, pardon the pun, a dead zone where the bush and gorge is huge and generally like i said , easy to see 40 to 50 in a day. So only seeing 3. Ive tried mineral sites, molasses drip, grape koolaide powder after doing whats best - just be still and quiet no scents calls etc.

But trying these other tactics afterward, still nothing. Has anyone seen this before??? what could be wrong in there? And most crops are down, corn and beans, even when up, there was minimal sign. im completely stumped. I have never been this stumped before. I've thought of moving but at this stage, i've invested time, lands hard to come by, so i dont want to search for available land, and go in blind without terrain knowledge and prescouting as season been open since oct 1.

Anyone seen this before?

Am i wasting time or will deer come back?

If you've experienced this did you try anything that worked - certain drip, mineral, smell, flavor etc? Keeping in mind what ive already tried above.

I just find whats happening in there not only disappointing but very irregular seeing as i hunt there every year