DH, can you elaborate on your setup? Are you near a field, trail, feeder, etc.? Do you use a stand, tripod, blind?

Everybody has dry spells. I have picked spots that seem to have all the right things going, but don't see deer. Then sometimes I have just been walking and sat down, only to see deer come from every direction. But after a few years of hunting I have found ways to help improve my luck. Tracks, rubs, scraps,, etc. indicate good deer locations. The one thing that I have found is that they don't indicate timing. Deer, like humans, are creatures of habit. I discovered while coon hunting one night that my deer spot did have deer, it was just that they hit it well after dark when only moonlight was shining. Other times I have been snake hunting around noon and seen deer at other hunter's stands. They said they weren't seeing any deer. Its because they were hunting from early morning till about 10:00, going back to camp, then hitting the stand again in the afternoon. The deer were coming by fromi 12:00 to 1:00. I now get in the habit of looking at tracks. If I see fresh tracks frequently, I know the deer are there. If I don't see fresh tracks nearly every time I hunt, I look for a more predictable spot. Sometimes the deer alter their course, especially with other hunters in the woods. A good spot now may not be one come opening weekend. Another thing is wind. I have had what appear to be good spots that are unproductive because the wind never blows in the right direction to permit a good setup.