for two days this week I have hunted in an area that has been wide open with deer movement for the past few years. Now all of a sudden the trails are covering over with leaves and all the sign has vanished!! There are plenty of acorns there and the deer were there in my pre-season scouting, but now there not. This site has had extremely light hunting pressure, and I haven't been winded or spot by deer as far as I know. I have only seen one doe from this spot and that was cause it was chased by a certian little wild critter. I spent the evening looking around my area and ALL the hot spots from years past have gone dry!!!! There was several bear tracks and dropping so that may have something to do with it I dont know. There is only one trail that looks pretty active. It is 50 yards away from my stand but in thick heavy cover with no trees to put a stand on. The trail does tie in with the one that runs by my stand but like i said that part looks like it isnt used anymore.
One more thing. The trail I am on is on the other side of the thicket from where I missed a monster last year. During last years rut that buck would show up coming thru the thicket on this trail everyday. Since it is not the rut yet would you give this area a little while longer...or move on?? Would you try to follow the hot trail and find a tree?? I dont know what to do and I only have Saturdays to hunt from here on. Anything would be helpfull