RE: Our woods has gone silent.....
What you are describing sure sounds familiar...
Normally, there are deer galore in the cut corn accross the street. I mean, close to 10 or so can usually be seen if you watch. The neighbors hunt every year and this is the first year they've only gotten ONE deer all bow season, and they have 3 people hunting almost every day. And from what they've said, it's not cause the deer are staying out of range, it's because they just don't see very many deer. It's kinda weird. They saw them all year until about a month and a half ago. We had very heavy rains here, and after that, the deer seemed to have disappeared during daylight hours.
But on the flip side, we are seeing prints on trails and other deer signs. No rubs or scrapes, but lots of tracks. It just seems that the deer have got completely nocturnal. Sure is making hunting difficult.
I was out yesterday and saw fresh tracks all over the few trails that join where I hunt. Stayed out for 3 hours, and saw nothing. Went back out this morning, more tracks. All over in fact. I'll go this afternoon and confirm my theory that they are moving only at night. One of the neighbors actually heard what sounded like a couple of bucks fighting about 45 minutes after dark. Very weird. I always thought the deer would bed down at night.
Anyway, Hang in there. Hope we both have better luck now the rut is in full swing.