Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forum and new to bow hunting. First, let me say that bow hunting is the most exciting type of hunting I've done thus far and I haven't even bagged anything yet. btw- I'm in Wisconsin and whitetail is what I'm after. I hope to learn everything I need to know from you guys.

If any of you would like to share some "tips for the begginer", that would be greatly appreciated. Recently, I've been rampaging through the woods without success. I scoped out a nice trail and located a decent buck (perhaps 8 points or so) but I haven't let him get close or clear enough to shoot yet. I've encountered him twice now.

Let me explain:

The first time, on November 13th, I wasn't high enough in the tree (only 15ish feet) and the sucker saw me as I was drawing bow. The second time on the 17th, I was upwind and as he was coming up on the danger zone, he smelled the danger and turned back.

It is now the 23rd and the "gun deer season" has since opened up. I fear this buck has already been harvested but I'm not absolutely sure. I was out there in the same spot for the opening day of "gun deer" on the 20th and heard shots in exactly the same area where the buck always came from. I thought he was a gonner but I set out a wick/sponge with doe estrus on it on a branch 5 feet off the ground on his trail and to my surprise, I found it the next day on the ground. It's possible another hunter did it. It's also possible the buck did it.

How can I increase my chances of baggin' this buck?

This is what I'm currently doing:

I wash my hunting clothes in dye/perfume free "arm & hammer" detergent the night before. I get into the woods and get set up in my climbing stand 45min before sunrise. I'm 25ft in my tree which is right in the center of a triangle formed by 3 deer trails. One of those is where I encountered the buck twice. I'm also setting out the sponge/wick with doe estrus on it as well as putting one next to me to cover up any scent I may be ommiting. I have one of those deer calls where it looks like a flute and you depress a different button to mimic a fawn/doe/buck. That call doesn't seem to be working cuz one day I heard the buck rubbing 200 yards away and called with no success.

What else can I do? Saltlick? Decoys? Baiting? Thanks in advance.