BigDaddy12t

I have been over on the bowhunting forum for the last couple of years, so some of you might know me from there alredy. Next year will be my first year with my new muzzleloader, and I will be hunting the same 11acre's that I bow hunt. I have been hunting this spot for the past 3-4 years. ( I am the first one to ever have permision to this spot ) Anyways, I am getting really frustrated with this spot. When I first started to hunt this spot, there were a ton of deer out there, I would see 5-10 deer every time I was out there. This past year, I can count the number of deer I saw for the whole year on 2 hands. I dont get it. This was the first year that I was really serious about scent control too. 2 weeks before the bow season started, we had a huge flood, I have a river running right thru my hunting spot, and I had about 15 feet of water covering my whole area. I dont know if that is why they moved out of my spot or what? I would have thought that they would have come back by now. And then I started using trail cameras last year right after Christmas 2003. I have been checking them on the weekends, but I make sure to go out there during the middle of the day, so I dont disturb the deer, (even still, I would jump on average, 3 deer every time I was out checking them) What do you all think? Have they just moved on to a different spot, or do you think they will come back? I should add, last winter, I could fill a roll of 24 film in less than a week, I just got back from checking them now and I had "0" pictures in 1 week.[:@] Sorry this is so long, I just needed to vent a little.

cayugad

I have a spot that is the same way where I hunt. Most years I will take one or two deer off it with very little scouting or effort. This year, I never saw a deer on the property. I did see two black bear and a timber wolf among other creatures. I am guessing the wolves moved the deer off and after the wolves move on for better hunting grounds the deer will come back.

Next year watch that area. Floods generally bring in good grass growth that the deer really like, so you might be in a dry spell now but it could get a lot better..... Good luck to you.

johnch

How often are you hunting the area?
Maybe your pressure made them find a different area. Sometimes it don't take that much at the wrong time. Or the repeated "jumping" of deer out of beding areas.
I a 10 acer woods behind my house that I have taken some huge bucks out of over the years ,I hunt it only when the wind is perfict and then only 1 or 2 times a week.
Has the area around your spot changed ?
Corn feild nere another woods ?
How about pressure form neibors ?
Change in cover or timber cuting?
Farm practices changed ? like crops feilds going to pasture
Any new fences?
Has some one started feeding the deer in an other area?
Just some things to think about

BigDaddy12t

I really dont know what to think, it is only about 11 acres, but the place used to have deer running all over the place, and now I have had my trail cam out for 3 weeks, and not one pic, not even a turkey, and that is wild, becouse they are all over out there. If it were not for the fact that I didnt see much during our season, I would just think they might be wintering someplace else. I am going to put out 100 pounds of corn Sunday, when I go out to check my film. I will put my camera up looking over the corn and see if I get any pictures that way, at least I will be able to see if they are around at all.