not the dogs

I sure hope that you get him. I know the feeling. I hunted one buck all season last year until he stopped showing up on my game cam. This year before the season I got a lot of pics of him again. I finally was lucky enough to take him down Thanksgiving morning this year. It was a 2 year wait but oh what a rush when it finally came together. Good luck to ya.

deernutz

It's also the time of the year. The temps are dropping and theres less food to find. Deer will find a desired food source and bed close by and only move to and from the food source. So if your not by a food source they are targeting. It's one boring sit during the late season.

But when you find the food source it can be your best hunt of the year. Get out there and scout. Deer have a different pattern then the one they had in Nov. Good Luck.

nodog

Seeing less deer after a gun season that takes a lot and not knowing why is silly. Deer move around to this palce and that at this time and that time. Cold causes them to bunch up, find that place and you'll see deer. Deer leave here and not from a gun season. They bunch up about 5 miles fom here by the 100's.

Kbaird83

Typically in early bow season you are still catching them in their summer patterns then later they move into the seek and chase phase. This is the exciting part of the year. This is when bucks are completely unpatternable but also extremely active. Where I am this extends into the very beginning of gun season. After this they go into the breeding phase. During this time they are rarely seen. Then comes the post rut. Early post rut bucks are pretty low key and resting up from a hard rut season. Between the last two phases, increased human interference, and the never ending sound of gun shots they become very low key and wary. Also remember that a mature buck with pattern a person much easier than a person will pattern him. Get away from the stands and blinds during this part of the season. It's hard being the coldest part but it can pay off big. Get around thick cover and easily accessible food sources. A small cove of grass or cut corn near thick nasty cover is killer this time of year. Standing corn and beans are even better.

not the dogs

Thanks for all of the comments. I feel that I've tried everything that I can. I've tried small food plots in the middle of thick brush, Trails, over scrapes and rubs, backed off of both, peas, corn, oak tress, and a lot of other things. Just can't seem to find the right place. I'm still scouting. Maybe I'll eventually find them.

nodog

Got any road signs that warn of deer crossing, that's where they're going or coming from. The place I mentioned where the deer herd up has one.

Some professional hunters who've written books and articles about hunting public grounds mention finding those road signs.

not the dogs

I can't believe that I've never thought of that. Great advise. I don't have any signs on my property but it may be time to check out the game lands. Thanks nodog.

wareaglecj

One other thing that I feel causes the deer to get wary and go just about nocturnal - more people in the woods equals more scent spread around. I don't think its as much the gun sound, but the scent that everybody and their brother is leaving behind. They instinctively know to lay low because it will pass soon.

bscofield

Don't go out to the game lands... just buy one for your property and set it on the main road!

fishinty

Down here in NE Bama where I hunt I always kill more deer in gun season, but in gun season the deer are more alert and big bucks move almost exclusivley at night.