Three weeks since deer season opened. Still bone dry.
 

New hunter here, just started this season.

How has it been for the rest of you guys?

I feel like I am doing something wrong. I usually sit at one spot for a few hours, calling with my grunt call and nothing comes in.

I have only seen a deer on opening day and he ran past where I was sitting as if someone scared them past. I use a scent killer too.

I don't use a treestand or a blind, I like to sit under a tree or somewhere natural.

Am I doing something wrong?

i hunted the first 9 days of season and a couple random days since then. on the average day i saw about 4-5 deer. i had 2 spikes walk 12 yards from me while i was sitting on the ground but i couldnt tell if they were 3inches which seperates bucks from does so i let em walk. i had a tall tined 6 point walk towards me during legal hours but i could barely see him.

i believe there was only one day where i didnt jump at least one deer on my way to the stand. i have heard other people in the same county as me in illinois saying that its slow but i havent experienced that yet.

Its the same here for me in oklahoma its been real slow but the weather supposed to change this weekend so i am hoping they start moving more.

Far to go to beat record dry spell!.
Get in their way and blend in. Enjoy time out there,scoring is frosting on the cake. Its work too.
When it happens less often it means more. No i repeat no, pressure on yourself,its not fun and won,t help accuracy and shot choices. "If" you are doing anything wrong,so what,your the one in the arena
Try having multiple areas to hunt,rest them in between unless working a particular critter carefully.
They have the rest of their life to avoid you,its in their best interest. How long do you have?
Happy hunting.

-warm weather
-not in area where deer frequently move thru
-being spotted before you see them

Could be a number of things. Just have patience and continue to be out there. Hunting is never easy all the time.

I'm 3 weeks in as well and it hasn't been real exciting! But its a numbers game. The more time out after em the better your chances. Colder weather and the rut closing in will help i'm sure. I'd also be easy with that grunt call. Especially when on the ground. They can pinpoint your location pretty easy when you call they can work in and bust ya and you may never even know they were there. I try to only use a call as last resort, like when i see one and can tell there is no way he is ever gonna come to me otherwise. When they're rutting well you may get away with it but i thinks its a bit early yet, at least it is here. Just keep after em and as was said already, have a few different spots and don't hammer the same location too hard, they get wise to ya pretty quick. No matter what ya do or how ya do it you have to be in an area where the deer want to be or nothing will work. Good luck!

I skipped the first archery wknd......but I've hunted plenty since and I've seen exactly 1 fawn......and a flag going over a ridge.

Granted, I've been on mostly new spots due to the changed/reduced bag limits this season, but they seemed quite promising earlier in the year. Usually I've seen 10-20 deer by now, but both last year and this year has been real slow for me.

It should pick up this weekend with the weather changes....Stay positive, hunting can be sooo boring, UNTIL ITS NOT!!!!!

Usually by now I have 3 or 4 down. So far I have been blanked. I've seen deer and even shot at 2. One I plain flat out misjudged the yardage and I trimmed off some chest fat and hair. The second one I hit a branch I didn't see. My time is drawing near as I'm sure you will too.

I dont know how the deer are in PA, but put the call away its still early for that. Besides, the last thing you want the deer in your area to associate with your scent is you grunts. Get between their bedding and their food and setup early. Thats definitely the easiest way to score a kill.

Great post, with great advice.

Been slow here on Long Island. Too warm and the few days cool been blowing like SOB or raining. been out each wkend. best so far was past sunday small spike passed by and 2 does. One mature and one 1yr old. hoping it cools off soon in a possitive way. but lost my good farm to a deer fence.. so only got small spots on nursery and a friends back yard with a NICE 8pnt I am working on :) hope the action picks up for everyone soon as watching squirels is gettin me sleepy...

Make sure the wind is in your favor. Sent control clothing helps but does not eliminate your sent completely. As mentioned above don't grunt too much especially before the rut, which usually kicks in around the first of November. I would take the suggestion of not grunting unless you see something. Once you make a call they usually come in slow, try to get down wind and are actively looking for the deer making the calls. Make sure you are keeping your movements to a minimum. As mentioned you likely have been busted calling already and never saw the deer. During the rut a buck may come in quick with its guard down, but usually not in October. Not sure if you are looking for a buck only or either sex. But sometimes does will avoid grunt calls, as not to be harassed by horny bucks. Of course the bucks want to be around the does when the rut rolls around, so you don’t want them avoiding the area your hunting. If you have been hunting the same spot move to a new one. Even if it only a couple hundred yards away (preferably more). Your goal is to figure out were they are bedding during the day and were they are feeding (oak flats, fields…). Then you can try to ambush them traveling to or feed their way between these areas. Make sure you can get in there with out spooking the deer with the wind in your favor. Hunting different areas also keeps things from getting boring and increases your learning curve. If you are seeing deer droppings, fresh tracks, rubs or scrapes then the deer are using the area be patient. Most importantly go out and enjoy being in nature. The deer usually show up when you least expect it.

Ive killed four. Seen deer almost everytime out. I have changed uo and started hunting spots in the past that I wouldnt even look at.