THATS IT!!!!!!!!!! I give up!!!!!!! WHY ME?
10-20-2003, 06:14 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Indiana PA USA
Posts: 3,656
THATS IT!!!!!!!!!! I give up!!!!!!! WHY ME?
Yep, I am just giving up bow-hunting for this season [&:] The deer movement has been TERRIBLE around here! The first two or three days of season were awsome, it was cold, and there was a good bit of der movement. Since then, I have had ONE day where I saw deer, thats it. I don' t know what the heck is going on, I know the whole October Lull thing, but it has never been this bad.
This evening, I headed out to a hillside that is PACKED with deer, tons of fresh scrapes around one single oak tree and rubs all around that general area. There is no place for a treestand in this area (it looks like Texas brush country not like the typical Pennsylvania woods) I found a nice area to sit on the ground in wait. There are three cut trails about 4 feet wide that intersect at the tree with the scrapes surrounding it. These trails cut through the middle of all this brush and these are the major travel routes of deer. Well, I am patiently waiting and at 5:00 p.m., I hear a whistle. I didn' t know what the heck it was, well, I keep hearing it and it keeps getting closer and closer. Well, then I see it, a group of guys who are going through the brush with bird dogs (it isn' t a great place for grouse, actually, I have never seen a grouse in that brush). Well, they walk past me at about 15 yards and I knew that nothing was going to move through there considering there were about 4 guys and about 4 dogs right there. Well, I decided to pack up, hurry up and get to my house, get my climber and get down into my woods. This brush they were in is on a hillside and it funnels down into my woods. There is nothing but open fields on the two large sides of the brush. Well, I got it my stand and figured that these guys would drive deer down through the funnel behind my house and into the large section of pines in my woods. They were still a good 400 yards away from my position when I got in stand. It was a perfect evening to be out, but, did I see a single deer?????? HECK NO!!!!!!! I sat there watching a army of dang squirrels making all kinds of noise [:@]
I have been hunting HARD, VERY HARD, but, I have also been hunting smart. I havn' t been pressuring a particular area too much and I have been making sure that I enter and exit my stand with as little noise and scent as possible. Heck, from my back field to my stand is only about 65 yards and I spend about 20 minutes walking from the field to the stand. I make sure not to rub up against anything and not to break any branches.
I have tried just sitting in my stand and waiting, I have tried just grunting, I have tried just bleating, I have tried grunting and bleating, I have tried grunting and rattling, I have tried grunting, bleating, and rattling.
I have tried acorn scent, I have tried Still Steamin Doe Urine, I have tried H.S. Tarsal Supreme, I have tried no scents at all.
I have been keeping my clothes scent free, I have been taking scent killing showers before I head into the woods, I have been spraying my clothes with a heavy dose of scent killer before I go out, and topping that off with a light spray of earth scent. I have been using scent wafers, I have been wearing rubber boots, ect....
I have been hunting funnels, watering areas, field edges, bedding areas, stageing areas, scrapes, rub-lines, trails in thick brush, ridge tops, creek bottoms, open hardwoods, thick pines, ect......
I just can' t seem to find these dang deer [
]
I got so many buck pics on my game cam' s this summer, but, they have just seemed to vanish.
Like I said, this is the hardest hunting I have done, so hard infact that it is hard just to get motivated to go in the woods. I keep telling myself that I am not going to see anything and that I should just stay home and do something else, but, I force myself to go out anyways!
Also, another thing to remember is that most of the land I hunt is off-limits to everyone but my bestfriend, my family, and I. My best-friend and I are the only ones that have been out in the woods this year!
Have any of you other Pennsylvania boys had it this tough lately?
Do you guys have any suggestions on what to try, like stand placement or anything. I know it is hard to try and help someone without seeing their land, but, any general info will help, I am desperate here
P.S. Sorry for being so long, I just had to vent a little bit
This evening, I headed out to a hillside that is PACKED with deer, tons of fresh scrapes around one single oak tree and rubs all around that general area. There is no place for a treestand in this area (it looks like Texas brush country not like the typical Pennsylvania woods) I found a nice area to sit on the ground in wait. There are three cut trails about 4 feet wide that intersect at the tree with the scrapes surrounding it. These trails cut through the middle of all this brush and these are the major travel routes of deer. Well, I am patiently waiting and at 5:00 p.m., I hear a whistle. I didn' t know what the heck it was, well, I keep hearing it and it keeps getting closer and closer. Well, then I see it, a group of guys who are going through the brush with bird dogs (it isn' t a great place for grouse, actually, I have never seen a grouse in that brush). Well, they walk past me at about 15 yards and I knew that nothing was going to move through there considering there were about 4 guys and about 4 dogs right there. Well, I decided to pack up, hurry up and get to my house, get my climber and get down into my woods. This brush they were in is on a hillside and it funnels down into my woods. There is nothing but open fields on the two large sides of the brush. Well, I got it my stand and figured that these guys would drive deer down through the funnel behind my house and into the large section of pines in my woods. They were still a good 400 yards away from my position when I got in stand. It was a perfect evening to be out, but, did I see a single deer?????? HECK NO!!!!!!! I sat there watching a army of dang squirrels making all kinds of noise [:@]
I have been hunting HARD, VERY HARD, but, I have also been hunting smart. I havn' t been pressuring a particular area too much and I have been making sure that I enter and exit my stand with as little noise and scent as possible. Heck, from my back field to my stand is only about 65 yards and I spend about 20 minutes walking from the field to the stand. I make sure not to rub up against anything and not to break any branches.
I have tried just sitting in my stand and waiting, I have tried just grunting, I have tried just bleating, I have tried grunting and bleating, I have tried grunting and rattling, I have tried grunting, bleating, and rattling.
I have tried acorn scent, I have tried Still Steamin Doe Urine, I have tried H.S. Tarsal Supreme, I have tried no scents at all.
I have been keeping my clothes scent free, I have been taking scent killing showers before I head into the woods, I have been spraying my clothes with a heavy dose of scent killer before I go out, and topping that off with a light spray of earth scent. I have been using scent wafers, I have been wearing rubber boots, ect....
I have been hunting funnels, watering areas, field edges, bedding areas, stageing areas, scrapes, rub-lines, trails in thick brush, ridge tops, creek bottoms, open hardwoods, thick pines, ect......
I just can' t seem to find these dang deer [
]I got so many buck pics on my game cam' s this summer, but, they have just seemed to vanish.
Like I said, this is the hardest hunting I have done, so hard infact that it is hard just to get motivated to go in the woods. I keep telling myself that I am not going to see anything and that I should just stay home and do something else, but, I force myself to go out anyways!
Also, another thing to remember is that most of the land I hunt is off-limits to everyone but my bestfriend, my family, and I. My best-friend and I are the only ones that have been out in the woods this year!
Have any of you other Pennsylvania boys had it this tough lately?
Do you guys have any suggestions on what to try, like stand placement or anything. I know it is hard to try and help someone without seeing their land, but, any general info will help, I am desperate here
P.S. Sorry for being so long, I just had to vent a little bit
10-20-2003, 06:18 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SE North Dakota
Posts: 456
RE: THATS IT!!!!!!!!!! I give up!!!!!!! WHY ME?
I know how you feel. I had a week where I saw some deer and some close calls, but since then I haven' t seen any deer. At least here in Minnesota I have until the end of the year, this year I think I' ll need it.
10-20-2003, 06:31 PM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Burleson TX USA
Posts: 6,455
RE: THATS IT!!!!!!!!!! I give up!!!!!!! WHY ME?
Jason.
By the sounds of it the only thing you have not tried is smoking a BIG FAT CIGAR while on stand.
Keep ya chin up buddy the rut is just around the corner they' ll be back
By the sounds of it the only thing you have not tried is smoking a BIG FAT CIGAR while on stand
.Keep ya chin up buddy the rut is just around the corner they' ll be back
10-20-2003, 06:37 PM
#4
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: WARTRACE,TENNESSEE walker country
Posts: 2,351
RE: THATS IT!!!!!!!!!! I give up!!!!!!! WHY ME?
sounds like your bucks moved out. but when rut comes in expect to see some big boys role in. and get ready to see some action.
go deep hunt hard.
go deep hunt hard.
10-20-2003, 06:46 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 3,784
RE: THATS IT!!!!!!!!!! I give up!!!!!!! WHY ME?
Luckily there have only been 2 days so far this season that I haven' t seen a single deer. From what I hear I' ve been pretty fortunate. Though to date I haven' t harvested anything yet. My best luck has come while hunting from the ground. Tonight I had 4 doe and 1 buck (4 pt) feeding within 6 yards directly in front of me. Luckily I had the wind in my favor. Couldn' t move to take a shot without being busted. By the time a shot was available it was too dark and all I could see was an outline of a deer. It was great even just to spend nearly 45min watching them that close.
10-20-2003, 06:46 PM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: CWD Central, WI.
Posts: 2,062
RE: THATS IT!!!!!!!!!! I give up!!!!!!! WHY ME?
Could be worse, you could be working instead of hunting. Try giving up on the calls and noise makeing. Leave the scents at home too. Just sit and be quiet. Be sure and play the wind. Save the other stuff for the rut.
10-20-2003, 07:28 PM
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rural Valley PA USA
Posts: 444
RE: THATS IT!!!!!!!!!! I give up!!!!!!! WHY ME?
Sorry to hear that you haven' t had much action over there. I think that you' ve chased them all over here to Armstrong Co.!
I have seen numerous deer every time I' ve gone out - except for this evening. Finally got skunked. During the first couple of days I seen a few bucks (2 8-points) and a couple of unknowns. After that it' s been many, many does. Saturday I had a parade go by - two buttonbucks and two six-points. One of the six-points was pretty big. I was tempted to shoot him and claim I was in the next management area!
I guess the big boys have gone into hiding. I have only seen one rub and two scrapes this past week. I am always hunting the ground. I sit until I can' t stand it any longer and then I go as slow and quiet as I can to a new area. No scent, calls or rattling has worked.
This place is packed with does - the rut should be exciting. Of course, if I get desperate I can try for the buttonbuck that beds in the ravine in front of our house. I see him there almost every day - can see him from our deck. Yesterday I threw an old tomato over the hill and there he went flagging down the valley!
Good luck!!!!
I have seen numerous deer every time I' ve gone out - except for this evening. Finally got skunked. During the first couple of days I seen a few bucks (2 8-points) and a couple of unknowns. After that it' s been many, many does. Saturday I had a parade go by - two buttonbucks and two six-points. One of the six-points was pretty big. I was tempted to shoot him and claim I was in the next management area!
I guess the big boys have gone into hiding. I have only seen one rub and two scrapes this past week. I am always hunting the ground. I sit until I can' t stand it any longer and then I go as slow and quiet as I can to a new area. No scent, calls or rattling has worked.
This place is packed with does - the rut should be exciting. Of course, if I get desperate I can try for the buttonbuck that beds in the ravine in front of our house. I see him there almost every day - can see him from our deck. Yesterday I threw an old tomato over the hill and there he went flagging down the valley!
Good luck!!!!
10-20-2003, 07:44 PM
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jacksonville Fl USA
Posts: 533
RE: THATS IT!!!!!!!!!! I give up!!!!!!! WHY ME?
Dont give rack............ no way....
I read a great article the other day about bucks, pressure and the home range writen by a biologist... He said that deer even under pretty heavy pressure stay in thier home range and had many counts to back it up.... it was VERY interesting. He even mentioned a scene like yours where guys were driving and he watched from a distance as they went right by a doe and she sat tight... and he saisd that is common.........
Anyway - I also agree with hub....... try going in with NO scent. I personally dont use scents , except I will use Real Deer, thats it...... It sounds like your putting in your dues - remember - be patient my friend...... patience is a virtue, the one morning you sit at home thinking you will not see a deer could be the very morning ole mossy horns would have walked into your bow sight. I shot a big 8 point 2 years ago - actually my first bow kill because i was as careful as you sound your being and I didnt let a negative turn me away. I had jumped a HUGE, and I mean 170 class buck 40 yards from my stand that morning on the way to hang a stand - man was I totally bummed as that monster stared at me before snorting so loud I thought every deer in Indiana and Illinois just heard that..... but i hung the stand anyway and 45 minutes later nailed a 240 pound 8 point..... and then I was real happy I had not let my neg thoughts make me go elsewhere after i knew this spot held deer.
So dont let the blues stop you - you NEVER know whats going to happen on the next sitting in your stand............
I read a great article the other day about bucks, pressure and the home range writen by a biologist... He said that deer even under pretty heavy pressure stay in thier home range and had many counts to back it up.... it was VERY interesting. He even mentioned a scene like yours where guys were driving and he watched from a distance as they went right by a doe and she sat tight... and he saisd that is common.........
Anyway - I also agree with hub....... try going in with NO scent. I personally dont use scents , except I will use Real Deer, thats it...... It sounds like your putting in your dues - remember - be patient my friend...... patience is a virtue, the one morning you sit at home thinking you will not see a deer could be the very morning ole mossy horns would have walked into your bow sight. I shot a big 8 point 2 years ago - actually my first bow kill because i was as careful as you sound your being and I didnt let a negative turn me away. I had jumped a HUGE, and I mean 170 class buck 40 yards from my stand that morning on the way to hang a stand - man was I totally bummed as that monster stared at me before snorting so loud I thought every deer in Indiana and Illinois just heard that..... but i hung the stand anyway and 45 minutes later nailed a 240 pound 8 point..... and then I was real happy I had not let my neg thoughts make me go elsewhere after i knew this spot held deer.
So dont let the blues stop you - you NEVER know whats going to happen on the next sitting in your stand............
10-20-2003, 08:24 PM
#10
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Vernon Hills IL USA
Posts: 382
RE: THATS IT!!!!!!!!!! I give up!!!!!!! WHY ME?
I would go back and hunt that Oak with all that sign. So what that the hunters went by, next time maybe slide in right behind them and setup. Or hunt during the week when they don' t come through. Hunt where the deer are. Make a ground blind there and play the wind.