GeoffM24

Let me start off by saying I love deer hunting, and hate it!

I love looking for deer sign, looking over maps, reading about deer, reading this board, planning a hunt, dreaming about getting one, talking about deer, etc. etc.

I have really studied deer and asked a million questions over the last 2 years of bow hunting. I really have learned a lot about bow hunting and deer.

My problem is that I see deer SO infrequently that I start to convince myself I will NEVER see a deer. All I want is to see deer about 50% of the time. I' m not looking for deer to line up in front of me and fall over but I get depressed after not seeing anything.

Do you guys go through this? How long before you would pick spots where you would see deer on a regular basis?

Thanks

Tazman

Geoff a lot of it depends upon the number of deer in your area, 30 years ago in Va. you could hunt a week solid and never see a deer, now we have a lot of deer here and you can almost bet you will see deer at least every other time you go out, sometimes you will see more than 10 in a single day, the hard part is being in the right place at the right time. All I can tell you is persistance is key, if you have scouted properly you will in time see deer if they are there. I can remember the frustration of going a week without seeing one, but I knew they were there and they did eventually show up.

c903

GeoffM24

Do you know if there is a reasonable sized deer population in your immediate area? So many factors can contribute to why one does not see deer very often in an area that has a good population, but three reasons of many reasons should be considered.

1. You might be setup in a area that is ouside their normal routes of travel.
2. Your presence is usually detected.
3. Timing. How you go in and the time you go in can be critical in some areas.

Chasinem

I deffinately feel your frustration. This is also my second season of deer hunting, and out of all the times I' ve gone, I' ve seen deer once. The problem with that was they were all doe, during the buck only portion of the season last year in WV.

To make things wose last time i went out, I got to my stand about an hour or so before day light, and a buck had just doctored a scrape before i got there. The musk was so strong it was burning my eyes. Oh well guess there' s always next time.

badshotbob

I know it only too well. It' s part of hunting, the part I' m not too fond of.

Two years ago was the first year in many that I didn' t get a deer. I hunted every weekend and some week days from Oct 1 through Jan 1. I saw ONE deer - a nice 8, and blew the shot. (gun- Marlin 30-30, deer was 50 yards out, squeezed the trigger, gun didn' t go off. I think dud. Got out of the woods, round fired. My glove caught the hammer coming down enough to stop the pin from hitting the primer good).

I didn' t get a deer last season because I only hunted twice (I built my own house which took up a year of my life).

Haven' t got one yet this season (can you say " slump!" )

What keeps me going is MBs like this, books, mags, hunting buds, and first and foremost, the internal burning passion to deer hunt and harvest a deer.

Deer get used to making out sounds that let' s them know when you' ve arrived - they hear car doors shut, hear branches cracking under foot, hear the branches sliding off of material, blah blah blah. Make sure your stand is set up right w/regard to wind direction. Change stands after 3 or so hunts. And of course, just keep hunting.

Hang in there Geoff! They ARE out there.

longbowman

Hey, everybody goes through it but the key is truly persistance. My son is 25 and has bowhunted only since he was 12. I always set his stands for him and always in areas of a bunch of deer activity so he wouldn' t get discouraged. After about 5 years of this he decided it was his time to pick his own spots and the deer sightings dropped off significantly. I was really worried that he would just give up and I' d loose a hunting partner but he just got more determined and now has filled both of his tags for the past three seasons. It takes a lifetime of enjoying the whole experience before you get to the point of making this look easy and if you do get to that point then the hunting experience won' t have the right meaning to you anyway. That' s why most hunters adjust their goals during their hunting lives so that there' s always a new challenge awaiting them and they need to keep working at it. Hang in there!

ButchA

Wow Geoff.... You go through exactly what I go through from time to time. This marks only my 3rd season out hunting. I *still* haven' t gotten a deer or turkey or anything. The only " kill" I have to my name is 3 ducks last season, when invited to go on a duck hunt with a couple of guys that I know.

I have read everything I can get my hands on. I bought videos and watched them religiously. I have the famous Cardeer necklace. But, yet, somehow, I always end up going home empty-handed. It sucks being a city-slicker from Richmond, VA! In this day and age you have to drive MILES to get to prime deer country. Virginia has it' s share of resident deer, but there are way too many ANTI' s ready to call the cops in a heartbeat. Everything within a short drive is posted, or owned by a hunt club, and/or would cost $$$$ to get into.

Sure, I get doubts... I get a lack of confidence... I actually get crazy thoughts of just giving in, because " it' s not worth it" . Some of the older guys here at work were hunters but have given it up over the years too.

But, I keep going and trying to keep a positive outlook. One day I' ll get my deer or bag a nice gobbler in the spring. Whatever it takes, I' ll do it and be proud of my achievement.

Good luck and keep positive!

Butch

wylie

Feeling your pain brother!! I hunt sunup to sundown. Every available hour during both bow and gun. (except for hard rain= now). What kills me is our deer population is pretty good, but it does no good for them to be pinned up on acres of posted land that nobody can hunt. I' m on the outskirts of the hot deer land. But anyway I think what drives us is the ultimate reward. The jubilation and sigh of relief when we finally harvest one. And it WILL happen!! I agree it' s the persistence that pays off. It seems like so little to ask for just to see a deer I know. Will them to your stand. All else fails pray. Hang in there.

GeoffM24

There are deer in my area, lots of them. A buddy who scouted the area with me called it a " deer haven" Tracks, rubs, scrapes, etc etc. Can I find them, noooo.

There are few things in life more humbling then not seeing deer in a " deer haven" ! Heck the farmer walking his dog sees deer!

The land is private and I am the only one hunting there to boot.

I have seen one at about 75 yards but that is it.

Jimimac

You need to get yourself acquainted with an experienced and successful bowhunter to help you along through this in my opinion. Having a mentor to lean on and depend on will bring you up to speed way faster than going it alone. Do you know anyone who fits this description? Most successful guys I have the privilege of knowing and hunting with are more than willing to help out a less experienced guy. If you don' t already know someone like this, maybe join a local archery club. Try some 3D shoots and let the people you meet know you are striving to become a successful bowhunter. You should get some help.