tunicachris

Hi, my name is Chris. I just started bowhunting for the first time last year. I mainly hunt a wildlife management area toward the border of MS and LA. The area consists of steep hills and some cliffs with lots of dry creekbeds down toward the bottoms. Acorns/Oak trees are prevalent so it is difficult to single in on one feeding area.

Last year I made a total of 15 evening hunts throughout the course of the season all on this one partiular wma. I mainly hunted over creekbeds because it made navigation easier and whitetail tracks were easily identifiable. 14 of the 15 hunts I never saw a deer. The only time that I did see a deer was on one day during the rut when I saw three does, a six point and a spike. I did not get a shot on any of them. Both bucks sniffed at the ground at about 30 yds where I had walked in and jumped up in the air and bolted in the other direction.

This year I got a scent lock suit, racoon urine for the bottom of my boots, scent free soap, scent free deodarant, full leaf camoflauge etc... During August/September I spent probably a total of 6 - 8 full days hiking the WMA, scouting for potential stand locations. I have a handheld GPS although I do not find it greatly beneficial as it can lose its signal under tree cover. While scouting I tended to hike down to various creek beds where I would find numerous tracks and a few crab apple trees where deer had been feeding. I tried scouting in the woods, but it was difficult to locate tracks, I tried to keep an eye out for scrapes though never saw any.

I pinpointed six or seven stand locations in different areas and all of them are either on or within 30 yds of a dry creek bed. So far I have finished three morning hunts and two evening hunts and have yet to see anything. I know it is still early in the season, but I would really like to be more succesful than I was last year.

If you can picture a large wma with constant steep hills and creek beds along the bottom with tons of oak trees throughout the landscape, how would you approach it? Am I making a mistake by continually hunting over creek beds? I would really appreciate some advice and opinions.

Attached is a map of the area I hunt. From west to east a road cuts through the center in between two checkpoints marked with an "S". You can see the various creeks, and the dotted lines are walking trails.


Chris

willtill

How are you hunting? You up in a climber? Got adequate limbs or neigboring tree trunks around to break up your silhoutttee? Deer are sneaky animals, if you ain't high enough, or camouflaged well enough, they'll pick you out.

I don't see anything wrong with you hunting over creekbeds, bear in mind that deer may be just behind you watching the creekbed(s) as well. Try to hunt areas of the creekbed where they're crossing; the shallow points....

If you fidget, they'll see it. Cover your face and hands.

Full moon, as we've had recently, you're not going to see them as often in the dusk and dawn hours, as opposed to a waning or no moon.

Been a little tough here in Maryland too in seeing them. Opening day was good with the several following days, but then they disappeared when the moon came out strong.

Tenacity. Remember that word. You'll get your first bowdeer....

Kindest Regards,

-Will in Maryland

tunicachris

Thank you for the reply, Will.

Yes, I am up in a climber. I probably average 15 to perhaps 20 ft high. As for camoflauge, I have a full leaf suite and mask, I even placed camoflauged duct tape on my stand to cover the exposed metal.

< If you fidget, they'll see it. Cover your face and hands.

Do you stay still the whole time? I generally move around and alternate between standing and sitting.

Thanks for the moon tip, I will have to start checking astro tables.

willtill

That could be your problem. Even though you're in a climber, you may THINK that movement is OK. However, you're hunting creekbeds, and your elevation in the tree is not as high as you may percieve. I say this since deer are coming through the trees from any direction (across the creekbed or diagnolly to it, or behind you) and the terrain that they're travelling on is probably a little closer than 15-20 feet, due to the sloping grade of the ground towards the creek.

So deer will pick out your movement. You could stay absolutely still and they won't. But move your arm and head quickly; they'll see it if they have an unobstructed view of you.

I sit in my climber, with an arrow nocked and the bow layed horizontally on my lap. My left hand stays in the bow sling. I keep my string loop starightened out on the bow line, so that I can easily find it and clip my release to it. I rest my right hand over my knee, with the release attached and in my palm. I try to (and it's difficult, especially in cold weather) to stay absolutely still. I'll use my eyes to look, and SLOWLY move my head if neccesary. All movements are slowwww.

You'll learn to relax...... and enjoy the sights and sounds of the woods. Blend in. Be still.

If you see a deer, be calm and watch it. Make all of your movements (such as standing up and positioning your bow, and drawing) when the deers vision is either obstructed or it's looking away from you. Don't try to get in optimum drawing position in one movement. The deer will key in on movement.

If a deer looks in your direction, directly at you, freeze. Be absolutely still. If the deer senses no movement from you, especially that high, he'll/she'll probably dismiss your spot. Unless they wind you. Then maybe. Wait till they look away. Then make your move.

I'll stand very infrequently, such as to relieve myself. But first I really scrutinize the terrain around me. I've jumped deer from behind tree's near me at closing light when I decided to call it a day and pack up. They'll sneak in from far away and you won't know it until you tell them that your there. And then you'll see them, 'course that's not the way we want to have that end, is it?

Kindest Regards,

-Will in Maryland

HaGar43

I'd look for some wash-outs or side drainages coming off the hills to the creek beds. Any thing to funnel deer by you.

Maybe there some level oak flats part ways up the hills?

tunicachris

Thanks for the tips Will, I will rememer to stay as still as possible from now on in the tree stand. I am going to hunt Tuesday morning/evening, I checked the astro tables and they look good.

HaGar43: Perhaps after the morning hunt I can look for something like that to hunt during thevening. Thanks.

Chris

Katbones

Chris, i am going out on a limb here, but i smoke cigarettes and drink coffee and move all the time in my 10 foot ladder stand and i see deer all the time. Their not that super human,and if you happen to have a large area to use binoculars while spotting for deer, place your stand here for awhile and watch.I am a very bad putty cat, i know = trust me when i say they are there, just set up where you can observe a large area and then move accordingly.

kec

Try hunting the ridges that hold alot of acorn trees or look for intersecting deer trails, or the creek bed crossing sites. Eventually you will be at the right place at the right time. Also deer are edge animals - you can look for differences in cover (big trees on one side, brush on the other). Hope this helps.

eightwgt

That is good advice....... The mistake a LOT of new deer hunters make is movement...Think about this.... When you see something in the woods - be it a bird, or a squirrel, how do you normally see it ? A quick movement huh ? A tail or wind flutter, etc.... same as you see this way - a deer does 10 times better. So BE STILL, blend in, and be patient...

Greavous

When I was hunting a similar terrain (hills and creek bottoms) I noticed that the wind was very unpredictable and would swirl like a tornado. I took along some floaters and would turn them loose and watch where they went and you would be supprised how random they floated on the air.

Although you have picked up an all the scent gear and such it does not mean you are undetectable and just maybe the swirl is the problem.

Areas with abundant food such and areas with lots of oaks bearing acorns spreads the deer rather thin and you might be better off looking for a setup where you catch them traveling to the food rather than while feeding. Look for a used trail that leads to the grub. I'm no expert but I have watched the woods for many many hours. This time of year deer will do the same thing over and over. If your in the wrong place you need to move. That doesn't mean never come back later, just go elsewhere and look for fresh tracks and droppings. You might also want to figure out where they get water and do something there.

Just some ideas, good luck and I hope you get two deer this year.