Under these situations, how do you find the deer?
 

Here's the scenerio in scouting before the season begins...

You are huntingrelatively "big woods"...areas that may be 2 miles X 3 miles. There are no farms, no fields and no fruit trees (apples etc). You know these woods like the back of your hand.

The area consists of powerlines, nasty swamps, alders and hardwood ridges. Just about every type of woods is here.

The deer density is 5-10 deer per square mile.

The hunting pressure is usually very light.

You know the area holds deer but you can literally go days without seeing deer.

What can you do here to increase you odds for succcess?

Note: It often appears that seeing deer is feast or famine and for no apparent reasons. Areas with little or no sign will suddenly hold deerfor days at a time.

Bedding areas always seem to change and finding trails between feeding and bedding is not aseasy as it may be in other areas.

So how would you approach this area and what would you do before the beginning of the hunting season?

RE: Under these situations, how do you find the deer?
 

You rake up all the acorns you can get, then you find an oak flat or ridge closest to some tag elders or other thick bedding area and put them around your stand. Keep some for when the neighboring oaks start to run out of acorns. Your new never ending acorn supplying oaks should really draw them in. BTW, I've never tried this , but it sounds good!;)

RE: Under these situations, how do you find the deer?
 

Put up a big fence. (Being sarcastic! I'm not a pen shooter!!)

Sounds like you have a tough predicament. I'd try what GregH said. At this point- you have to try anything! Are there a lot of "big woods" around your hunting area?

RE: Under these situations, how do you find the deer?
 

Yes, very simlar to what I described. I noted that the hunting pressure is relatively low and it's my guess the "big woods" is a factor. There are also small pieces that attract a lot of attention.

I try to break the area down in quadrants and check for active sign. My problem is the area is pretty big and the deer can be anywhere.

Patients is my biggest virtue and I have been successful "waiting out the deer". I feel that sooner or later they will move through the area the same time I'm there. Kinda hit or miss.

One other thing...it seems that in years of low mast, the success is better. Less feed because of fewer acorns etc, makes the deer move more. Boy, if they ain't movin' much, it can be tough.

RE: Under these situations, how do you find the deer?
 

Is this public or private land??The reason i ask is because, wouldit actually be considered baiting by collecting all the acorns you could find and putting them in one spot?Even though they are natural to the area i think the DNR could interprete that any way they felt.I would think that a little more scouting would be in order,maybe some cameras.

RE: Under these situations, how do you find the deer?
 

It is public land. I would not consider "baiting" the deer with dropped acorns.

As far as a little more scouting being in order......I (we) scout that piece of woods more than any other place. We spend hours upon hours, especially before and during early bow season.

Places where I am certain deer should be (swamps, nasty alders, edges of ridges etc, often proves discouraging. Even though fresh sign says otherwise. It seems the deer move out and re-locate to another area which may be only a few hundred yards away and low hunting pressure does not get the deer up and moving.

Definitely a cat and mouse game which makes it interesting to say the least.

Not enough hunters to keep the deer on the move, only a handful of deer to begin with and large chunks of land to figure out....I guess that's why they call it hunting...;)

Cameras are a good idea but I'm not thrilled about the thought of leaving a camera on public land.

RE: Under these situations, how do you find the deer?
 

My concern for you is that would the DNR consider it baiting or not.After all we play by there rules.

RE: Under these situations, how do you find the deer?
 

I agree...I mentioned that is not part of my plan.
Also, this area is not "unhuntable" because of the reason stated above. These woods are intriguing to hunt. If you hunt it for more than a few days, you willsurely see black bear, moose, fisher cats, coyotes, and fox. Even owls, hawks and other raptors as well asevery other animal that calls this place home.

You might even get a chance to see the elusive whitetail deer.:D

RE: Under these situations, how do you find the deer?
 

It sounds like a great place to let a driving dog do its thing!

Or you can make a few slow stalk/drives with people. With time you´ll hopefullylearn some natural funnels.

RE: Under these situations, how do you find the deer?
 

In tuff situations I would take my wife with me at period time. Would actually draw deer