tealboy

I don't get it. Last year, we killed very few deer on my lease (my first year) and I was pretty convinced we have very few on the 5000 acres (4000 pasture, 1000 prime hunting). However, this year, I got a game camera and have learned we have a very healthy population of bucks. Problem is, i never see them when hunting, nor do the other lease members. We have some exceptional hunters and a lot of average at best, but still, with all the eyes in the woods, we should be seeing more deer. Especially since i have seen them on film.

Personally, I am careful about scent control, but mostly focus on hunting the wind. Sometimes I feel like my climbing stand makes too much noise getting up the tree, but i generally get there an hour ahead of schedule and sit still. Just not seeing anything.

Maybe its the pressure. Gotta be. Trucks, atv's and people in the woods must send them nocturnal. Of course, even during bow season when only two of us hunt, still didn't see deer.

Any ideas?

TxCowboy

Teal, I would have to agree with you and guess pressure is your problem. However, if there is only two of you bow hunting, ya'll should be seeing some deer. I can understand your feelings to a degree. We have own/lease almost 800 acres and we have some big bucks down in these bottoms, however seeing them during the daylight is the major issue. Along wiht our neighbor, we have control of over 2,000 acres of big timber woods and we are trying to manage it for deer. Last night he was at the house and we were comparing our game camera pictures. One thing was similar about all of them......99% of them were at night. These deer are virtually unpressured. We are talking about 2,000 acres of thick nasty wooded bottoms and ridges and only 4 people hunting. We should be seeing some big deer in the daylight but like I say the pictures are the proof. The one exception is the rut, it is no holds barred and a big one is likely to walk out at any minute. And you are likely to hunt the whole rut and not see a big one, that is the nature of the beast.

Ok back to your question.....I'd think that pressure is your problem along with the smarts the bucks posess. Tell me this, are you seeing does? Or are you striking out on bucks and does?

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Hunting the Piney Woods of Deep East Texas.

Shaggy2

The good news is that you have deer around. You know that.I am having the same issue. I believe that i have probably put too much pressure on the area I hunt as the number of deer I have seen has really dropped off. I am just being patient for the rut to fully get going.

hvyhitter19

Pressure could be part of the problem, but being in the right place at the right time has alot to do with it as well... Deer are moving durning daylight, maybe not everyday but they are moving at times... Trick is to be there when they are moving... If you are hunting right on scrape line or rub line chances are they are coming at night to those spots, so you are not going to see deer... Try hunting trails leading to bedding areas this time of year. where I hunt we have 2 huge pine thickets, and what I do is, take me climber and head into the woods and just start walking around these bedding areas, maybe 100 Yards off maybe more if it is a calm day and I think they can hear me. and I just walk until I find a good trail, maybe a rub or scrape, then I will play the wind about 20 yards on the good side of the trail and follow it back to within 50 Yards of the thicket... and setup shop... Being as quiet as possible... and using a climber you can only be so quite but this has worked great for me. I got an 8 point last week, and I have seen alot of deer... This has been working for 3 years for me... give it a try sometime, I think the trick is that the deer have no time to change their patterns. Meaning I have not been in there and setup a treestand or scouted or anything... I just showed up, on the good side of the wind and they have no clue until it is too late... Also one other thing, I use 18" rubber boots, with a strong cover scent on the bottom like Coon urine... This works great should you walk where deer happens to walk... I have had deer brush up against the tree I was in and no nothing was above them...

Just thought I would give you my 2 cents... Good luck!!!