I have 2 wks left to find a whitetail...{help}
 

I am still bow hunting in Indiana. Started early archery and still at it. I went out a little over a week ago for three days (two of which were vacation days)and no luck. Havent seen them in the woods or driven to and from my hunting spots. I have heard that it may be because they have went nacturnel. The past two days I have seen deer in the fields just before dark. Are they calming down and getting back into a routine? I was going to go back out after ML season, which is the 22 of this month. But now that I have seen deer again maybe I should go out this weekend.
I have found what I think is a good hunting spot. Its in a heavley wooded area with a small amout of corn field about fifty yards away. I have seen plenty of fresh dropping (a little over a week ago), and a nearby stream.
That was where I last hunted but seen are heard nothing. The only thing I have done differently was to put on some racoon urine scent. I think I will do without that this time.
So, how can I follow the tracks to a bedding area when the ground is so hard and there is no snow? I am hunting in the woods not on the tree line, but I can see the field just fine. Where are they and how can I find them?
I am quite, and move very little, cold but not frozen. Am I just having bad luck or am I a bad hunter?
I have had three chances get away from me so far. Two were my fault, I wasn't ready and the deer came right up on me. The third chance was to iffy for a kill (yes I have morals).
I use a portable treestand and climb from 16' to 20'.
If you have some advise give it. I could use all the help I can get.

RE: I have 2 wks left to find a whitetail...{help}
 

If you can tell where the trail is they are using to get to the corn, get on that, hunt downwind, and get out as much as you can. I passed 2 shots on a decent 8pt, had a missfire during ML. I watched 3 does run by during ML too, didn't want to take the running shot. So, I have 3 weekends to hunt. I saw them go down a pipeline in the AM, so that is where I am going to setup as soon as I can get out, hoping for a good shot on the pipeline. Don't worry too much about ML, its not like gun season where there are armies in the woods. More time in the woods = better odds.

Best of luck!

--Jim

RE: I have 2 wks left to find a whitetail...{help}
 

Well if you know where they are coming into the field what I would do is work backwards from there, find the thickest stuff you can heading back into the woods and setup about 50 yards from there, on the downwind side. More than likely they are bedding in the thick stuff, if they are still feeding on the corn. Another possibilty is to follow the stream away from the corn until you near some real thick stuff and set up downwind of there.

The Tazman aka Martin Price
Founder and President of
Virginia Disabled Outdoorsmen Club

RE: I have 2 wks left to find a whitetail...{help}
 

More time in the woods = better odds. Downwind near thick stuff is the key they aren't as active but should be starting to calm down and actually may have herded up into a larger group at this point. So stick somewhere downwind between food source and thick closer to thick would be my preference. Any hunter will tell you wherever you choose the deer will go to the other place you were thinking of setting up Murphy's law applies to hunting in a big way.