The more pressure the deeper the deer are going to go...find the thickest unpassable stuff and that is likely where you will find the deer.

Well, some good news. Tonight I had some time, so I got out to some land near my house. I got set up at about 3:30, so I didn't expect to see anything, really just scouting. Within 30 minutes, I have three does and a good size buck (for me at least) about 250 yards away. The does stay there, but the buck walks down the trail toward me, and stops at a couple scrapes on the way there. He only gets about 100 yards away from me, if that, when he turns around and trots toward the does as they left the area.

The best part was, it snowed pretty good last night, so I was able to see their movement while I was walking in. Seeing their tracks after they were in front of me, it looks like they walked down the exact same path last night. So now that I know where the buck's scrapes are under the snow, I was thinking of dropping some doe urine and calling. Also, I've heard from a few different sources that peeing in the scrape a little yourself will get a buck in there, but I'm kind of afraid that I will drive him away. So, should I put doe urine in or what?

I think human urine works fine. Here are some pics from a mock scrape that I made with human urine.







They didn't seem to mind that it was human urine.

Go deep were no one else will go. Then hunt when they are not hunting. Rainy days are great, but the best is late in the season when it is "too cold and naty" for anyone else. I have seen some good deer in that last week of December here when everyone else is inside celebrating xmas and staying warm.

I only hunt public land, and it seems that the farther I walk into the woods from the nearest access road, the more deer I see. Go where no one else will go. Elevate a stand in the thickest stuff you can find. Deer are smarter than some people give them credit for.

I agree with Northernedge. I go in extra early, and I do use a climber stand on public ground. I go up a tree in the spot I have chosen, and let everyone else move the deer around past me. That way, I am probably the only " constant" in an ever changing area. It has worked great so far.