CarpetBagger

Im having some real issues this season finding a good concentration of deer.

I have spent over 10 days so far hunting various stands leading out into a large corn field. There are tree rubs all through this area, trails, and good bedding areas here as well. But so far this season i have seen 1 legal shooter 8pt buck, 2 doe, and 2 other buck in this area. The past week was a complete BLANK on deer sightings. I have hunted only 2 mornings and plenty of evenings and am just straight frustrated in the results and the activity. I thought even if i didnt see any deer moving near by i would atleast see some moving through the field and find where they were coming from, but the activity has been very very very limited.

I thought for sure this area would be good, but i feel i have absolutly exhausted its potential for holding a good concentration of deer. There are tracks through the field, but i really just dont know what to do at this point...I dont know if they are just strictly nocturnal, or if thisstrip of woodsis just holding a very limited amount of animals.

Very frustrated and just lookin for opinions on what i should be doing...

arrow2512

carpetbagger- I really don't know what to tell you except to just hang in there buy next week things should pick up at least i hope so.I'm in the same boat as you i have all this corn around me so the deer sighting is way down right now and i to am getting frustrated. Been at a lot so far all I've seen is 4 doe's one 3pter that walk under my stand this morn . Just wish they would get that corn out soon.

CarpetBagger

Our corn is all cut and has been brush hogged. Farmer tells me he is putting in wheat next year.

Im thinnking about just getting in the woods and stirring things up and going for a walk and seeing whatI kick out. Finding where they are hanging out and what they are eating. My head is spinning every night. The legal deer i had walk right behind me and i could not turn to get a shot on him...Ive been shaking my head since opening day....

Aside from these deer moving into these cut corn fields what should i be looking for?

BUCKMARK

Same boat as you guys, almost all the corn is still up wherewe hunt including the three fields that surround the woods where we are at. A ton of tracks, rubs, scrapes the whole 9 yards. Our deer sightings have been minimal to say the least. I did manage to whack a small 7 pointer yesterday before the winds picked up.The deer are there, just need the corn to get cut and the weather to cool a bit...

TRACKER

Ive seen anywere from 0 to 20 deer at once .
Many in a huge clover and alfalpha field of course .
Ive seen 4 different bucks a spike a 4 pointer and 2 ,6 pointers but no Big shooter bucks .
I have seen many does and have been in the woods every day at least am. hunt or pm. hunt and most both since August 27th .both bow and rifle .
I,m getting a little ansy and no how your fealing but believe me the best hunting is comming soon .
I figure within a week now the temps. are falling again the pre rut will kick in .
Keep your heads up and gun ready it wont be long .

CarpetBagger

Well, I was more worried about where this population of deer went to. Usually during gun season we see alot of does running around and we have spotting a few very very nice bucks roaming the property before the season started. They cut the corn opening day of Archery here (beginning of October). We spotted some deer in the field the next day picking up the loose stuff, but the following week they brush hogged and plowed the field. There is still evidence of the deer moving about the field, but it must be happening very late in the evening cause i have only spotted 3 in the field in the past weeks.

I was more worried about what alternative food source these deer would be focused on if its not this corn field. I find fresh rubs on trees and sit for hours without even a doe coming to venture down these trails into the field. All of the surrounding corn is now down in the other farms surrounding the property...

What shouldI be looking for as a food source for these deer?? I set up between a food source and a water source and have been very very humbled by my 1st year with a bow so far.

Ill take any suggestions i can get. Im going to try again tonight and see what happens...Im just worried that if i cant even spot does that im not going to be successful once the rut peaks.

Mossy_71

What about the acorn crops? Here in Alabama on our lease, there are a ton of acorns on the ground. And when the wind blows, it rains them. Try to locate any good masts on your property, if there, and give them a try.

CarpetBagger

I looked around. The deer i have been seeing have been moving along a trail about 10yrds from my tree stand. There are a few oaks beyond this trail, but for some reason there are not alot of acorns falling, or on the tree....

Im thinking about trying to push a few out tonight in hopes of them changing their routes and habits...