I'll try again...
 

Ok, my dad does not hunt and neither did I until 2 years ago. I've researched all I could about hunting, I know just about as much as you can from reading articles and books about Deer hunting and still to this day I haven't claimed one. It's getting really depressing for me and quite discouraging.

My first season, I made a permanent stand in a spot about 50 yards from a deer trail so it was a really bad spot...
My second season I setup in a great spot, right over a trail they have been taking from their bedding area, straight to their primary food source. I seen a Doe and a Fawn creeping in my way and I got too anxious and jumped the gun. So to bring you guys up to date this is how my third season is looking.

I've been going out and looking for signs of deer all over the place but I found only one that looks promising. I seen tracks by the thousands over in this area, some were fresh some were old but their were many. I also found that they moved their bedding area about 30 yards from this spot, I also found a scrape. So the day before yesterday I put a climbing stand on a tree that overlooks my spot. However it's pretty open and I think if I moved I could easily be seen (if anyone has some sort of remedy to that let me know, like camo-flauging your stand or something) I'm about 15 feet off the ground but still yet its pretty open through my shooting lane. Other than that I think its a great setup.

Does anyone got any suggestions on how I can lure a deer my way? As I think it's pre rut time here in North Carolina and I can't learn everything from the books. Any calls I should go get, anything that I should try. I'm open to anything as I'm starting to get bored with this. All I want is just one deer just so I can say I've done it.

SPC.Prater

RE: I'll try again...
 

as for camo you can buy camo netting or cloth of some type to hang on your climbers shooting rail. that will hide most of your movements. from the sound of it if you're sitting over thousands of tracks, a scrape, and near a bedding area, then you don't need anything to lure the deer to you. sounds like they're already using that area pretty heavily. good luck, after that first one you'll be hooked like the rest of us hunting addicts on this site. :D

RE: I'll try again...
 

Well Its not exactly on top of the tracks its about 35yards away. I can't see that spot either because of all the little pine trees secluding it... I grabbed the closest tree that is usable all the others are too far away or too skinny to climb. There is tracks about 10 yards away and a decent bit of them to just not like the other spot. So I want them to come over in my direction so I can see them and get a shot off. It looks like from time to time they stray over my way (atleast 2-3 times a week.) Tomorrow I'll work on getting a picture of it and post it and we can go from there.

RE: I'll try again...
 

Trim some branches and brush to create a couple shooting lanes. Nothing extravagant but you need to see into the area that they use the most. Sounds like you have a great spot and I prefer to be 20-50 yards away from where they travel. That way you can move a little. We are up 20-25 feet in climbers.

RE: I'll try again...
 

Ok I'm headed out in about 45mins its prime rut time and I got everything ready. My stand has been sitting in the weather for days, my clothes have been sitting in a bag of leaves outside... I got my grunt and the doe bleat, and been practicing my shot all week. I've never been this prepared for a hunt in my life. I got some Doe estrus which reminds me does anyone have a good technique they would like to share about using that stuff?

P.S I hope I see one, I don't care if I spook it or anything, I just want the feeling of knowing I almost had him and its possible for me to lay one to rest. If it don't happen this could be the end of my long hunting career.

RE: I'll try again...
 

Let me say this, if you are ready to give up now, you are in for a rough road. I don't think I got my first deer bow hunting until my 4th year of hunting. 2nd season with gun. You learn as you go. I have taken deer now every year since my first because of things I learned in previous years. I for one have zero patients when it comes to most things (ask my wife) but I could sit there all day and hunt. What it comes down to is, enjoy being out doors and the quiet time you have there. If you see a deer, good, if not,you will next time. There is a lot more to hunting (at least for me) then shooting deer every time out. The deer is the cherry on top. I mean, yeah, it's why your out there, but take in all of the experience. If your gonna give up, maybe your trying to hard to be a "hunter. Its gotta be something inside you that makes you want to be out there as much as you can. Thats why it's called hunting and not shhoting.:DTake it easy, relax and enjoy the nature and peace around you when your in the woods. Good luck to you, I hope you get to see something and fill your tag.

RE: I'll try again...
 

just sit and wait

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Where in NC do you live?

RE: I'll try again...
 

I hunted 6 years before my first deer. For some it comes easy. For others it ismore diffucult.

It was all the more sweeter when it finally happened after waiting for soooo long.

RE: I'll try again...
 

I live in mechlenburg county. So here is the story on todays hunt. I go out and hit my stand more silent and faster than I ever have before. I had good feelings about today, I did everything right. I sat and waited without moving a muscle for about 1hour before I started using my doe bleat, with a grunt sometimes between intervals. After about 3 times of calling I'd wait about 25mins and try again. Soon I started getting really cold, but I toughed it out. I heard this sound that I thought was a wet dog shaking his coat. So my heart started pounding and then My eyes started playing tricks on me. I kept seeing movement all over the place, swaring it was a deer. Still I wait it for a little bit more daylight so I can see better. Daylight came and I looked at what I thought was dear but were nothing but brush. 3 hours later I decided it was time to go back home. I checked out the area looking for fresh tracks but seen none within the last 3 or maybe 4 days. So I guess better luck next time...

RE: I'll try again...
 

This my second year hunting too, and I have never even seena deer while hunting. Just sit and wait, and your time will come, and mine will too.

RE: I'll try again...
 

if you want them to get you way you can always set up a road block in their path and make a wide open trail between the two and they will take the easy way .... use the stuff u cut to make the trail to block the other one and if you need more you can just go clipin subtle things and make a "wall"

RE: I'll try again...
 

find a better spot? If ur rifle hunting and just want to shoot a deer,set up ur stand on the edge of a cut corn field or somethiing and im sure youl see deer.

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Well I'm hunting in the City and bows the only legal way... Oh and their isn't any cornfields...

RE: I'll try again...
 

You got to keep at it. You can't just give up. I didn't shoot my first deer till November of my 1st year hunting. I was starting to get depressed and everything, but I stuck it out and got it done. Then it all got better after that. The next year I took my first buck and then I was really hooked. The most important thing is cover scent. You will need that. Since it's the rut or pre-rut, set out doe and buck scent. Rattle, grunt, and use a doe can or bleatcall. Keep at it and you will get that 1st deer. That's what you need to get hooked, then when you get your 1st buck, you be hooked the rest of the way. Good luck to you.

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Ok so today I go for a walk and spook a monster buck. It happened too fast for me to even pull my bow up. So I go home happy that I seen a deer. My buddy comes over wanting to use my little hand saw so he can cut some shooting lanes and so I go with him... While we are there, 2 go right by us about 40 yards away and then a buck came through sniffing the ground like a coon dog or something. So I asked my buddy do they always come in from that way and he said they come from the south and the east of his spot. So I asked if I could set my stand to the north east and he was O.K with it. I setup overlooking a gulley and fell asleep in my stand and wake up to a 4pointer 10 yards away so it startled me and I started moving too fast, so he ran away. I then was able to call him back in with my doe bleat. Now he's about 25 yards away, and I pulled my bow back and let it rip... Sadly to say I missed, and broke my arrow...