nosfedgta

I am hunitng some new land this year that has not been hunted for at least 2 years that we know of. Well after checking my cameras for the last 2-3 months I have been seeing some good deer.
Well I have hunted approx 2-3 times a week since the season has oppened and have yet to see a decent buck. Only one I have seen is a small 5 pointer. I have 2 stands by some white oaks and one stand on a small clover patch and one stand has a small 60 yard long patch of clover, rape and peas with a HUGE white oak at the end of it and I havent seen squat. It also seems as if the bucks I had on cam have changed up where they are going as well. I am only getting the "occasional" pictures of them now and not everyday like I was.
I even have one stand by a 120 yard long patch of clover and rape that has some crab apple trees on either side of it and still nothing.....

I am begining to think I am doing something wrong or if they are just going to other places to eat. Either way something has to change. Maybe I stink... i dunno
I also am putting some pressure on myself too because I am trying to get my first buck with a bow... ok im done venting......

livinadream

hang in there, sounds like they are "chasing" the food. if you are playing the wind correctly your (or their) time will come good luck

iSnipe

Don't over-hunt your area or stands. Soon the deer(bucks) will have you patterned if you put the pressure on too much. All your activity may have pushed them to a more nocturnal stage. Think about it; they don't have to come out in the light at all because their food is there waiting for them. Any pressure will have them changing their pattern to either moving elsewhere or later in the evening, past last light.

I suggest to hunt with the wind and setup further in the woods away from the food source... between where you think they are bedding. You also have to plan your entrance and exit to your stands. The more you keep blowing out or alerting the deer, the less you'll see over time.

Just keep at it and play musical chairs with your stand setups. You could also make some natural material ground blinds too; mix it up a bit.

Good luck,

iSnipe

djdkman

maybe your need to change your "enterance route".....could be the beds are lateral to the trail to your stand....when deer get up to move to where you excpect them...they run into your scent from walking in and avoid you...dunno...just a guess

are you wearing kneee high rubber boots?

toyota4x4

Hey guys new here, I though id post my ideas cause im basically hunting the same food sources as you and have had the same problems. I hunt property here in murray county in north ga and was running into things youve described, not seeing deer when your in the woods. What weve started doing the last 2 years is take our limit in does, dont worry theres only 2 of us hunting the property, and have seen a great deal more bucks especialy during the rut. Thats one suggestion and about the deer not coming to the food sources...like the other guys have said you may be unknowingly walking by or through the deers access routes to the food sources. We havnt had any luck this year but if you pattern the movement of your herd then they will tell you whats happening on your property. Good luck down south!

nosfedgta

I hear ya. The property is new to me so I havent figuired out there pattern yet, but I tell ya I have over 12 different bucks on cam. I have cams spread out over a 2 mile area. I hunt a 700 acre club which has a few hardwood fingers and mostly mature pine with some younger pines too. I hope things change cause it has me very confused.

Heck I went this morning and sat from 6:30 till 11! saw nothing. got down checked my camera and guess what!!!!!!!!!!1 I got there at 6:32 and at 6:19 and 6:08 I had 2 diff bucks there! so i guess I spooked them on the way in... arrrghhhh

Southern Buck

Dont feel bad I aint seen any deer in the past couple of weeks at my bow stand, now where my rifle stand is at Ive got all the deer I need. I believe the bucks are already in rut I had a lot of pics on the camera of bucks chaseing the does all during the night, seems thats when they like to put the boogy on. Now the does are out there right at daylight every morning, your figure MR. big horns would be out there to but I guess hes to wore out LOL.

toyota4x4

Man already signs of the rut? It must be early down in south ga cause up here it was about the 2nd week of november or atleast it was at the property I hunt. The last two evenings up here I havnt seen any deer myself its crazy. But for the first time in the wild I saw a black bear with two cubs, she was alittle scragly but the cubs were healthy. Came down the same trail both nights. They shook me up alittle cause I happened to be on the ground 25 yds off that trail the first night! Anyways good luck fellers and remember...cant kill em on the couch!

#1Predator

Try getting into your stand at least 45 minutes before daylight
wait 2 days and go back to that stand at 5am and be still and quiet,
if your stand is in the woods.If not, don't bother and don't use that stand unless it's an evening hunt( get there around 3pm and hang out)
I had a buck I hunted all season 1 year, he duped me out by coming in about a half hour before I got in my stand.
I had the same deal, I had plenty of pic's of him but didn't get a shot at him till I got in my stand at 5am and caught him sneaking in at first daylight ( which is legal 1/2 hour before sunrise here)

Just put out reflective tacks on the trees( both sides..you'll need them coming out in the dark as well as going in)as you go to your stand.

supaflav

It could also be that there is a big acorn crop this year. They just don't have to travel far to eat. Happens to us alot down here.