Probably my last season
 

Here's my story. 25 years or so ago I lost my best friend and hunting buddy to cancer. I just lost all interest in hunting. 3 years ago I decided it was time to start hunting again. Now I had to buy a bow, shotgun and ML, tree stands and blind and all the normal things. The only land I could find to hunt is a small woods surrounded by farm fields seemed ideal. Let me say that either land owners do not allow hunting around here or they already have people hunting it. I do not hunt public land since I have had stands stolen and a slug hit a tree I was in, too many idiots. So I have been hunting this ground from different stands blinds etc. and in three years have not seen a deer, none. Not even on camera. There are tracks but must be completely nocturnal. I am giving up, I will go back out next weekend but I have spent time and money on something I love and am too frustrated too keep it up. Sorry for the long post and rant but I just needed to vent.

Go get a new property

OR.. (since I read your post and understand that getting new property isn't the answer).. If you haven't, try a food plot, mineral site, baiting (if legal). I guess if all of that has been tried, I wouldn't so much as give up as I would take a year or two off, and see if there is room anywhere else. Do you have any friends or family that hunt? That's how I've been lucky to find a few nice places. I don't see a whole lot of deer, but I guess I hunt more for the whole experience of being outdoors and observing all the other little things as well.

I think he was leaning more towards one of you guys giving him the invite :wink:

I understand how frustrating a lack of hunting land can be. Keep your options open and look for some land to lease or possibly join a lease. Good luck and good hunting.

Find a hunting club to join.
I know how you feel about not having a place to hunt.
You just gotta keep trying.
Never give up.
Remember Quiters never Win, and Winners Never Quit.

JMHO

If I didn't own my own hunting land, I would probably quit hunting too.

I wouldn't quit. There's always one more thing you can do. And that's the truth. Explore other options, talk to people, eventually something will come up. Good luck, hate to see a hunter walk away from something they love.
-Jake

I would say that its time to change the rules and try something different. I know it can be prohibitively expensive, but I would suggest contacting an outfitter or guide that can put you on a deer.

As someone else suggested, depending on the laws and regs in your state/region, perhaps try tossing out some corn or a block, or any number of baits available. I know it can get into a heated debate because someplaces its legal and some places its not but in your situation, I think (if its legal) its fine. The bottom line is getting a deer and putting some venison in the freezer.

I was not trying to get an invite. Not legal to bait but put salt, peanut butter and Buck Jam out before season nothing on cams. Made mock scrape with dripper also. If I could afford a lease I would even though I am hunting for meat not a trophy. All I have seen other than squirrels was last year I saw two yotes . I also have pics of tracks about the size of my palm that look like cougar.I know we aren't supposed to have cougars in Indiana but they sure look like it. Will post them for your opinion. The green is a latex glove

I would go around and ask for permission to hunt farms, farmers hate deer and often have nuisance permits that they will gladly give to you. It would greatly increase your chances of receiving the go ahead if you offered your services every now and then to them. Don't give up, some guys have all the luck and some guys have to make their own luck.

Not to be judgmental without knowing what Your Hunting procedures are...but I would try to make sure to be as Scent-free as possible,wash all Your cloths in scent-free detergent,dry them ouside or use the H.S. earth scented dryer sheets,take a shower in scent-free soap before going out to Hunt and wear rubber boots and spray down with scent-killer spray....keep all Your gear outside in a plastic tub and don't go to Town and pump gas or cook with same gear inside Your House or Cabin...lots of things that could keep the Deer away or have them smell You before You even step into where Your actually Hunting them?Even if You go out and just check Your trail camera's You need to be Scent-Free...if You leave Your scent there they know your Hunting them and educating them to stay away or come in only at night.

Hunt becasue You love the outdoors and in memory of Your lost Friend,I'm sure he would have wanted You to enjoy life and remember the good times You spent together.Learn to be a better/wiser Hunter and tag a nice Buck in Memory of Him!


As mentioned earlier....plant a nice food plot,put out a salt and/or mineral lick if the law allows You in Indiana...make Your Hunting area better for the Deer so they will come in to it,leave a small area untouched where no one walks in there unless to retrieve a Deer to use as a Sanctuary for the Deer to bed down on.

If that track is indeed a Mountain Lion/Cougar thats what could be keeping the deer away or thinning them out? :s6: :bash:

you mentioned you bow hunted. i would not hesitate to hunt public land during archery season. there are no slugs flying then and i have harvested many deer on public land

I live in Florida and we are definitely in a squeeze for hunting land. Especially good land in South and Central Florida. My lease costs me more per month than my mortgage did when I had one.

Yes it is a sacrifice. But to me it beats paying psychiatrist. If I couldnt get out of the city at least every weekend during the season and every 3 week off season. i would literally go insane.

So if I want a quality lease within 2 hours of my home in Miami? I have to pay. Sure I could go to Texas and Alabama or Gergia. But my problem is that I am addicted to this thing we call hutin. 4 or 5 times a year aint gonna cut it.

I suggest you pay if it is that important to you. But if it isnt? then walk away.

If that's how you feel and think yer lost buddy would deal with the situation, then go for it.

start knocking on doors. there is a alot of land within an 1/2hour to an hour drive from you i bet. like you said, you haven't seen anything in 3 years whats it gonna hurt to take a day and knock on doors. good luck

Whackadeer - You need to reconsider public land. What happened with the slug would make me fearful too. But you said you have a bow and a muzzleloader. Those seasons are not nearly as busy and idiot-filled as general firearms seasons, and, to be frank, are you really worried about being arrowed by another hunter? I hunted public land the last two days of ML season here in Central VA (Thurs & Fri). Do you know how many other hunters I saw? Zero. But I saw 13 deer, all within shooting range. And I had a great time.

So get out there on public land and you will find deer. If you can take a day or two off during the week and work on the weekends when most of the idiots are out hunting, I think you will be glad you did. Don't give up. I think you know deep down that you really love hunting. You just need to see some deer to remind you of that.

Would you like to explain to me how I still-hunted up to 6 does on Friday and stalked them for well over an hour, coming within 15 yards of them while breaking just about every one of these rules? Yep, had my boots drying against the heater vent in the bathroom the night before (and who knows what kind of smells come out of there) and clothes laying over the kitchen chairs after we just finished eating dinner. Got dressed in the house, and wore the same clothes into the field that I wore in the house and car.

This kind of info is not helpful to a guy who is considering giving up hunting altogether. You know how time-consuming and even frustrating these "scent free" procedures are. I think having the OP go thru this rigamarole could lead to even more frustration when he puts even more time and effort into a small tract of land that is not producing a single deer, even on camera. People have been seeing and killing deer long before Tupperware and Hunters Specialties were even thought of.

Thanks for all the replies. Just an fwi, I have done all the scent control things including smoking my clothes. I may try public land during our late archery season but around my area ML is very popular and disagree that it is less danger to be around. Believe me I have knocked on more doors than a guy running for office. By the way, can anyone identify the tracks?