JfO9

I posted a little while ago about how often to visit food stations. I spent a lot of time scouting pre season put out corn and thought i did everything right. Went out and hunted it the first time yesterday and saw one doe really far off. Went out again today and literally spent all day hunting and saw absolutely nothing! This is my second season so i'm sure i'm not doing everything right however, i'm pretty confident that i'm at least a decent hunter as i've learned a lot from my dad and on here.

Last season i'd see something pretty much every time i went out and that was with nowhere near the preparations that i've done this year.

These critters can sure be frustrating!!!

Anyone else feel my pain?

NebBuckHunter

That's why they call it hunting and not shooting......it was a slow day for me as we'll. it's that October lull right before the rut. Also didn't help being 75 degrees today here.

MD DEERHUNTER

MAN! I FEEL YOUR PAIN! Opening day of early muzzleloader season opened here in Southern Maryland on Thursday. 3-straight days of sitting in the tree stand and I saw no movement whatsoever. Each day I hunted from a different spot and saw nothing but wild turkeys. All the local hunters that I talked to didn't see any movement either. It hasn't helped with the temps being in the mid 70's. Next week the temps here will be in the 50's. Hopefully, my luck will change. Even worse, I'VE GOT CHIGGERS!

OFDOlson_173

Dont get to ansy... Truste me deer will start moving in another week or two....

stabnslab_WI

Baiting can and will make deer feed at night. JMO, im sure I'll have people say otherwise but its a fact.

JfO9

Yeah i know that is hunting and not shooting, that's why i'm hooked on it. Yesterday was just one of those days when i went out in the morning and was super confident and then ended up emty handed. Now i know that there are a lot of deer in the area ( the bait and the mineral lick have been tore up) i'll probably just hunt the area with no bait.

I didnt know there was an October lull before the rut. That's what i mean i'm always learning new stuff and that makes me feel a little better about the failed hunt. what do the deer do during that time? are they just always bedded up, only move at night, or what?

Thanks for all the help, i'm gonna let the area chill out till the weekend although i'm thinking about goin out on wednesday.

Anyone have any tips tricks or advice for a new hunter hunting during this time of year?

OFDOlson_173

Basically the October lull is when mature bucks over 2.5 years old and up are hanging out with does, waiting for the first one going into estrous, then he will jump on that. I also think the lull means they are "resting" up so they can go on a rampage...

Bucks will go nocturnal when they start to get pressured (usually opening of gun season sometimes sooner)

Hope this helps!

chazspot

I had pretty good movement in my part of MD this weekend. I'm also expecting things to kick up really nice after this week. The east coast is supposed to be really mild this week with temps approaching the 80's. After next weekend are when the temps dip again and I think the pre-rut will commence around that time.

NebBuckHunter

Basically the deer are resting up and not moving much, preparing for that rut which will drain their energy reserves. Most of the big bucks will become more nocturnal. Ive been getting good pics all summer and in the last three weeks i swear the deer have disappeared. All ive seen are does with fawns and a few yearling bucks....

Itll pick up here soon. Hunt the next good low pressure cold front that moves in. I bet youll see more movement.

Fretwear

I was out all day yesterday and saw 2 red squirrels, about 15 blackcap chickadees......and the highlight of the day was....a tie between the new rub 5 yds from my stand and the biggest Redtailed hawk I'd ever seen.

That's hunting.