Mojotex

40 acres is a relativley small area. It is possible that deer are not hanging in that area, but more or less only cruising through. If the overwhelming majority of your trail camera photos are at night, I'd say that is a confirmation. If you have not yet, try planting a food plot. A long narrow of of about an acre or two shuold do the trick.

For sure find the food that the deer might be coming to and from. This time of year acorns should be dropping. Be sure to ease in to your 2 stands only when the wind is right to do so. If you 40 acres is wooded, try a self-climber so that you can relocated easily.

Good luck.

Oldtimr

You still haven't given us much on what you are doing. However, have you been hunting the same spot for 5 years? If so, you probably should find another spot. Just because there are scrapes doesn't assure you that you will see buck while hunting. You want to find a funnel area, that is a place where deer move from one place to another from different directions, my spot has deer coming and going from 4 directions to bedding and feeding areas. Do not put your stand near a bedding area orwalk through it. If the times you aren't hunting are not productive, change the times you are in the stand. You must adjust your hunting to the deers habits or patterns, not the other way around, in addition, deer change patterns depending on what time of the year it is. Pay attention in the stand. I know people who spend their time reading or playing on their smart phone. They should stay at home because they do not see what is going on around them and wonder what they fail. In addition, taking a doe is sucess, it doen't have to be a buck. In fact a big old doe is smarter than the buck so there is no same in taking one. Of course, I hunt for fun and meat, not for bone.

muzzlestuffer

are you hunting the rut ? it seems like you have deer there by what your saying question is are they leaving your area for some reason maybe food ? kind doubt it. you are not hunting mid day which is a great time to hunt! are you completely scent free and quiet ?

nchawkeye

Find where they feed, acorns, crop fields, clover honeysuckle, etc. think about what goats eat, deer are similar...Find trails at creek crossing or before the leaves cover them...Look for piles of poop, notice where grasses, clover, plants have been bitten...A large part of deer hunting is simply being able to read sign, anticipate where they will come from and sit up an ambush with the wind blowing your scent away from where they will be coming from...

flyinlowe

Something fishy.... Short of sitting in the middle of town I can't imagine there are many farms in Missouri that you could hunt for 5 years from 5AM t0 10AM then from 1PM to dark and never see a single deer. Even if you were in the stand doing jumping jacks with tap shoes on you would some time or another see a deer across the field or something.

alleyyooper

Most local library's have lots of books on deer and their habitat. There are also some books written by men long gone these days when deer were few and far in between which are full of help full tips. they were not written by high fence authors either.

Scouting is most important and just a day after the season ends is when to start.

Keep things clean and as scent free as possible.

If it is your property improve the habitat plant food plots that work year round.

Al

Wilcam47

maybe hes sleeping in the stand but yeah I agree even in the worst places you see a deer...it may not be in range but you typically see something. I have gone a couple times and havent seen something while sitting IN the blind but I either bumped them out or they came in after dark. 40 acres is plenty to find a deer.

There also may be poaching around scaring the deer off. That happens a lot out here

rockport

Can we see your trail cam pictures?

GTOHunter

Are You going in Scent-Free?The Deer may smell You before they even get close enough for You the see them?

Wash a Your Hunting Clothes in scent free detergent.
Dry them outside or use a Hunters Specialties earth scented dryer sheet!
Spray down Your Clothes & Gear with Scent Killer Spray.
Wear rubber boots and use them strictly for when Your Scouting/Hunting only.
Keep Your Gear/Clothes in an air tight scent free tub or container.
Before going out Hunting,shower with scent-free soap!

Do not use scented under arm sprays,colognes,shaving cologne etc when Hunting!
Do not go to a Gas Station in Your Hunting gear/clothes shoes etc and pump gas.
Do not go into a Restaurant or cook in Your Hunting Clothes!
Do not Smoke in Your Hunting Clothes....if You Smoke in Your Vehicle then put on Your Hunting Clothes and get in Your truck a Your contaminating them that way also.

Don't use any old rickety Ladder Stands,buy a good sturdy reliable new stand and always wear a safety harness!

Learn to sneak in quietly,use less movements while on stand and learn from a Your mistakes!

bsums

Check the time of day of the photos of the bucks and how frequently they travel that path. If they aren't traveling that path multiple times a week its not going to be as good of a spot. Deer tend to have an area were they bed down at night and during the day, a place or two for water, and a favorite area for food and spend their time at these locations or traveling between them. Find out their routines and setup on their usual paths or over food/water. You can also setup a feeder but some states don't let you take deer over a feeder. But you can plant a small acre for food or create just a pasture or clearing that deer will enjoy to eat in and feel secure. Make sure you don't have a lot of scent and may want to try sprays that conceal your scent. If they can smell you they won't come in.