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At A Loss- Beginner Bow Hunter

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At A Loss- Beginner Bow Hunter

Old 11-29-2014, 09:44 AM
  #1  
Spike
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Hey guys,
A few months ago I decided to pick up bow hunting, nobody in my family ever has hunted and it was always something I wanted to pick up. I purchased my bow and obtained my license, and was also given permission to hunt on what seemed like perfect land- 300+ acres of nothing but a cornfields, creeks and a mixture of oaks and pines. I picked out a spot to put my stand along a trail and baited it with corn about a month and a half before bow season began and kept replenishing the corn as it was eaten. Finally when bow season came in, I had my bow sighted in perfectly and all my gear ready and scentless. Weeks went by and the only thing I ever had a shot on was a little yearling doe. Back then I let it go, but now im about desperate for anything. I still had my hopes up knowing that when it became colder and the rut kicked in I would see a lot more movement, but never did. Finally, I decided to move my stand on another trail I found that seemed to be used quite a bit and stuck out the most after I scouted the entire land. I still haven't got a thing. I've tried using a salt lick, and put out more corn and tried calls and doe in heat urine- the whole nine yards, but still nothing will come close. I've seen two mid sized bucks, but from far away and they only pass through the land very quickly. One came in pretty close after I grunted at it, but I never had a clear shot to any vitals so I let it pass (I'd rather let a young buck grow than injure it and let the coyotes get it a few days later). I've also studied the moon phases and hunted at the major times, hunted from morning to midday, midday to evening, mid-morning to mid-evening- you name it. I'm running out of ideas and I am close to giving up on the place, it just doesn't make sense to me why such an area that seems so "perfect" has no deer. Every experienced hunter I've spoken to can't seem to tell me what's wrong either and I always pass the same little checklist that they come up with. I'm hoping some of you will give me some tips or tell me if I really should just move on and try to find a new place to hunt. All advice is appreciated! Thanks for reading

-Determined beginner
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Old 11-29-2014, 09:51 AM
  #2  
Giant Nontypical
 
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Welcome newbie! That's why they call it hunting and with a bow it's that much tougher to do than with a gun.
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Old 11-29-2014, 09:56 AM
  #3  
Spike
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Had two other experienced hunters come out for an entire week (using rifles) and they didn't see a thing. That's what really made me wonder about the area
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Old 11-29-2014, 09:58 AM
  #4  
Giant Nontypical
 
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Originally Posted by LikeARock
Had two other experienced hunters come out for an entire week (using rifles) and they didn't see a thing. That's what really made me wonder about the area
Where are you and what is the deer population in that county? Are there a lot of deer around the area other than where you're hunting or is it a marginal area for deer?
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Old 11-29-2014, 10:01 AM
  #5  
Spike
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I'm in Rowan County, NC. There are supposed to be plenty of deer in the area, many people hunt here.
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Old 11-29-2014, 12:31 PM
  #6  
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Get yourself a couple of trail cameras and pattern the deer. They could be nocturnal for all you know. I hunt public land in Florida and I have hunted in CO, FL, AL and VA and Florida is the hardest public land hunting EVER!!! That trail camera will help you on so much. Also it took me a few years to get my first harvest with a bow. Takes time and patience and once you get the monkey off your back then you are golden. Also I normally don't call as much but our buck to doe ratio is out of wack. Only calls I use are a fawn bleat during bow season and the Primos can during the rut. I usually just try to find the does during the rut and when you find the does your are going to find a buck. And the deer are there you have seen two bucks. I haven't seen a buck yet this year. Plenty of does no bucks, but it isn't the rut down here. Our Rut doesn't start till about January 17th and goes till the middle of February.

Last edited by Brandon_SPC; 11-29-2014 at 12:44 PM.
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Old 11-29-2014, 01:48 PM
  #7  
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Make sure Your staying as Scent-free as possible,try slipping in as quiet as possible with limited movement.If You over Hunt an Area the Deer are avoiding You and they know Your there....put up a few different stands and hunt the one that has the correct wind direction that won't give You away?

I Bow Hunted for about 4 years before I finally got it right and had Deer under me within Bow Range and after lots of practice shooting my Bow.Stay after the Deer and learn each time You go out.At least Your not taking chances at taking bad shots....that makes You a Respectable Hunter!
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Old 11-29-2014, 04:22 PM
  #8  
MZS
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Sounds to me like the deer patterned you. And they knew that once the sun went down, they had a nice free safe meal at your bait pile.

Next season, have a variety of stands. And if you bait, only bait for 2 or 3 days and then hunt. Use smaller amounts, like a gallon or two so the deer have a reason to compete at bit and arrive early rather than after dark. And try to bring your bait out when the deer are not likely to be there - if you are only baiting a few days, you can probably do so without them knowing. If not successful, move to another stand and do the same. Choose your stand and hunt so you are downwind from the deer. The key is the element of surprise.

And if I were you, I would shoot the first legal deer you have a good shot at - this will help you get some confidence.
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Old 11-30-2014, 04:00 AM
  #9  
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I'm in the same boat. Seen plenty of deer, just not up close enough to get a shot at. I'm at a disadvantage because I'm hunting from the ground, but i hoped there would at least be one dumb enough to let me get a shot. I'm at the point now where I'll swerve INTO one on the road.
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Old 11-30-2014, 08:19 AM
  #10  
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Like said above, get a couple of camera's and get them out. It will give you a good idea of how many, where, and what times they are moving. If your hunting property with that much corn ground, that tells me they are in the corn, and they have both food and cover there, so no need to move from it. After the harvest, it will get better. They will continue to go back to the fields to scrounge. Find the travel corridor between the fields and cover where they bed, and set up there. Keep at it, don't give up. Took me several years before I got my first one. Also use the wind, not only during hunting a stand, but getting to and from it. One other thing, is scent control, there is alot of products out there, and I don't use any of them. I've changed to smoking my cloths. I've had more up close encounters now, don't know why, buy the smoke does more in scent control than anything I've ever used, and it's cheap. Make a small fire on the ground in some dry leaves or grass, and kneel in the smoke before ya hunt. Make sure your fire is out when you leave. Dosen't take alot.
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