rgarand3006

Got home last night from hunting Monday-Wednesday at in-laws' property with my nine-year old boy. This is my first deer season ever. First day we got there late, stalked a while, then saw four does in "the garden" as we were driving back up to the house. Next a.m., I was waiting for the does in that spot, no luck. Tuesday evening, same spot, same thing. We also hunted all over the property Tuesday daytime. Son saw a doe around 11am, but she was far off and headed deep into the woods. On Wednesday, I waited alone in a spot where I had seen a doe back in November early a.m., same time I had seen her then. Heard something large crashing around about 15 minutes before legal shooting time. Walked back up to house and jumped a deer about 40 yards uphill from me, sprinting into the woods so fast I couldn't tell if it was a buck or doe.

My thoughts:
1. Seems like the deer are staying deep in the thickets during hunting hours. The thickets are actually closer to the house (at top of hill) than to the trail that encircles the hill. It's very noisy to get off the trails, though. You can't see far on the property, even with all the dead vegetation in late December. Wish I had a .30-30, but I don't and won't spend for it. Sound is very important on the property. Much of the vegetation is virtually impenetrable. Deer like it a lot.
2. Plenty of deer around, especially judging from the four does seen on Monday evening. Lots of people hunt nearby, (Neches River area of Cherokee County, Texas) and may be pushing deer onto the property. This is the first year anyone has hunted this property in nearly ten years. Sounds like a "deer refuge" to me.
3. Didn't have time to scout, set up lanes, or set up deer corn before the season began.
4. I really could have used some does in the freezer. Now I am a "vegetarian", the Alabama-Coushatta tribe's word for "poor hunter".
5. A neighbor in Cherokee County suggested planting something deer like to eat as well as putting out some deer feeders.

I guess the Texas-legal answer is to use the info I have now to:
-set up feeders, deer corn and lanes starting in August
-put up metallic, rot-proof stands along the lanes and leave them alone to let the deer get accustomed to them.
-bring large ice-chests out for opening day (around November 6, 2005)
-lots more scouting

No dogs, no rimfires allowed.

My rifle is a .30-06 Remington 700 bolt-action with a "Maverick" scope (read cheap and lousy). I will probably just go to iron sights as there are scarcely any shots to be had over 50 yards on the entire property. My son may be ready for a small rifle next fall, but is content with just coming along for now. He lusts rabbits and squirrels for now as he is only comfortable with a small .22 rifle. (Stevens/Savage Model 72 "Crackshot").

Canadian Bush Wacker

This is your first year, relax, there is more to learn and it will happen. It sounds like your sitting on a gold mine. 50 yard shots, get rid of the scope, you won't have time to play. Plus have you played with this toy at all. It has to be one with you, in order for you to work as a team. Take the time and it will pay off, sounds like you have done your reading now put on your boots. Good luck.

JimboHunter1

You hunted three days and you're frustrated for not killing anything yet? Just take a deep breath, relax, and go get 'em next time. If you want instant meat, you might want to check out your grocer's freezer.
[&:]

PositiveBo

So you hunted two or three days and didn't kill a deer, I hate to seem unsympathetic but...big deal. You enjoyed time in the outdoors with a son who is enjoying hunting, I believe all young people should, as my Dad used to say 'get some more squirrels under your belt' prior to deer hunting. So many young people today start with deer...a mistake in my opinion.

I've been blessed with countless hunting success but I can tell you this...among my fondest memories were hunting small game with my Father, even as he was hunting deer while demanding I hunt small game until he determined I 'was ready'. Don't become so consumed with killing a deer as to lose sight of the memories that you stand to create right now.

You're in an area where, in time, you will surely score. Enjoy your campfire, grill some steaks, buy some cool gear for yourself and your son, preach safety and ethics, have many laughs...you're storing up riches in memories, the success stories will surely follow.

MOTOWNHONKEY

We can tell it is your first season by the way you describe your hunts. You need to qiut tramping all over the woods spooking all the deer. Pick a morning spot and sit there and be quiet until atleast 10 am. If no luck pick an evening spot and sit there from 2 until dark. You can,t stalk deer in thick noisy woods. They hear you as soon as you snap that first twig. Find spots you know you can ambush them at.

rgarand3006

Howdy Jimbo,

As a young Army officer I was stationed at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, which I believe was in Harford County. I remember going for a long run on a Saturday morning and passing by a small patch of woods into which dozens of hunters in blaze orange were about to march when someone blew a whistle. Looked pretty dangerous to me, but I guess y'all know what you're doing up North.

The in-laws' property is about 100 acres of East Texas woods and farm, mostly woods. I have been walking it at various times for the last 12 years, but only recently decided to try my hand at deer hunting. It's something I have long wanted to do, but my Dad had no interest. As soon as I got back to the house on Wednesday morning (only an hour after my son arose), we spent the whole rest of our outdoors time looking for squirrels and rabbits. Unfortunately, I had already seen all the squirrels as they were active around sunrise, in bed I guess by 9am.

The best advice I got on this forum a couple months ago was to make the hunting all about my son. I did a decent job of it, he is eager to go again. I kept repeating that advice to myself as I scratched my head wondering what I could do to bring in a deer in spite of all the hurdles I faced. As I walked in the last morning, having just briefly spotted a deer, it occurred to me that deer are "big game animals" and that I was like some scrub from the practice squad thrown into a playoff game. What the heck did I expect?

I think a lot of the frustration is due to my next door neighbor who bagged an 11-point buck and a 10-point buck this season. I lightly hinted that he could take us with him down to the Hill Country this week, but he didn't bite and I didn't push it any harder than that. I really wish I could go out hunting with someone helpful, though. I minded the two books I had read,:staying downwind, getting comfortable with the rifle ahead of time, using a cover scent on our boots, using scent-free detergent, wearing camoflague on everything but my glasses and the rifle itself. Fortunately I guess, deer hunting is not like working with the computers I support for a living; following all the directions to a tee may NOT lead to a "mission accomplished". Besides, we had a lot of fun, especially when we observed that like deer, we could smell Grandpa's pickup truck from 50 yards away. I thought maybe we were going native until I realized a gas cap had snapped off his truck and it was leaking onto the ground! So much for our superhuman sense of smell...

rgarand3006

I don't think my nine year old could handle such long times in the ambush spots. Heck, I'm not sure I could. But hey, if I want to get a deer, I may just have to scratch out one day from a four day hunt where I follow your advice. By then, I bet the nine year old will be ready for a day up at the house, hanging out with the grandparents.

Another problem here is that we have to ask everybody to stay around the house on the hilltop while we are hunting. This could lead to friction. Fortunately, this hunt was held while the in-laws were in Abingdon, Maryland.

JimboHunter1

rgargarand3006-
Yep, Aberdeen Proving Grounds is straight up Route 7 from my house. The bombs they drop are so strong that they've knocked pictures off of my walls before. [8D]
Hey, I'm all for you spending time in the woods with your son. That's what it's all about. Talking, teaching, watching, and listening. My response was posted just to remind you that you are taking part in an activity called "hunting", which means that there are no guarantees or promises. Hunting is so special because you just don't know what kind of bounty you're coming home with... It might be a 12 point and it might be nothing!

And to address this comment, I've never hunted in Central Maryland in my life (although I might someday). I hunt in the mountains of Western Maryland and have never witnessed nor taken part in the hunting methods you described.

Good luck hunting with your son. I wish you the best.

cardeer

Hey I know guys that hunted 10 years before getting a deer. I got 3 this year,but over 300 hours on stand and hundreds more pre season scouting. It can be a full time job.

ButchA

Don't feel bad.... This is your first year and at least you are seeing deer. My first year, I didn't see anything - not a thing! []

I like what some else said before, "deer can hear you snap that first twig". Boy, ain't that the truth! They can definitely hear you shut your truck's door for that matter too! Most important yet, is their legendary sense of smell. Deer can smell you coming over the other side of the ridge too. I mean, not to get crude, but even if you, uh, break wind... deer will know what you ate for dinner the previous night!!

This is my 3rd year hunting, and I had a great season. Granted, I didn't bag a deer, but the opportunities were greater and I saw more deer than I have before - which tells me I am doing something right. This year, I decided to make a log (computer spreadsheet) of my hunts, so I can look back on what went right, what went wrong. Click on it in my signature below and read my hunting log. I converted it into an html file on my website.

Just remember what people always say.... "it's called hunting and not killing". Good luck and get 'me next season! [8D]

Butch A.