swhughes81 Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 I'm really getting discouraged hunting this year. I'm at a lose and don't know what to do. I've been hunting my in laws 23 acres of woods with a small 3 acre picked bean field. I'm sitting on a hill about 60 yards in the woods looking down the hill there is a creek at the very bottom and beyond that is a cut corn field. I have hunted it only on Saturday and Sunday the Last 3 weekends. There is sign all over lots of old rubs, trails, oaks and hickory trees and four new rubs. However I haven't seen a deer, not one the whole season and ours started oct 1st. I don't know what to do its bumming me out my trail cam over The last two weeks has had 2 deer on it a buck and doe each like 2 am and only once. All the rest of the woods I've stayed out of just to keep it un pressured and the north end is really thick so I'm afraid the deer are maybe Bedding in there any info would be helpful and appreciated. If I knew how to put a pic of google map on here I would just to give u idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 Any acorns? Deer this morning were hammering the acorns here. If there are trees dropping in the woods they may be there and might be why you are not seeing them going to the picked fields. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 (edited) They are probably on another food source right now...scout the outside edge of the piece to see where they are heading to..prob acorns Edited November 4, 2013 by Mathews XT Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swhughes81 Posted November 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 man I need help guys!! There are still some corn and bean fields up would that hinder things for me. Just 4 years ago just quarter mile down the road I killed a170" buck and seen deer everytime I went. I just don't have permission there anymore cause we moved and it come with the house! There are some acorns and hickory and walnut but I think there red oak not white Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straight Shooter Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 Hunt the acorns, they are tearing them up right now. Look for some oaks that are close tot he bedding area you described and try to get within 100 yards or so of it. If the wind it right, I would get even closer to the thicket. I am seeing very little deer movement in the fields right now because of the acorns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WStreblo Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 man I need help guys!! I agree, find the acorns and you will find the deer. Especially of the acorns are close to the thick stuff. I'd also tell you that if you can sneak a stand in close enough to the thick stuff and find a crop of acorn trees is only hunt that stand with a perfect wind and I'd only hunt it when I could sit all day... When food is close to bedding areas you will deer get up, grab a few bites and lay back down and repeat the process all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 make sure your wind is right and not swirling in the creek bottom. picked corn fields aren't usually hit until night fall. all that sign you're seeing could be made at dark. thick cover will hold deer especially around now. things are approaching the chasing phase of the rut. older does coming into estrous will use that cover to get chased around opposed to that open field. setup along the fringe of that cover on multiple trails if possible. make sure you've got a good wind and can get in there without bumping everything out. you'll see deer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swhughes81 Posted November 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 man I need help guys!! Thanks guys I guess talking to my wife's grandpa there is an old wood stand in the thick stuff on the north side of the property. The people that used to own the property before they auctioned it were older lawyers that owned that property to hunt it they just got too old now to keep it now we own it! They say u can learn a lot from old timers and maybe putting another stand in there by the old stuff may be the ticket it's thick and there is a gravel road next to the wood lot with fields and timber on other side and trails going into the thick stuff from the road and when I say think I'm talking crouching down to get in thick stuff where there is no visibility but u get thru it and there is some cedars on a hill just on the edge of the cut corn that's where I'm thinking they are bedding down. Thanks guys ur help is already boosting my confidence! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WStreblo Posted November 4, 2013 Report Share Posted November 4, 2013 Thanks guys I guess talking to my wife's grandpa there is an old wood stand in the thick stuff on the north side of the property. The people that used to own the property before they auctioned it were older lawyers that owned that property to hunt it they just got too old now to keep it now we own it! They say u can learn a lot from old timers and maybe putting another stand in there by the old stuff may be the ticket it's thick and there is a gravel road next to the wood lot with fields and timber on other side and trails going into the thick stuff from the road and when I say think I'm talking crouching down to get in thick stuff where there is no visibility but u get thru it and there is some cedars on a hill just on the edge of the cut corn that's where I'm thinking they are bedding down. Thanks guys ur help is already boosting my confidence! I guess I will come out and help you hunt it.... Twist my arm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlepard Posted November 5, 2013 Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 Deer go to the fields for grain when the temp has a sharp drop it raises there body heat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierhunter Posted November 5, 2013 Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 man I need help guys!! A 23 acre woods isn't that large. What is surrounding it? My guess is that if the neighboring property isn't timber touching yours that they are spending time in a different woods. Wind is another issue. If your 60 yards inside the woods then the only wind you can hunt with is blowing back out to the field in the evening. If your trail cam isn't getting pictures them you have it in the wrong spot. Put it over a scrape that is active and large. If none exist then you probably are right that deer aren't around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swhughes81 Posted November 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 man I need help guys!! There is a major highway behind me to the east which the bean field runs too. Then to my left (south) is a dead end country road woods run to road and continue on other side with ag fields to my right (north) is several acres of woods getting very very thick ending with a gravel road with woods and fields on other side. Finally in front of me (west) is about 200 yards of woods ending at cut corn field. Was thinking of putting a stand at field edge for evening hunts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swhughes81 Posted November 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 man I need help guys!! I have a picture of the property it's easy to tell u can see my in laws house next to highway. That small field the corner my stand is 60 yards into the timber. I am not sure how to post this picture other than to my profile pics. Thanks for your help maybe u can see what I am describing. That gravel road on top screen that north west corner has cedars and is thick as it can be I was just staying out thinking they are bedding there they only own about 25 Ft Into the corn field so I can't hunt those trees out in the middle and whoever bought the Field has been removing the trees except the ones closest to the woods so far anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straight Shooter Posted November 5, 2013 Report Share Posted November 5, 2013 Old platform stands? Man, that is the first thing I look for on older property. These are some of the best scouting tools and easy to find as well. There is actually one of them 80 yards behind my house on a small sloping ridge covered in oak tress, and yes, I have a stand 25 yards from it. I've killed deer from it the last two season's and now its my son location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted November 6, 2013 Report Share Posted November 6, 2013 A 23 acre woods isn't that large. What is surrounding it? My guess is that if the neighboring property isn't timber touching yours that they are spending time in a different woods. Wind is another issue. If your 60 yards inside the woods then the only wind you can hunt with is blowing back out to the field in the evening. If your trail cam isn't getting pictures them you have it in the wrong spot. Put it over a scrape that is active and large. If none exist then you probably are right that deer aren't around. I'd have to agree with Hoosier. Not sure where you are but Western IL got hammered by EHD last year and deer numbers are way down. All the guys in my area say the same thing - trail cam pictures and sightings are about 1/2 what they were in years past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swhughes81 Posted November 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2013 man I need help guys!! Well I haven't brought that up but in 2009 when I killed my buck I also killed a doe a month before and I saw deer every sit best year Ever. Last year and this year not good man. And I do know before season last year my wife grandpa saw 30 dead deer along creek about 1 mile down road and my buddy seen 13 coon hunting at night last year so that has been on my mind as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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