Ethan Givan Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Our bow season opened two weeks ago, I have been hunting 6 times, and I havnt seen a single deer. All that I have seen from my stands are squirrels. Im really getting tired of this. I bust my butt all summer planting foodplots, checking trail cameras and hanging stands, and I cant even see a deer. I dont know what else to do, I try to keep scent free, I hunt with the wind in my favor, and I hunt where I have found deer sign. I know there are deer here because I get pics on my trail cam and there are tracks every where and my soybeans are getting mowed down. Im gonna go one more time, lucky number 7, and if I dont see anything im not gonna go again until gun season. Sorry for the long rant but this is rediculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpcNape Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 I sure do know your disappointment. Keep your chin up though, last year I hunted hard for two weeks strait without seeing a single deer. Then like magic I shot two deer within another two week period... If you've done everything you know how to, then just get out there and put your time in. I'm sure you'll be posting soon with some good news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 How's the weather your way? If it's warm...they may not be moving until late...do you just have one stand set up or other spots? Only 6 times....believe me, I've hunted alot more than that before I've seen a deer or gotten a shot. You won't see a deer if you aren't in the woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelhunter91 Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 I hunted our property upstate where we plant foodplots and prune & fertilize and maintain apple trees for 4 years before I saw a single deer. Keep your head up. It'll happen. Just wait for that November Magic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Dude, your in a bad rut. Just keep it up, your hard work will pay off eventually, until then just try to enjoy your time on the stand. We've all been there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michiganbowhunter_SQ2 Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Look at it this way, it could be worse, you can still be waiting for the season to open, and even when it does open, you have no where to hunt except state land that is 35-40 minutes away. That is my situation, I still plan on getting out, but I would really love to have somewhere around here to hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Dude, your in a bad rut. Just keep it up, your hard work will pay off eventually, until then just try to enjoy your time on the stand. We've all been there. So True... I know how simple this is about to sound but it is a proven fact: You cant kill what is not there...go where they are. I've personally hunted in spots that I was absolutely sure deer would be. Turns out they thought differently then I did. I'll tell you the truth of when my success hunting took the biggest leap forward and became more successful: I stopped doing the same things over and over again expecting different results. As soon as I started going places I had not before, and getting there earlier and staying later, I immediately started seeing and taking more deer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Patience, Patience if there are deer in the area. The greatest attribute of the bow hunter is PATIENCE Change it up a little if need be. Go higher in the tree. Find funnels or saddles to hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Givan Posted September 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 I have hunted three different spots this year. 5 afternoon hunts and one morning hunt. It hasnt been real hot, but warm. Other guys I go to school with are seeing deer so I dont think its the weather. Its just really annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Try still hunting...Go out there and sneak around. If you jump something up you may get a shot and you may not...but you'll know where and when the deer were;) All that info gets recorded upstairs and you can adjust what your doing to fit them. BTW...if you think you cant sneak up on something your wrong. If I can sneak up and shoot a Turkey and a Bobcat I know you can do that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Givan Posted September 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 (edited) This year is starting off like last year. I didnt see a deer until the end of september lsat year, and I saw only a few the whole season. I never got a shot at one. Ive hunted almost every where I know to. I got a couple spots left to try. If they dont produce then I dont know what Im gonna do. Edited September 19, 2009 by Ethan Givan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 It's still early in the season, no matter where you live. Why don't you try some spot and stalk one day through the property you are hunting, and use that as a chance to explore and see where the deer are hanging out and bedding.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Givan Posted September 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 It's still early in the season, no matter where you live. Why don't you try some spot and stalk one day through the property you are hunting, and use that as a chance to explore and see where the deer are hanging out and bedding.... I might, even though I have walked over every inch of this property this spring and summer. Maybe i will find somethin though. The only downside is I would have to use my climber to hunt anywhere new, which means at least a 1/2 mile walk through some rough country. Oh well, gotta do what you gotta do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layin on the smackdown Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Easy Ethan...don't get ahead of yourself there pal. We in IL havent even opened our season yet bud. give it a rest, wait for a different weather pattern. You are clearly being entirely to hard on yourself. Whats the rush? Put your time in like you are and you will be rewarded. Success is always a product of your effort, and 90% of success is just showing up...Don't get so hacked, this time of year deer are not as easy to predict...Keep your head up and keep on enjoying your time on stand - it will happen...probably when you least expect it. Good luck Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Ethan, I dont know if you can do this where you hunt or not but try it. I know that after the first couple of hours sitting in the stand and not seeing anything my father taught me to "Leap Frog". Sneak around and find a good spot where you have visibility...sit down. Stay there 45mins to 1hr and move again if your not seeing anything...but move like your about to see a deer just around that next tree or brush and your tring to sneak up and touch it's tail;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Remember that you need not be in a tree to kill deer. I'd look for funnels or spots above trails to set in wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Givan Posted September 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Easy Ethan...don't get ahead of yourself there pal. We in IL havent even opened our season yet bud. give it a rest, wait for a different weather pattern. You are clearly being entirely to hard on yourself. Whats the rush? Put your time in like you are and you will be rewarded. Success is always a product of your effort, and 90% of success is just showing up...Don't get so hacked, this time of year deer are not as easy to predict...Keep your head up and keep on enjoying your time on stand - it will happen...probably when you least expect it. Good luck Dan Yeah your probably right. I know its early. Its just that i got alot of buddies that hunt and they are seeing deer, and Im not, and thats hard to swallow for me. Mostly because I work so hard at it and they dont. Plus I live for deer season from the time its over in January until September. I keep telling myself I wont go anymore if I dont see anything next time, but I probably will, just because I cant resist the desire to be in a tree. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Have you thought of using all the resources yet? Have you looked at the Aerial Photo's & Topo maps for the land you hunt??? Those could help you figure out where the thickest cover is and identify travel corridors and pinch points. bing.com (maps) and google earth are some good places to start looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAarcher Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Your time will come. I came from Michigan and my Uncle the best bow hunter I've ever personally met wouldn't even set foot near his stands until about october 24th or 25th when the pre rut in Michigan is going. This created a safe zone for the deer. The surrounding pressure from other hunters on neighboring properties would push all the deer onto his property. After they stacked up in there he would hunt the pre rut and rut and after seeing his results every year this might not be a bad idea to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Givan Posted September 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Have you thought of using all the resources yet? Have you looked at the Aerial Photo's & Topo maps for the land you hunt??? Those could help you figure out where the thickest cover is and I dentify travel corridors. bing.com (maps) and google earth are some good places to start looking. Yeah I have GW. I have looked at it on Google earth and I have walked every bit of it. I hunted on the edge of thick cover tonight with no luck. I had seen deer in the past in this spot so thats why i hunted there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 When are the deer showing up on your trail cameras???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Givan Posted September 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 When are the deer showing up on your trail cameras???? Right before daylight and right at dark. Not shooting hours. Ive tried hunting back in the woods off the food sources hoping to catch them before dark but it hasnt worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 (edited) Move your cameras! Put them where you think the deer are coming from to get to where your seeing them now. You'll know their in the right spot when you start seeing daylight pictures...Perfect standsite;) This may sound funny...but if you had cameras up in front of the grocery store meat case and wanted to find out where the meat was coming from you move your cameras to the loading dock! If the Meat truck is showing up at night move the cameras to the entrance to the parking lot. You keep moving them back along the travel path of the truck until you can see it during the day..so to speak;) Edited September 19, 2009 by GWSmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Givan Posted September 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 Move your cameras! Put them where you think the deer are coming from to get to where your seeing them now. You'll know their in the right spot when you start seeing daylight pictures...Perfect standsite;) This may sound funny...but if you had cameras up in front of the grocery store meat case and wanted to find out where the meat was coming from you move your cameras to the loading dock! If the Meat truck is showing up at night move the cameras to the entrance to the parking lot. You keep moving them back along the travel path of the truck until you can see it during the day..so to speak;) Thats good advice. I really need to, but the problem is narrowing down where they are coming from lol. But i will give it a try. Ive never had this kind of trouble before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted September 19, 2009 Report Share Posted September 19, 2009 I'd love to hear what you say when that fletching dissappears behind the shoulder of a deer this year man...Your going to go ballistic...LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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