I will admit I am not an experienced hunter, hunting only since the pandemic and making a go of it on my own, no one to partner up with and learn from. I feel like I have learned a lot by listening and reading and learning from my mistakes. Last year I had some near-success, so this year I thought for sure I would get it done. All in all thought, I have hardly seen any deer, at least compared to last year. The spot that is MOST disappointing is a little 2.5 acre portion of a property that is otherwise sheep pasture and homestead. The in a NW-W-SW wind scent control is bomb proof. It was so hot last year. I saw deer every time I went, saw some crazy rut action, even got a few shots off (misses). This last spring I built some natural blinds to be more hidden, figuring that would increase my chances. The results? Nothing. I have seen a deer once. They are clearly still moving through (in numbers to my estimation) using the space as they did last year, a strip of cover between two larger wooded areas. But they are not using it in the morning, and they are not using in the evening, afternoon. I find it hard to believe that the minor changes I made altered their behavior. So disappointed. Anyone else have a spot go cold? What was the cause?

Keep chugging along man...I bowhunter some in my teen years...spent many years working second shift..not hunting..been back bowhunting 3 years...still have not made a kill on a deer...I hunt public as I do not have permission to hunt private property...have had some deer in front of me this year ...but always beyond my 30 yard shot limit. Some of the spots I hunt I may see a deer every 5-6 times at that location...but I keep going back. There will be a time that everything falls into place and a deer will present a shooting opportunity.

Osage, your little changes did nothing to alter deer movement.

I bowhunted a 275 acre property that is posted to outsiders, had the place to myself. Doe and buck activity all over. Anyplace was a good place to sit and see deer, in years past...not this year. Buck scrapes covered a 25 acre area. It is thick heavy cover, a mixture of mature hardwoods, pines, scrub oaks.

I seen 5 total deer there, no bucks sighted. It hard hunting and what you make it. Don't give up!

Last year was too easy, this year is more normal. It’s deer hunting…

Things change from year to year. I had three tags last year and filled two out of the three. this year I had six and filled " zero ".

I just checked my hunting log....I've done 27 "sits" this year...in 23 of those hunts I did not see a deer. I've never been a "lucky" hunter...I am going to keep going to the woods until it " happens"

It's been a weird year here where I live. Hardly any sign on our property, and it is usually torn up by the middle of November. I checked a few other places and likewise, hardly any sign of scrapes, and that is unusual. It doesn't mean they aren't rutting of course, but it is unusual for our area.

We're seeing does and a few bucks on trail cams, mostly night photos, and a gazillion turkeys on our mountain land. I don't want to call it disappointing, but I can understand that mindset. Today is the last day of archery here, as in most of the state, save for a few WMA's to the far west and far east of us. Rifle season starts next Saturday. The seasons go fast for sure and the older you get, the faster they seem to go. Best thing this year is my buddy Scott and I got to hunt together more than usual.

I didn't go out today, pretty sure the covid has made it's rounds and I've been hacking for three or four days now. But life still goes on. I'll likely be out with the turdy-turdy next Saturday, up on our mountain land. Be nice just to have a good breadfast at the cabin before daylight; I think I enjoy that as much as the hunting nowadays.

On a positive note, deer are always somewhere.

There are just sim9ly years that are that way.

More so when you have limited access to limited acres.

Hang in there. There’s just years that way. I’m having one myself. I’ve hunted the same private property for about 20 years and have seen more deer in 1 morning in the past than I’ve seen in a dozen sits this year. It’s been way to warm here, so I’m hoping that’s the reason.

That happens sometimes, I’ve been bowhunting since I was 13. If you’re not seeing deer, find a different spot. I hunt tons of state land in Michigan, it’s more work but worth it.

Sometimes its a good sign. Does can get pushed out and then right back in to your area by a big buck or two.

I have only seen deer at night or before daylight. I have lots of activity but all at night. But they have to be here in the day time sometime.

You might try some mid day hunts between 10:30 and 2:30.Since your not seeing them and you say thier around.But not seeing them in the morning or evening.Mid day can be good during the rut as well.

When they are in the rut if You can just put your time in the woods. My neighbor is in W.V. hunting this weekend and 400 yards from his tree stand a BIG 6pt walks across the road in front of Me in My truck.11:30 am. Not a care in the world He didn't even run, just walked down the treeline into the woods. middle of the day these Guys just get impatient . Stay Strong!

With most hunters perched in trees now days, you don't get much movement in the woods after daylight. Then around 9:00 on, people start getting cold and hungry and head for the truck. This contributes to getting the mid day movement of deer. Now this doesn't pertain to leatherwalers because once a leatherwaller is on stand before daylight he is there till last light. ;) bvd

George Stout, your experiences this year were exactly the same as in my area. Few deer and a lot of turkeys. The season started out very warm, then it cooled a bit and I was finding scrapes. Warmed back up and everything stopped. Then I got a cold that turned into a sinus infection that hung on for 26 days. I missed basically the first season. What realy sucks is I had a turkey license too. Oh well it is what it is. Our gun season opened on 11/15. While driving down our road 2 days ago my wife and I found 2 does that had been dumped in the ditch one on top of the other. One of them had even been gutted. These kind of people make me sick.

Any ag crops in the area? I’ve seen deer movement change with crop rotations.

That's why they call it hunting not shopping. Your able to get out and enjoy what Mother Nature offers, be greatfull their are some who can't .

That's why they call it hunting not shopping. Your able to get out and enjoy what Mother Nature offers, be greatfull their are some who can't .

Mmm there were some changes. Corn last year soybean this year, in some fields nearby, but fields were the same.

Osage you need to hunt where the deer are. Like where there is the most deer. Drive around and check the bean fields during the summer. Also they will herd up during late winter.

Then you need something to move the deer. Use other hunters in the area to your advantage. I suspect you are hunting wood lots surrounded by farm fields. In that case hunt fence rows and wooded ditches. I had a friend that would shoot nice bucks every year by hunting fencerows (Hebron area). He wouldn't even go to his stands until 10:30 AM. Treestands though!

A guy where I hunt made some blinds this year by stacking railroad ties Lincoln Log style 4 ft high. He put plywood on top of the ties to make a floor. Then he put portable ground blinds on that. That elevates the ground blind just enough to see over wees and brush.

Deer love soybeans also.

Skeets, the place I am talking about here is an isthmus of cover about 60 yds wide running north and south between larger tracts of wooded land. It is used heavily, last year I was there when they were using it and saw lots of cool stuff and missed some good shot opportunities. This year, they are clearly still using it, they are just not using it when I am there. I had really hoped convert on that property this year and neglected to scout as much on my other options so I am playing catch up on my other sites. Some are wood lots like you say, some are tracts of conservation land about 100 acres or so.

I'm starting to creep up in age. I will be 69 in March. Don't get me wrong, I like to see or get a deer. Anymore I am so grateful that I can get out still. I thank God for everyday I am out there. If I see or get a deer that's just extra icing on the cake.

It happens. On the place we hunt we have quite a bit of activity on cameras, nearly all at night. We care still seeing tracked etc. The bow season timeframe was a complete bust this year with very few sightings and no shot opportunities.

But prime time is coming, and we will keep hunting. The season isn't over until the last day.

Crazyjjk x 2 !

Saw a lot of young bucks trolling about prior to rut. Once I hit Halloween, I only saw the same young doe every day. It was a hard season in my opinion.

The still standing corn field beside my house has been a blessing and a curse. Lots of deer but they're buried out in the middle and won't come out. Hunting the adjacent woodlot has not been productive.

But, this was an off year for me and the boys anyway. New jobs, child care, health issues, crazy schedules, etc. Just glad to hunt anytime we could squeeze it in.

My dad didn’t bow hunt but killed a nice buck every year. He hunted put of a blind. He taught me one thing. Patience. If you know deer are in the area be patient. Moving around all the time just messes things up. The longer you sit the more chance you have to kill a deer. You have to want to do it.

It's boring to just sit! Except on the first day of gun season.

It only takes a minute to kill a deer, if only we knew which minute, patience is the key to being successful, especially in bowhunting.

You get to HUNT a deer! No tag here the last two seasons. Be grateful and grab every moment of the hunt. Thank god for birds and rabbits! Matthew

An offering...

Get you a hunting buddy... Try with a gun first... lots to learn. Going a decade eating tag soup is a great way to quit hunting.

Jar

Having hunted two provinces of western canada , there's a world of difference in deer numbers . Had a spot in Alberta , I would see deer every time I hunted. In BC where I hunt now , you can go a month without seeing a deer where your sitting. Getting a good spot is critical for success . Also depends on how far you have to travel . So many factors . I have hunted enough now to know that your ability to shoot a bow accurately, is only a small part of the whole process. Then you can have a great spot that changes , could be a crop, or wolves coming through will push deer out for a month., could be hunting pressure . Logging , etc etc Been lucky in the past to have great moose hunting , a d deer at the same spot ! Pretty hard to say why things change for anyone unless you are there to see the area . As real estate people say ....location , location, location

Well said Bluesman. Where in BC are you hunting? . I visit friends in Quensel and you see whitetail s everywhere.

Where I am in Ontario 1.5hr NE of Toronto the deer density is very low. I’ve been out 12 times this year and have only seen one deer.

The biggest thing for me is working on the setup. It seems like there’s so much to think about.

The Interior. The North Okanagan. Lots of fruit growing . Problem is none of the farms allow hunters . The numbers are only high in " pockets " usually difficult to get permission. The deer numbers in the interior are not near what they are in Alberta . I know a biologist , and he had worked in Alberta and contracted privately in BC. He confirmed the whitetail numbers are not great in most of BC. We have a lot of predators where I live too. Grizzly , black Bear , wolf, cougar . Some areas are pretty good but a long ways from where I live . I still go to Alberta each year and huntvwith friends . In BC I will find a good spot eventually . I'm optimistic. BC does not have a very good Archery season . 8 DAYS . Then you compete with rifle hunters . There is a short season in December in a few places . Not complaining, just saying that whitetail hunting can sure vary from location to location. I've been lucky over the years with some great spots , tough presently but I'll figure it out .

The last deer I took in the my BC spot , I had a grizzly in the area . After I arrowed the deer , I saw it go down . I walked out to the main forestry road , went back to my truck parked a ways away and brought a sled and a shotgun with slugs. Dressed the deer quick and got him out quick . I returned the next day to leave the hide and some bones for the critters in the area. I found my arrow and for curiousity went to where I dressed the deer . A grizzly had visited and eaten the entrails . You have to be careful in some areas and be aware .

I feel ya — this is my 5th year hunting, self taught for the most part. I got my first deer two year ago, but haven’t seen one remotely within range since then.

I only hunt public land and only get a handful of days per year to be in the field. This makes it pretty tough. I’m starting to realize how insanely

Lucky I got two year ls ago. Fees bad.

If you have already registered, please

sign in now

For new registrations

Click Here