New To This Deer Hunting Thing....

[TroutHunter 39]

Hey all,

This is my first year of "actual" deer hunting. I've had tags before and drove around the bush roads looking for them while grousing but haven't harvested anything (a no doubter when blasting shotguns all day). This year I am devoting time strictly to deer. I am attempting the city archery deer hunt and have a stand set up on a friends property. There are a ton visiting the deer chow i have set out for them the last few days on the trail cams... Bucks and does, both appearing within 20yds of my stand generally at the same times every day (dusk and dawn, within 30min give or take). Problem is when I sit in the stand (i set up an hr or so before they usually appear) they are no where to be found... My friends dad said to place an article of clothing in the area so they get used to my scent while feeding on the bait (any thoughts??)... I've tried rattling, grunting, bleating, nothing seems to bring them in... I am set up in a tree on the edge of a small clearing, 2 or 3 game trails intersecting this clearing... Any tips (anyone tried Tinks Scent Bombs)? I am a patient person and don't expect to harvest one right away, but im a bit shocked that I haven't seen anything yet...

Thanks,

Adam

[Hurketthunter 65]

Take the wind direction into consideration, if they catch a whif of you while they come in its game over, the deer win. Also since your new to this I would suggest focusing on being a still as possible. I've sat with new hunters and they're idea of being still and mine are worlds apart. You don't want to even twitch when your expecting deer within 20 yards. I've had squirrels run across my leg and birds land on me while in a deer stand. So if your moving to scratch your nose or you need to adjust how your seated they can see you and will be gone before you ever see them. You might be doing all of this right, i have no way of knowing but these are things I would consider in your position. Best of luck.

Hurketthunter

[TroutHunter 39]

Thanks,

I'll keep that all in mind, I just need to be more patient...

Adam

[Guest DartonRage2]

Wind is your best friend especially since you're bow hunting. Deer tend to pattern a hunter when the hunter is putting out a food source. If you have time try to figure out which trail the deer are using to get to the corn. Often the deer will be on the trail camera within minutes of the hunter leaving at dark which means they circled down wind while the hunter was sitting patiently waiting for them to show up. When deer pattern you it gets difficult. As I said earlier find their preffered travel route and if you can move your stand away from the bait you can mAybe intercept them on their way to feed. Deer are a creature of habit unlike moose. Move your stand around and try to not set up directly on the bait as they will circle down wind of the bait almost 100% of the time. I hope this helps and I hope I'm making sense lol happy hunting and good luck.

[Guest DartonRage2]

Another thing you should consider is a climber tree stand because they're easy to move around quickly..do Some research on them tho to ensure that you are looking into a safe one. I like the viper climbers they are safe comfortable and they're quiet because they attach to the tree with a wrap around cable which ensures that they're quiet. I bought a climber that was all steel a few years back and I honestly left it in the bush because it was extremely noisy uncomfortable and most of all unsafe. Dnr sells the viper and they're my favorite climber. It's nice and easy to move to the downwind side of any trail and I've even climbed trees that aren't perfectly straight with them. They make playing the wind a lot easier because you can easily move then from trail to trail because let's be serious there are very few days where there's no wind in November. My point is that the wind is usually against the hunter but a climber allows you to possibly use the wind to your favour. You'd be surprised at how much of a difference setting up even less than a hundred yards down wind of the deer chow can make a difference to your success rate. As I said earlier it's giving you a chance to intercept the deer when they circle down wind of your bait and in most cases when bait is involved the hunter in his or her trees stand which is usually within 20 yards of the bait. Plus when the hunter has already Spent a few days in tree close to the bait I can almost guarantee you that more than one deer has circled just a few yards downwind of the hunter undetected and backed out when they winded the hunter only to return after dark and eat the bait. The wind Will most likely aalways be there so any piece of equipment that allows you to benefit by using the wind isba useful one.

[jonnyriabov 4]

I just bring carrots with me.... just be careful not to start a full on deer riot with them!

[salmonider 1]

i know what you mean about them standing on the trail and waiting for you to leave. this guy came out 10 minutes after i left my tree on sat not quite a shooter, but would have been nice to see him.

[brookiebuster 117]

Nice looking buck! He should be a big guy next year..

[TroutHunter 39]

Wow I didnt expect to get all these results! I'll try moving my stand (i only have a hang on stand) more downwind from the corn... I've been looking at climbing stands due to their ease of placement in different locations compared to the hang on style, but price is an issue as i'm a broke univ student haha... I hung a Tinks 69 doe scent bomb the other day and had a heavy 10pt show up on the trail cam (when i wasn't around of course), it was the only time ive seen him other than when im driving close to my hunting area.... maybe it was the scent, maybe it was luck, but i hope to see him out when i sit this weekend!

good luck to everyone and thanks for the help,

adam

[TroutHunter 39]

Wow I didnt expect to get all these results! I'll try moving my stand (i only have a hang on stand) more downwind from the corn... I've been looking at climbing stands due to their ease of placement in different locations compared to the hang on style, but price is an issue as i'm a broke univ student haha... I hung a Tinks 69 doe scent bomb the other day and had a heavy 10pt show up on the trail cam (when i wasn't around of course), it was the only time ive seen him other than when im driving close to my hunting area.... maybe it was the scent, maybe it was luck, but i hope to see him out when i sit this weekend!

good luck to everyone and thanks for the help,

adam

[Guest DartonRage2]

Look at the swollen neck on that thing. I wouldn't be letting that 3.5 yr old walk with the way my work schedule is going lol.