Illinois Bowhuntin

Personally I would set up 50 or so yards inside the woods.One of your biggest porblems is that you are on the wrong side of the tree.NEVER sit on the same side of the tree you expect the animal to be coming from.I know it sucks to sit with your baack to the trail.But atleast you are more hidden from the elk that way.I would bet that the elk are traveling just inside the woods until after dark.I think if you change your stand location to inside the wood line you will start seeing more animals.The bull elk will travel inside the wood line scent checking the field as they go from bedding area to feeding area.Give it a thoguh.I think this will work more for you and put you a lot close to the animals.At worst case the elk start using the trail again.if this happens then you know they had seen you there the whole time.So you can change something and try it again.But in a different tree and out of site of them.

buckslayer87

not cool not cool[&o]

kodiak41226

I've been there. I haven't seen a ton of deer in the woods. The first couple of years I didn't see a thing, then a couple of years went by that I did see deer but screwed the pooch taking a shot, then I got lucky. Hang in there it gets better with time. With time you'll start noticeing what your doing right, and hopefully stop doing what isn't working.

danowak

I feel your pain. I hunt public land in south Florida, small deer heard, hard terrain. Sometimes I go for days without seeing any deer at all. Last season I hunted about 25 days, dawn to dusk, and saw only 4 shooters (bucks only with at least 5 inch antlers above the hairline), only one close enough to take a shot at. That's 25 days and one shot. Maybe I am a little crazy to go through this, but if I want to hunt down here that's what it is. I am not alone either. Out of a 500,000 acre WMA they take about 4 or 5 deer a week for everybody. This year I have hunted 4 days and saw 2 does. But this weekend I have another chance to get that 8 pointer that got away last year. Hang in there.

MikeVT

Keep at it, it is not uncommon in Vermont to go all season without seeing a buck at all. I usually will see a few does each day, but I have gone a whole week without seeing a deer. Depends on the area you hunt and what type of shape your deer herd is in.

heeze gutshot shortee

Being able to go out again is the drive mechanism

bigbuck15

just keep your head up and keep pluggin..archery takes a lot of patience and time..especially depending on what area your in..

PABowhntr

Some times I can go a few days without seeing any deer. Don't be disheartened. Be happy for the fact that you do have the opportunity to get out and hunt. Think about all those folks that don't. That, in and of itself would be enough to get me out.

PatriotDually

Hey Zak
I know ur pain man, i use to live near ocean springs, now i live up in North Mississippi and have the luxury of hunting Wildlife Management areas , they are public no doubt, but are full of corn fields and soybean fields, unlike back home in south mississippi where it was so thick you couldnt see your hand in front of your face.Now i get to see plenty of deer and take probably more then my fare share each year lol

hoyt3

i went nearly two weeks last year. then saw ten in one night, and killed one, and almost got another shot.