nksmfamjp

OK, I've been hunting deer for almost 25 years. I have probably killed 30 mule deer. Even a few 10 pointers. I shot most of those withe a rifle or pistol using spot and stock methods, no camo in Montana. Shots varied from 30 yards to 300 yards with most about 100 yards away.


Now, I have been hunting in Ohio for 11 years. Because of work, I have only hunted about 2 - 3 days aseason for 5 seasons. I have triedcrossbow and pistol. It really is not a weapon problem. I just haven't seen deer. I have used camo every hunt, a treestand for 2 seasons, scent killer for all seasons, scent lures about 5 days of hunting, hunted private and public land. . .I have seen3 deer within 100 yards. That is it! I plan to hunt a day or 2 over the Christmas break here. It is after the rut and I will be hunting with my crossbow in a treestand. I will of course bein my stand, scanning the woodsfor deer with my Bushnell Discoverer 7 x 50 binos. Myouterwear will be washed in scent free soap. I will use scent free deoderant.

Should I use scent lures?

Any tips or tricks to help me at least see deer? Gee sorry to beg, but now I'm resorting to begging and praying while in the stand!

Rory/MO

dont look for a whole deer in the woods
look for movement, and from there decide if its a deer or not
also look for white, there is plenty of white on a deer, and its easy to spot if your looking
oh and dont sleep

good luck
and merry christmas

kingvjack

Use some skills.

crokit

Get near food- standing corn pref. Sounds like better job of scouting is in order. Forget the scents! Might give rattling a try. Is your stand same placement since season began? If so, move it.

White-tail-deer

1. Hunt near a used food source. Afunnel leading to a food source is best.
2. Keep as quiet as possible, the deer have been grunted at, rattled at, snort-wheezed at, bleated at, etc. all season so quiet is best.
3. Stay in your stand midday if possible. The deer are also used to people coming early and leaving by lunch and then coming back for the evening.
4. Scout out the property you are hunting after your seasons are over to get a good idea on how the deer are using the property so you will have somewhere to start next year.

Hope this helps! Good Luck!!

DMiller6868

hey nksmfamjp, where in deleware do you live/hunt? I live in Westerville, and hunt some in Delaware and in Knox County. Delaware hunting land is by the dead end of Sunbury road across the dam (if you know where I'm talking about). As you may of read in the paper delaware didn't have too much of a high deer kill or population so far this year, so it's a bit harder I'd say compared to other counties such as Tuscarawas. Either way good luck. I'd try to scout a bit more and find out a bedding area and feeding area and try to get in between the two early morning or in the evening. Plus take a look at the weather, I've noticed it really affects the deers movement. For example yesterday would of been a great day as the change in barometric pressure from the big temperature drop and wind and snow. I think Christmas would be a great day because the wind and rain is supposed to stop and with the wind stopping the deer tend to move more.

Carpmaster

Some pretty good advice given, don't give up!!! The biggest thing I try to do is find what food source they are hitting and hunt their travelroute as close to the bedding area as you dare get there early and stay til end of shooting....Good luck!

The Rifleman

The last BUCK that one of my friends shot, he was standing at the edge of the Gamelands - public ground, smoking a Camel Cigarette with a pair of old blue jeans on that he wore the day before at the saw mill and a orange vest he bought the day before at Wal Mart. Using a old 30/30 rifle with open sights and a box of shells that his grandfather bought him when he was 12.

The gun was never sighted in - since they bought it for him on his 12th birthday and he was 34 years old at the time.

Forget about all the scent loc stuff and go out and hunt. Get in an area where they put on drives and kick out a lot of deer.

The worst thing that happened to Pennsylvania hunting is when people started enclosing tree stands and putting in windows and heaters. It made it more like sitting in front of the tv and less like hunting deer.

Now the deer hole up in the thick stuff and the hunters sits in the fields and people don't see the deer unless they get a good snow - which makes the deer stick out and move around - because they cannot hide as easily as when the woods were all brown.

Get your buddies together and put on drives!

Sometimes you have to make your own luck!

DoctorDeath

I think you need that new camo that was just introduced ...I bet if you try it you will start seeing a LOT more deer ...

dd

Carpmaster

DD - Nice plug for your camo! I always knew you were a little corny![8D]