New deer hunter looking for advice

M

MikeyBl

New member
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
2   0   0
Hey Guys!!

I am looking for a little bit of help here. This is my first year deer hunting and am a bit confused....

I am set up on a property in 79 that has lots of deer, I bumped one scouting 4-5weeks ago but havent seen a single deer since!! I am set up at the end of a tree line 10 yards from a large bush, facing the bush. 2 bean fields on either side of the tree line. I have seen tracks all over the property, but very speractic, no pattern to them to indicate a trail. I have 4 small bait piles set up with corn and apples, one at the base of my stand, the others about 25 yards out and 10 - 20 yards apart. The middle one has a lick as well. Are my piles too close? too many piles?

My Stand


Field to right


Field to left


Right view from stand


Left view from stand


Front view into bush



The bait piles are being hit but I am only seeing tracks around the far left pile (I just got some cams to put up this weekend). The ground under the lick is being dug at. I really thought the deer would be coming out to feed in the bean fields, so I thought I could ambush them in my spot. Should I move my stand into the bush more? There is a good spot in the bush that looks over my bait piles still, only 25 yards in the bush. this corner of the bush allows a W or NW wind to take my scent out into the bean field. Could the deer not becoming out of the middle of the bush this far, even with bait?

New location 1


New location 2


I also have a ground blind I will be putting up in another area about 300 yards west of where my stand is about 20 yards from the field edge but looking into the bush. I just can't believe I havent seen one deer yet! Hopefully the pre rut changes this.

Hope this is enough info for some of you guys to lend a hand! Thanks in advance.
 
It all looks fine. I'd run ONE bait pile only. You want the deer in your shooting spot, not wandering about the area having meals at their convenience.
If you are going to setup a second blind then consider the prevailing winds in the area and set it up to work with the opposite wind that your present spot prefers.
Be patient and enjoy!
 
Thanks! Helps with the confidence a bit!! LOL

Can't believe I've seen nothing!! All my pal's are seeing does and bucks but nothing in shooting distance, I've havent seen a damn thing! LOL
 
As they said in the military "TI"

It all depends on the amount of "Time In", the more time you spend in the field the more you will see. A trail cam helps to pattern the deer. I usually download pics once a week and spread sheet the times and directions.

If your in southern ontario I'd be willing to come out after deer season and take you through some post season scouting
 
It's been my experience that once the beans field turn brown the deer usually can't be bothered with them.... you may want to consider condensing to one bait pile and putting a cam on it to see how often it's being hit by how many....
 
Id be watching the bean fields personally I have had great luck especially if you can find the trails to and from the field and set up along them. Perhaps sitting on the edge of the field a few nights and watching where they enter the field more often. This will give you a good sense of where they are coming in and out. Next thing you will want to do is pay particular attention to the wind. I wouldn't sit if the wind isn't right. If you do sit to often when the wind isn't right they might start using different routes.

Good luck and as said earlier it takes time patients and effort. Eventually it will pay off!!!
 
Helps to have options for getting to your site(s) based on time of day and wind. For example, for a morning hunt, approach from the bush to hunt the field versus an evening hunt where approaching from the field to hunt the bush may be more productive. This is where those cameras and establishing patterns becomes important.
 
How isolated is your location. Is someone walking their dog etc in your area?What times of day are you hunting?Are there other hunters nearby spooking your deer?Where are the deer bedding? Try hunting the Runways leading from bedding to feeding area.Have the deer went nocturnal?When all else fails add molasses to your bait pile. Deerdr
 
Are you whistling a tune while sitting in your stand? Bwahahahaha ha!

My first couple years didn't produce deer, but I learned a great deal. Usually I learned deer hot spots by jumping them out of their beds or interrupting them in their travels. These surprises helped me to set up ambushes and eventually get some venison on the pole. I wish you success- and yes, TI makes sense.
 
Thanks Guys

Do you think then I should move the stand to one of the "new Location" pics? They are about 25 yards or so into the bust that you can see in the "front view into bush" pic. Only thing, is it will not give me a good view to the fields, or should I just forget the fields and hunt over one pile?

I am sitting in the am til about 11 then from 3 to last light. There is another hunter on the property but i have not seen him when I am up, maybe he is spooking them.

Thanks again.
 
Mike.

I have had deer walk right under my stand. Your two biggest enemies are movement and scent. With your stand where it is you have to make sure you keep your movement to a bare minimum.
Believe in the spot you picked.

Like I mentioned before, if you want some tutoring I would be more then willing to help after the hunting season. I can show you my set up and then help you set up for the next season.

If your close to the Niagara region, give me a shout

Regards
 
Deer are mainly moving at first and last light, if you have found tracks all over but no clear trails you might be in the wrong areas look for heavily used trails and set up your stand where you can see an intersection of 3-4 trails. Hunt into the wind while stand hunting if you only have one day to hunt and one location but the wind is at your back while you are looking towards where you want to see a deer you are doing it wrong don't even bother going out . Have a site on either side and access in a way so that you can get to the stand without spooking everything in a 2 Km radius because the wind just carried your human stink all over the hunting grounds. Get to your stand before daylight 30-40 minutes early don't worry to much about a red or green headlamp to light the way just make sure you have 20-40 minutes of sitting perfectly still with no lights /sound for everything to get settled down. Listen for the animals moving around you in the dark after 10-15 minutes they will start to move again and if you hear something walking scan that area really well at first legal light and you might just find one bedding down or grazing. DON'T SHOOT AT NOISES! until you can see it clearly hold your shot. Deer live in a relatively small territory and are very habitual often you will see them in the same spots around the same times on a small property .Good luck and try to find one of the big trail intersections to watch.
 
Thanks MilSpecs

The issue I'm having is I cant find trails, I've been all over this property many times, and am only seeing speratic tracks, some being by one of my piles. I also cannot find a bedding area that is blatent, just a lot of areas with broken twigs and bark on the ground. I must be missing something.

What about calling? Could a couple of grunts or rattling work? Doe bleats yet, or too early?
 
The bedding areas may be on someone else property. I have a very good book on deer hunting that you could borrow. Dont sweat it. The property I hunt deer the just pass through, but they pass through.

Rut usually starts around the end of first shotgun season, rattling and doe calls probably wont work well.

Will be in touch
 
Keep in mind that the area probably gets next to no human scent in it all year. If you're tromping around in there every few days you could be spooking the deer out. Over scouting can lead to the deer leaving or only coming out at night. Be very mindful of the scent you're leaving while out in the spot. Does will be more tolerant, bucks much less so.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom