Looking for tricks, tatics. or anything that might work

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 6:35 pm

I am getting to whits end trying to figure out the deer this year. They were nocturnal before the season even started. I normally see alot of deer, even if their outta range, but this year, I have only seen one and same with my dad. Here is my problem. The deer usually bed down just a short distance inside the bush, less then 100 yards from the field edge. They do not move until dark (way past dark to shoot). If we try to move into the bush, the deer are fast to move outta the area.

Does anyone have any tricks or suggestions as to what might work for me. I am getting desperate as the season dwindles down.

Highlander · Post by **Highlander** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:32 pm

Will the wind allow you to still hunt toward the bedding area? Not in it just closer to it.

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:43 pm

I have tried that, but the deeer do not move out until well after dark. I currently have installed a trail cam on one of the trails to try and time the deer. I have tried to push them into a waiting hunter, but they seem to know what is happpening and move before you get there.

Thanks for the suggestion, any other suggestions.

Hoss · Post by **Hoss** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:45 pm

I had a spot that was like that kinda...they would bed down early in the morn and stay tight to cover.if I tried to sneek in they would blow and go and not return until much later, and then they were very wary of scent and movement...(Bedding area). and I tried this with a little success..

instead of approaching my stand sneeky like about every hunter does..I did know where my tree was and i used my flashlight......I just took off runnin and tried to sound like a deer running. stopped a few times...I grunted and had doe stink hangin on me. the deer up and ran and blew but it made them so curious (in my humble opinion) they came back to investigate..I ended up takin a doe about noon time when they came back thru..they seemed to buy into my hoax...

knobby · Post by **knobby** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 7:06 am

what about if you just walk thru and bust them outta there

leave for a few hours

then go back and be there waiting for them when they return

mdcrossbow · Post by **mdcrossbow** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:00 am

I seem to always get on deer sometime I have to sit for a number of hrs but they do show. My main quest is to find fresh tracks a small creek, burm, crossing area over a cut trail, large open area in the woods which has a funnel area near by. Deer are very predictable once you understand they are very nervious about being in the open durring the day in hunted areas. Fresh droppings in one of these areas is a good flag as to where to hunt.

Country · Post by **Country** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 8:44 am

As long as the wind stays pretty much in the same direction I would think you could just walk in and bust them. Note their escape path and come back for them the next day. I'll send a buddy in to bust them if I have one with me or I use my walkie talkies. I hang my walkie talkies on tree limbs and use the call button to make them ring. Deer will most often if given the chance run into the wind. I'll set out three of them on different frequencies and ring just the one that I think will put the deer between me and the radio. The trick here is to be as sent free as possable as the deer might try to run right at you. I don't think the radios qualify as an electronic calling device. After all, you're not calling them, just spooking them. You might also try diverting their path by hanging a deterent in their probable escape route. I like to use my sons stinking socks on escape routes. Another trick I used several times in a thicket was to build a brush fence using the brush I cut out for a shooting lane. Deer will always take the path of least resistance if not spooked. Of course I left a little opening to funnel them through. Like taking candie from a baby.

CYCLONE · Post by **CYCLONE** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 10:45 am

Not sure if this is legal in your area. It sounds like you know where they are bedding and where they are feeding so set up in the bedding area while they are still in the feeding area and strap yourself in as you may have a 3 hour wait in the dark as long as the wind is blowing from the feeding area to the bedding area. This is how I used to bowhunt when I had the time and became frustrated as there are so many possible feeding locations the highest% stand was basically in the bedding area. I was in the stand at 3:30 am but it worked many times.

mdcrossbow · Post by **mdcrossbow** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 10:49 am

if you learn the Monn Transit and hunt by it, I find that getting in for a hunt is very accurate. If the deer are moving from 4-7AM main feed I will usualy wait and go in for an afternnon hunt. Moving into an area in the dark while the deer are feeding can leave you high and dry for the rest of the day.

Cedrus · Post by **Cedrus** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 11:31 am

CYCLONE wrote:Not sure if this is legal in your area. It sounds like you know where they are bedding and where they are feeding so set up in the bedding area while they are still in the feeding area and strap yourself in as you may have a 3 hour wait in the dark as long as the wind is blowing from the feeding area to the bedding area. This is how I used to bowhunt when I had the time and became frustrated as there are so many possible feeding locations the highest% stand was basically in the bedding area. I was in the stand at 3:30 am but it worked many times.

That's hardcore!! I've only done that once and had two bucks, one on either side of me just out of sight in a hemlock thicket, grunting at each other.

Country · Post by **Country** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:54 pm

I have had bad luck setting up too early. If I got into my stand two hours early it had a lot more potential to spread my scent all over the place. A half hour early seemed to work the best. Timing is everything.

mdcrossbow · Post by **mdcrossbow** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 1:09 pm

country, what I have found out is going in while the deer are in the field feeding is the best. Walking in while you have a little early light and can stalk you way to your stand is what I prefer.

jay73 · Post by **jay73** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:21 pm

Tom, what about baiting?

I have heard of guys using a line of bait(so to speak) from a bedding area to a main pile of bait - where you'll be there to put an arrow through them.

I've yet to try it, but I just bought a bag of deer ration from my local farm supply store because they seem to be avoiding my apples for the last week or so. Probably due to that blistering ice storm we got a week and a half ago.

Just a thought.

Jay

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:47 pm

Tks for the replys. I have tried almost all of them. Near my ladder stand I have a corn feeder, apples and made a mock scrape & added a peanutbutter pail. The deer eat the apples, rip up the mock scrape, does not really bother the corn, (the field 50 yards away is still standing corn and they are hitting it hard) but all of this happens at night, well after shooting time.

As for setting up early in the morning, then only way to get in there is through the farmers fields, which the deer are in (they seem to leave the corn for the open fields for dawn). As soon as the deer see a vehical enter the driveway, they scatter

. I could walk 2-3 miles through brush to approach my stands, but with my dad over 75 it is not a possibility (even for me at that matter

).

The deer are now bedding down just inside the bush line, within bow range from the fields, but outta sight. Plus, their trail system which they have setup, is like a grid on graph paper, every 40-50 yards there is another trail (east/west & north/south) and they use them all depending on the situation and how they feel at the time

. I have also tried the "Bust/Scatter" and hope they come back, but they just move to another area of the farm (or the not passable swamp for humans).

I am not giving up, just trying to make sure I have not missed a trick that might work for me here. In over 30 years of my deer hunting, I believe that this is the most difficult area which I have hunted deer. It is just starting to get late in the season with no deer in the freezer yet.

Thanks again all.

Normous · Post by **Normous** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 5:59 pm

Tom said:
"It's starting to get late in the season and no deer in the freezer yet"

Maybe we can get together and help Tom out by starting a venison donation fund. I'll start with a roast of you choice in the donation box.

Norm