Any one else having…

Cluck Norris

Cluck Norris

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A rough bow season? I’m getting my rear end handed to me, I jumped a doe early in the season and that was my last opportunity for shot on anything other than a fat raccoon. Little to no action, almost ever deer on the property is only coming out to bait at night. They are all staying in their bedding area during the day….. it’s just been a rough one
 
We finally got daytime pics of deer on our cameras today (from last week). I’ve only hit the woods a few times so far. Flying pointy sticks just don’t do it for me. And Heaven forbid I see a stud of a buck just beyond bow range. That would frustrate me to no end.
 
I had a lot more luck early season, deer were coming out a solid 2 hours before sunset. Since the temperature drop, I’ve got no activity before sunset, and a little about 30 mins before dawn. Seeing tons of nocturnal activity. Took a smaller buck opening weekend, and have lost 2 does due to bad blood trails/ and rain. Not how I hoped the season would be going either. Reminds me how efficient rifles are, mostly holding out till November now.
 
Yeah. Between heavy mast crop and trespassing neighbors I've been in the stand once on our property. Idiots might as well have put the ground blind on top of my corn pile.
 
I’m in a little more populated neighborhood than I used to be, and it’s nothing to look out the back door and see the 5 that hang around here moving around all day. Never seen deer move like these do.
 
Over feeding. They get all they need at night so no need to come out during the day. Try a timed feeder. Only have it feeding when you will be in the stand.


Talked to a guy once who went to Texas on one of those canned hunts. Said he was in the blind with the guide and he noticed him looking at his watch. They hadn't seen a deer yet. At the appropriate time he counted down and they heard the feeder kick in. Deer came running from everywhere.
 
The deer here have been moving all times of the day. (and night)
Saw a big eight running does a few days ago. The magic is about to start. Stay in the stand longer. 👍🏻
 
Most folks will just sit on a corn pile in the morning and late afternoon, the deer do pattern the hunters. Hunt midday, get out of the stand and do the old walk and stalk, get away from the bait and look for the acorns, persimmons, honey locust etc.
The places I hunt don't allow bait, I love the old walk and stalk, especially with a bow. Hunt their trails, find the scrapes and rubs, find where they are bedding and take it to them, don't wait for them to come to you.
 
Yankee land grabbers has been my biggest issue past couple seasons. They've bought up all the open land around me and have there on hunting setups and huge acreage to keep the deer on and fed. Or they just make sure to keep enough racket goin all the time that nothin hangs around. So only time I see anything on my small property anymore is late nights early morning while its pitch black. I've been thinking hard about joining a club where I can atleast have a good chance at a couple deer a season. I don't hunt antlers cause I can't eat them. That's not to say if a big buck rolls out he's not gonna get it. But I'm a first come first serve hunter. And I just soon have a big ol fat doe for the freezer.
 
Middle of SC and the land being clear cut is forking insane. Never hunted before, want to, feel I may have missed my shot.

Bunch of bastards go back to your snow.
 
phideux said:
Most folks will just sit on a corn pile in the morning and late afternoon, the deer do pattern the hunters. Hunt midday, get out of the stand and do the old walk and stalk, get away from the bait and look for the acorns, persimmons, honey locust etc.
The places I hunt don't allow bait, I love the old walk and stalk, especially with a bow. Hunt their trails, find the scrapes and rubs, find where they are bedding and take it to them, don't wait for them to come to you.
Click to expand...

Works great, unless you are on 11.7 acres surrounded by houses. lol. I've walked every inch on my property and a few others before they were developed. 30 years hunting there. I have a good idea what the deer are doing before they do on the big picture. You still have to be there and cross paths with them to get one. But I try to stay out unless I'm in the stand. Which is why the ground blind I found pissed me off so much. I'm trying to stay out, knowing why and what's going on. And the barge their way in and screw it all up. Then walking around posting things will have it screwed up for a few more weeks. Hoping last week of archery then ML season will get some fresh deer moving around. It usually does.

There used to be enough property to get out and walk, and no one around me hunted or cared. All that has changed. What was 40-60 acres of unbroken woods on our side of the gas line is not maybe 20 or less woods. Half of that is ours. The rest has been cleared, multiple times or has a house on it now. Enjoy it. It can change fast.
 
Seen the usual herd of does running around on the cameras. There's a spike I have to take care of this season so he doesn't get lucky. A few smaller 4 pointers. Usually around beginning of rifle season the bigger ones start chasing does and wander on. EVERYONE around me hunts too so I am just happy to have a small patch to call my own.

I grew up in a city area and then moved to the country and it was amazing to me having woods to actually walk.

The western part of the state's national forests are huge and that is amazing. But public land on the east coast gets hit hard by a lot of hunters. I still dream of doing a western hunt one day. I am actually afraid to go to Wyoming or Montana because I might not come back.
 
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