Tantalizing, but the trail camera tells me the sad, sad truth.... the only time theres no deer around is when i'm up in the stand. The wind must be wrong or something. Or else they're just hiding in the thick brush and watch me climb up.

Penny

You need to hunt every day, all day, to heck with work or any other activity of daily living.

Priorities!

Make sure you sit absolutely still in the stand, I have problems with that one but it's important.

the chef

Scent control.

Maybe you should try a decoy, I have a lot of deer come in to investigate the decoy. You can get them to come in for a peek with calling, but if they don't see anything they will probably not come too close. If they see a decoy it gives them an extra thing to pique their curiosity. Don't use decoys where rifle hunters might mistake them for a deer. A bow hunter got shot here this week like that. During the rut if you use a feeding doe decoy with a smallish buck decoy and spread their prospective scents around it really seems to work well. Before the rut I've had some action using an estrous call and doe decoy, the younger bucks will come in to check things out. You can make a decoy out of cor-plast and paint it, it doesn't seem to matter much that they are 2 dimensional not 3. I use a montana doe decoy and I really like the way it is so compact when it's folded up. I made some horns out of corplast and turn it into a buck when I want. My feeding doe is a rezno and it's ok but not as good as the montana decoy. Also make sure you set up the decoy kind of further back than you want the shot-don't put the decoy where you want the shot...a lesson I learn very slowly it seems. Spray down the decoys with scent eliminator after setting them up and use your doe/buck scent on the ground close by. Make sure you and your boots are scent free especially when setting up the decoy or else you'll get busted for sure. Even though I just got my first deer 2 days ago in the past two years I've had dozens come in to check the decoys. It's really entertaining to watch their antics with decoys, they stand there and do the head bob, or stamp their feet. You can learn a lot watching them like that and I also bet you'll start to hear them talking.

happy hunting

the chef

Hey, thanks for the information Chef. Funny, i was going to ask you about that, had noticed you kept mentioning your decoys. I will definitely give decoys a try next year. This year, i think the rut will be over soon and rifle season comes in Monday. But having some decoys out would at least offer more hope of a buck showing besides just hoping one will walk down the trail.

Penny

What is cor-plast? Something like a stiff cardboard? Could prob cut one out with the jig saw out of plywood and then put a hinge in the middle and then it would be easy enough to carry. I'd rather just buy them, but the store we have is probably sold out and if i ordered the rut would already be over by time they got here. But also, if i painted it, the rut would be over by the time the paint smell went away. Would probably be better to just buy lightweight ones for next year.

Cor-plast is corrogated plastic just like cardboard. Most building supply places sell it here about 16.00 per 4x8 sheet. Go on e-bay to see decoys there are lots of ideas there.

the chef