I need help, I am no big time deer hunter, I only shot 4 in my life, but now am really getting more into guns, collecting, shooting hunting. anyway, The problem is I have deer all over the place on my land and around it, you cant go ten feet without seeing where they been nibbling on something, I cant find no concentrated path though, and I see them now and then off season. But never when I go hunting, I use scent cover, tried "Doe in Heat" no luck.
WHAT can I do to lure them in or something to keep them around longer ?
any help would be great.
I'm in Georgia, mid way up the state on the border with Alabama.
Also, so far I had a Blue crane, a Hawk, and a Fox come right up into about 20 yards of me without seeing or smelling me, So I think I am not being detected, It just seems the deer know I am coming for them...LOL
Ron

[ 11-26-2003, 05:23: Message edited by: Bulletman ]

Your on the right track being concerned about scent. If your into climbing a tree stand that really fools them.

The wind is most important. That's what carries scent. So get downwind somehow even if you must enter the area from some other land. Try not to move much. Just watching for deer as dawn breaks or near dusk is the time they are up and moving.

Try to find out what the deer are eating and where they are bedding, there should be some trails between these two areas. Set yourself up between the feeding and bedding areas on one of these trails early in the morning and late in the evening and you will intercept the deer. Sit tight and let the deer come to you. It sounds boring but it works. Let us know when you get one.

Thanks, I think they are bedding in a pine forest 15-20 year growth, its the thickest cover around here, and my property backs right up to it. And it looks like they just come and go from all over. I did find some fresh tracks today, , four sets, one set was HUGE..And I noticed all the places they been eating, the nubs left on the bushes are browned, so maybe they are not eating here right now, couldnt find no droppings, we have acorns all over this general area, wondering if they just moved to another nearby area or something. I will keep at it though for another couple weeks see what happens.

Cover, food, water are the three most important things in a deers life cycle. When not disturbed they are just like cattle and follow the same basic travel routes from bedding to feeding areas. A deer will live it's entire life in a one square mile area. Those trials become difined and should be easy to find. Find those trails from their bedding ground to their feeding plots and you should be able to intercpt them by taking a stand between the bedding and feeding areas. Deer love acorns and will travel a long distance to get them as a food source.

When choosing a stand keep the wind in your face at two intersecting trails about forty yards from those trails. Your approach to the area may be spooking the deer long before you arrive. You have much to learn grasshopper and are probably not scouting the area properly. Deer have great noses and notice any movment very quickly, if they smell or see you fist, then your busted and you may not see them at all. You walk in one end of the wood lot and they move out the other side, cirle down wind to see what you are, before you ever see them.

It takes time to lean deer movements and how to make the proper approach into their domain. A wise old buck will lay stone cold still in his bed and let you walk right by him, then standup and sneak away sight unseen.

Toss all that scent, that and camo are bean counter sales gimmicks that have poisoned the minds of American hunters....hunt INTO the wind, movement scares deer, A checkered coat is as good a camo as the expensive stuff or just a olive coat is fine...

I think you need to build a blind where the deer feed when they come out of the bedding grounds and stay out of the bedding grounds...Hunt it evenings and early mornings.

My approach may oppose the accepted today, but it has worked for centuries prior to camo and scent, and I'm successfull every year....Scent can get you into trouble big time if its the wrong stuff and who in hell wants to walk around smelling like piss...

Thanks for the help guys, For sure I am thee grasshopper when it comes to deer hunting.