How do you stay motivated?

[GCook]

I agree with you.
The last 3 days I'm on a draw hunt.  Federal Wildlife Reserve here in North Texas.  Took four years to draw out.  Kill a mature doe with a single arrow through the vitals and you get a ticket to go the next year.  I've done that first day, shot a pig last night and this evening will be the last hunt.  Have only seen 4 bucks, none of them shooters, but it's windy and hot.  Tough conditions with acorns everywhere.   But if you don't apply, you don't get drawn.  Not sure what, if any, draw hunts they have there but they are fun when you get drawn, even if you don't always get drawn.

[Tim Finley]

Maybe take a look at the Warren Mn. area you may not get on private land but there is some public and there is good agriculture to hunt by even sugar beets .

[Sojurn]

Ok, lots to respond to here so I'll do my best.
  I have 3 main areas I hunt. One wet swamp/bog with uninterrupted woods to the south. On this property I can access from the east or the west depending on what the wind is doing, It has scattered oaks, and hazelnuts scattered throughout, so I hunt the edges of swamp and where the higher ground meet.
  There's a private place with a corn field that hasn't been touched. There's a doe with a fawn there, but the land owner is partial to them, and I'd rather not shoot them anyway.
  Last is a big (1500ish acers) plot of public, but the dnr has been busy slashing and burning it for 2 years making it ready for grouse.  This area also sees a ton of pressure from small game hunters, and more and more deer hunters. I have no idea what thier success rate is like.

  I'll admit to not being very savvy on what deer prefer for food as the season progresses. I find beds, scrapes/rubs and the obvious food sources (acorns, ag fields) and try to set up to catch them as they move from one to the other (wind permitting).
  If I was getting busted by deer a lot I would at least know I was in the right area, but I see between 3 and 10 deer a season. And these are usually the ones that wind me, or I bump as I walk in.
  And lastly (I think) 3.39 deer per square mile is accurate. The highest in the state is just over 7.5ish, and as low as .2ish.

[Seeking Trad Deer]

Hunted three days so far.  First day saw a few doe.  That was nice.  Nothing the other two times.  Hopefully something will stroll by tomorrow but still blessed to be in the woods.  God is good!

[toddster]

Sojurn your fine we are here to help.  First thing, stop stressing, took me 7 years get my first deer.  Here are a few things may help, along with others advice.  All I hunt is public.
1. Have fun, each time we go out see great things beside deer.
2.  If not seeing deer what you have to loose.  Move around.  Use an app or map and logbook.  Write down all the places you hunted and data.  Also any and all sign see or game pushed.  Doing this gives you a better vision of area.
3.  Now look at the data, then put together where you havent been and strike out there.
4.  Add to your book, in short time it will start making sense.
5.  What time do you hunt?  Maybe try a mid day hunt.  Had one place I hunted this was only time seen deer.
6.  Get a copy of gene wensel come november book.  Food is important, but not only thing that matters.
7.  Dont be afraid to reach out to me or many others, today with phones pics are easy.
The hunt starts when you leave truck until get back, even tough times I still am glad to be out in woods.  Message me here anytime.

[Maclean]

Great post toddster!   

[Hud]

If I were looking to hunt in Nov, the peak of the rut is important. Bucks will be chasing does during the days while the moon is dark, and hunting is only legal during the days. The darkest days are Nov 6 - 18th.  If your looking for new ground, you might consider older, farms where there is more cover, surrounded by active farms. Small or large and talk to the owners and inquire about damage. They might need some help.  Hunt on the ground until you find enough fresh sign and get familiar with the habits of the deer, moving from feeding to bedding and back to feed in the evening. Look for scrapes and other signs indicating that bucks are in the area. Make a note of the wind patterns so you pick the best spots to sit, clear a shooting lane if needed. Good luck. Before next season, find some private land and ask about scouting around planted fields, and orchards.  if your interested in helping the owner offer some free labor for a place to hunt if it looks attractive. Win - win for both.

[Kirkll]

I think it may be in your best interest to find some more deer populated hunting grounds even if you need to travel. or find some private land to hunt that has less pressure. i don't think i could keep interested in your situation with so few deer and running into other hunters. it would be impossible to get a pattern established, and most the deer would be feeding at night anyway.

good luck.... 

i'm spoiled out west. we have a LOT of public land, with a lot of deer, both black tail and mule deer. and if you are willing to hike a bit, you never see another hunter in the woods on public land. I have blacktail deer in my yard from time to time. Typically after thanks giving when the rut is on i see the big boys running around. I rarely go hunt for them any more. I just wait for them to start hanging out around the place and keep a full quiver close at hand.     

[PrimitivePete]

I can certainly sympathize being a public land hunter myself and having to hunt deer that are constantly pressured. My luck is expanded because I am fearful of hunting in a tree stand after having a close accident. But that being said I keep going out because when I do encounter deer it's a blast. Take for example this year, I sat at base of tree and watched a doe come in 25 yards away. She had no idea I was there, all calm as can be. Next thing you know she gallops right at me and stops mere feet away to my left. I had to giggle, she was so close I could count her whiskers. I'll be honest and say the experience of being outdoors alone and left to my thoughts while I hopefully wait is a blessing over my regular life that is filled with stress.

[German Dog]

I'll respond not cause i know it all or am supper successful, but rather cause I too hunt public land near my cabin which is northwoods wisconsin stuff. Doe tags are hard to get in my spot.

It can be real tough at times for sure.
If you truly only have 3 deer per square mile then thats extremely tough and i think you'll always struggle with that.
My problems are deer can bed alot of places and feed alot of places I hunt so narrowing it down can be tough.
1)Some things I've learned is you need to be mobile, don't get hung up in one location. I still fall for it though as i hunt a certain tree or spot and alot of times the first sit is good so i feel like i should hunt it again and then the spot dies out. So move around!
2)Traditional bowhunting is tough so don't make it any harder. Ground hunting can be good in certain areas but if there's a tree get up in it. I tried ground hunting a couple years and it was very frustrating. Normally used a lonewolf climber or lonewolf hang on however  switched to saddle hunting 2 years ago and it is not only easier, safer, and more comfortable, but also i feel like i don't get picked off since you can stay behind the tree. I will not use a stand again.
3)Scent control. This is a must.
4)Try to hunt when conditions are good rather than whenever you can. This will keep you from getting burned out and also up your odds as your not messing up the areas you hunt as much.
5)For some motivation/instruction try watching some of Dan Infalts(hunting beast) you tube channel and also John Ebarhart(Ebarhart Outdoors) youtube. Dan hunts some swampy public land stuff in Wisconsin and John hunts public land also. Two different guys so take some from each and it might help ya.
6)Don't be afraid to try some game cameras. Yeah i now it's not traditional and all but they can help you learn alot. The idea is not  to find out what hour the deer comes in so you can slip in and kill it. It's to learn how deer use the area or if they even do use it. And the cell cameras are absolutely the best cause your not going in and checking them which will cause the deer to pattern you. Thats what happened to me. I'd check a camera and the area would be dead for awhile. I picked up a cell camera this year and it's been not only educational but also fun. I live 3 hours from my hunting spot so i don't get to go scout much.

So keep at it.  Try new spots. Hunt smarter.

[Orion]

I doubt you're doing much wrong.  3-4 deer per square mile is a very low density.  And looked at another way, a 20% success ratio is one deer per five years. 

The area I hunt in NW Wisconsin is similar. Ten or more years ago, it wasn't unusual to see at least a half dozen deer a day.  Now I go days without seeing a deer.
Bad winters, predators and the DNR's continued insistence on shooting does has really knocked down the deer population in my area.  The deer just aren't there, even though the food and cover is good. Scouting also proves this out, as do other hunters who have hunted the area for years. 

My brother and i just returned from a week long hunt.  I saw two deer, a spike that I passed, and a pretty big buck that i didn't offer a shot.  My brother didn't see any deer during the same time.

One thing you might try, if you're not already, is to hunt during the middle of the day (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) during the rut.  I've been keeping records of buck sightings for more than 30 years, and that's when i see the most and biggest bucks during the rut  Sunrise to 10 a.m. is the second best time.  Late afternoon until dark the least productive, though i have killed a couple of nice bucks just before dark.  Regardless, I try to be on stand dark to dark during the rut. 

Keep at it. Good luck.