What do you do when?

[straitera]

There has to be rubs. Deer need them. Last few years I've been going way deep into less crowded public land. Have a good feeling about the opener next weekend. Looking for crowds to push deer my way. BTW, I found no rubs nor acorns yet either. Last year they were everywhere. Choke dry here for a long time.

[NoCams]

Rob W keep in mind that red oaks take two years to produce acorns where white oaks produce every year baring a late freeze or heavy frost. Red oaks flower one year and produce the next. That is why your red oaks have nothing under them this year. You will have to hunt the red oaks every other year if you have some that seem to be the "magic tree" for you.

Our chestnut acorns,(white oak species), which are the large acorns for our area are falling good right now and some white oaks so that is where we will be hunting for now. You can tell white from red species by looking at the leaf edges.... big rounded edges equal white and needle tipped leaves are red. Hope this helps bud.  

[NoCams]

Hey Killie...... always been told that persimmions are not good and ripe till a heavy frost has hit them. Found a tree last year in one of our new spots with most on the ground, good and deep orange, and mid November. Picked one up, wiped it off on my coat and took a bite......    

Talk about puckering them lips up !!! Nothing as sour as a persimmion that is not fully ripened and mellowed out ! We know where several trees are that are easy to get to and I want to pick up a bunch and start trees from the seeds. I told my son Mason as many trees as we have cut over the years for firewood that this would be our way of giving back. Nothing would thrill me more than to think that after I am gone another generation is hunting over, "my" honey hole of persimmion trees one Novemember mornin' !  

[smokin joe]

Look for bottlenecks in the woods where deer funnel into narrow necks between larger areas of woods. You will find active trails there. Deer won't have to move as far in years of heavy acorns, but they will still use their familiar and secure travel routes when they do move.

I have an active spot like that, but with the acorn crop so good here this year it will be a longer time between deer sightings because they aren't moving as much to get something to eat.

If you can locate your area on a Google Earth photo, it might help you form a plan.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Thanks Joe,

Good luck this Fall and hope the Bird Dogs are well.  

One thing is certain, I need to spend more time in the area I have found. Its 100's and 100's of acres of public land, it will take some time to "discover" the small funnels within and nuances of this area.

[Hoyt]

If you have an abundance of white oak acorns look for the ones deer like most. They prefer some acorns of the same kind over others. You can tell which by the leaves under the trees. They will be almost like mulch where the deer have walked over them while feeding.

[rolltidehunter]

If there are acorns every where ther will be a few trees that the deer like better than the other ones.find the cut acorns and poop. finding a high concentrated area of poop is the key. hang your stand there. thats where they are spending the most time.

this weekend i killed a doe in a oak flat. there us a mixture of red, white and mountain oak on that ridge. and all are dropping.  under one big white oak there was tons of poop. and scarrted poop everywhere else on the ridge. so thats where i hung my stand. i had 3 deer walk that ridge that morning and all walked to my tree and ate.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I was looking for concentrated poop. 2 areas stood aout better tahn the rest so far but it wasnt enough for me to sit yet. I do think both areas will be productive during the rut but I need to keep searching.

[KentuckyTJ]

Happened to us here last year. Brutal trying figure them out. I hunted our persimmons. Good luck to you.

[smokin joe]

Charlie,
Discover the new land slowly and you just might walk up on a deer and get a good shot.
The bird dogs are well, thanks for asking. I have a good plan for the bow season and for bird hunting with my dogs, too. It should be a great year.
Good luck this year.
Joe

[bornagainbowhunter]

Deer sometimes, well most of the time, will pick a certian tree and eat there until all the acorns are gone from that tree, then move to another.  I guess some taste better than others. Sure they will eat here and there along the way, they are deer, but they do know what they like best.

Find a tree they are munching on by the acorn halves and bits and sit there.

God Bless,
Nathan

[T Folts]

Walk the area and look for places that have no green vegetation like cattle were grazing in the woods, I think these are key place that deer spend alot of time in. I have a woods I hunt and it is full of acorns from one end to the other but one end looks like this and I see alot of deer here as compared to the other end.

[woodchucker]

Actualy Charlie, smokin joe beat me to it!!!

Let your feet do the thinking, SLOW and steady wins the race!!!!!

You know I've got a "bad back" and cannot sit very long... When I stillhunt, none of this "walk 3, look 5" shinnanagins..... I take 1 step at a time!!! Take a step and look around... take another, look around... Don't worry to much about making noise,(but don't sound like a Holstien Bull either!) The leave will be falling,and the woods will get noisy, but a slow steady crunch..... crunch..... crunch..... sounds just like a browsing deer!!!

Over the years, I've lost count of the deer that I've walked up on. (or have walked up on me!) Killed a bunch of them too!!! (you've seen the horns in my basement)

Good Luck My Brother!!!!! May the Great Spirit guide your arrow...

[Rob W.]

Thanks Nocams! I always amaze myself with how much I don't know!  :D  

Rob

[NoCams]

Me toooooo !!! However, learned a ton from the gang here that is for sure ! Just passing along what was taught to me bud. Good luck this season!  

[woodchucker]

Sounds like ya got a "Honey-Hole" Charlie!!!!!  

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Not  Sure yet Chuck

It's called the Albany Pine Bush.  all public land, quite thick and very active with hikers/joggers/and bikers. I know a lot of people hunt here and hopefully I dont ruin their hunts and they dont ruin mine. its public land so its inevitable at some point to have your hunt ruined but 1/2 the time a ruined hunt can also be a made hunt if you figure out how the deer are affected by everyone else's movements.

[ishiwannabe]

Hey Charlie, another great scouting tool is google earth. Look for natural pinch points, edges between cover, ridges and saddles.
it will also show you areas that are far away from trails and their activity such as hikers and bikers. Water sources too.
Find a decent funnel. Scout it out(for deer and other hunters) and plan accordingly.

[Roadkill]

Make your own funnels by piling up brush to force them nearer you.  Benefit, rabbits may use your brishies for late season hunting

[woodchucker]

Many will disagree Charlie, But I've always liked alot of people in the woods!!!

Deer naturaly avoid people... But, they learn to "deal" with them by moving to avoid them. Years ago, I killed a huge doe with triplets, that was circleing around to avoid a woman who was walking her Golden Retriever. She was so intent and focused on the dog, that she wandered within 6 yards of my old wooden ladder stand.