What am I doing wrong? 3 failed deer seasons...

[Yoder]

The snow is golden right now. Get out and hike. It's the perfect time to pattern deer for next rifle season. You can see where they are eating. Where they go when pressured since they have been pressured the last two weeks. Keep this in mind for next year. Archery season they may not be in the same place. Food is different earlier in the season.

[MMH]

Keep trying. I just finished a 3 yr. dry spell!

[Bluesberry]

Hunt anther state,, Pa sucks for hunting..

[Hokkmike]

I have been hunting SGL 157 and 139 for three years and have yet to see a deer in-season. I have scouted multiple areas and found plenty of sign, and have seen plenty of deer during the small game season.



However, every year I get goose eggs when deer hunting.



This year I have stepped up the effort significantly. I put a stand right on a main trail where I spotted a solid 6 pt earlier this year. I was just out this afternoon and there are fresh tracks in the snow right along the trail, which means there have been deer through there last night or in the morning.


In the beginning of buck season I hunted 3B and saw a few doe, one that I jumped in the morning on my way to the stand. Even with crunchy snow I was able to circle around and get a "shot" lined up (antlerless wasn't open, nor did i have tags), so it would seem that I am capable of being quiet enough. I am using scentless laundry soap and a cover scent spray. Obviously state game lands have huge pressure on them, and I have not been to 157 this season as it was completely overrun with hunter last season and 139 seems to be overlooked. I did see a gut pile earlier this week fairly close to my stand, so deer CAN be found/taken in the area. It's not like I expect to march into the woods and land a monster buck, but after 3 seasons I haven't seen a SINGLE legal deer, buck or doe, during the appropriate season. I have 5C doe tags and have no preference on what kind of deer I take, just looking for meat in the freezer.





Is there something I am missing here???

Best points of successful hunting: (from my humble experience)

1. Location, location, location... Useless to hunt where the deer are not. Never put a stand right on a deer trail. Off to either sides 20 or 30 yards perhaps, closer with a bow.

2. Stealth, concealment, and patience... You need to quietly find that good spot, be still, and expect to be there a while. Don't stand or sit right out in the open unless you expect all of your shots to be long ones. So many hunters can't keep from fidgeting about and can't seem to wait more than two or three hours for something to happen. To help you in this cause, make sure you ..........

3. Dress warm, warm, warm... Nothing like having a great spot only to have to break your cover because your feet are cold, or your clothes are insufficiently layered and you are uncomfortable and/or shivering.

4. When you do see a legal buck, concentrate on the shooting target area of the animal... Resist checking out the antlers again and again unless you are really just in to trophy stuff. Breath slowly, don't make sudden movements, aim and squeeze that trigger. Don't make it a long drawn out affair. If you are shooting doe, just pick one and go.

5. The thing we almost always do right is to practice with our firearm... We almost always have it zeroed in and know where it hits. Handed the gun in pitch blackness you should be familiar with it enough to know how to load and unload, manipulate the safety, and have it at the appropriate stage of ready.

6. And remember, there is an element of luck to this.... People don't like to admit it but that big 10 point could just have as easily decided to choose the deer path over to your friend as to you. It happens. I heard a story of a 12 year old 7th grader with her dad who spotted a huge buck in a field over a rise while they were driving in his pick-up. They had enough time to get out, traverse a little ground, load the gun, set it up on bi-pods, and shoot the animal. I, in the forest, saw one run by for seconds and never even got my rifle up.

The more time you spend in the woods the greater your opportunity for success and enjoyment. Some of my most memorable day in the woods when there was a light snow, the scenery was breath taking, and the friendly camaraderie after the hunt was enjoyable -were absolutely deerless.

Two years ago I missed the biggest buck I have seen hunting. It still pains me. I won't bother boring you with my list of excuses. I guess that is why they call it hunting and not "getting".

Hey good luck. Sorry to sound preachy but just trying to help.....

And THREE "failed" (no, they are not) seasons is nothing. You'll get the hang of it.

[Bang]

I introduced a friend to deer hunting back around 1976. I soon discovered he was a type A nervous type always at his face with his hands. Damn... this guy will keep the deer from coming in. Then I thought, maybe not. They just may circle around him and come into me Over the years it averaged out fine.

[arjohnson]

Just 3, I have a friend that got only one buck in the last 30+ years of hunting, yet he still goes and loves it.

[27hand]

See the deer? All 4 of them? I'm sitting in my easy chair and notice the movement 300+ yds away. Then glass. Harder without snow but still visible. Tail flicking back & forth. Step forward. Turning of a head.
They are almost exact center of pic.



When you go into the woods, look out as far as you can see. concentrate on movement. Any little movement. Might be a leaf still on a branch flipping back and forth. Could be a squirrel, chipmunk, raccoon, rabbit, fox, birds. Try to focus on movement out there and minimize yours.

I still get busted by deer that I never see or hear till they are looking at me and I'm not ready. It happens.

Hunt where you see sign. Trails are productive but you need patience. Trails may be used at night. If a trail isn't productive, move to where multiple trails cross. patience.

It'll come.

It's almost never like this.