Frustrations of a first season

[JeepKuntry]

There are a few counties your way that have higher deer densities for east TN. I saw 3 does during bow season. All on the same sit. Had areas where cams were active dry up. And A LOT of nighttime pics. October is tough around here. If you can travel towards the middle part of the state I think you will be surprised at sign and sightings. I plan to do more traveling next year for this very reason.

 

[jetwrnch]

You really need to find a hunting partner. Preferably one with experience. Remove all expectations of shooting a deer for now and focus on learning about how they behave and all the other great things going on in the woods. The harvesting problem will solve itself in due time. When you see or shoot one take a minute to figure out why. Wind, weather, date, time etc. are all data points. Keep a log book or excel sheet of every hunt. Over time you'll see patterns develop and hunting goes from luck to skill.

 

[Laxxxxxx]

Get to know your trees and plants. It will help you give a more clear picture on where to wait. Learning topography is a good piece as well. But no food or water no deer. Learned that in the North GA mountains the hard way.

 

[rmmonty32]

I feel your pain. I started hunting in 2016. No experience. I started out only gun hunting. Got my first deer in 2017 but would not get another until this year while crossbow hunting for the first time. I have been countless times with no deer sightings whatsoever. This year is starting to get better as I learn something new everytime I go out. I listen to podcasts and read everything I can get my hands on. Also this site is a wealth of knowledge and instruction. Shout out to catman i have learned a ton from his videos and posts. Also a big fan of the Southern Ground Hunting podcast. Hang in there it will get better, but it is a skill that only develops with time and lots of very high highs and very low lows. Yesterday was one of those days as i shot one but could not find him. Best of Luck.

 

[scn]

I grew up in that part of the world and learned to deer hunt up there. At the time, we were killing around 25,000 deer STATEWIDE. So, I feel your pain. Here are some old guy observations:
1.You won't see deer if they aren't there. Not trying to be a smart butt, but, it really holds true in those mountains. Deer ARE NOT evenly distributed across the acreage. Once you start figuring things out, you will see that they are in pockets up there, with large expanses of land not holding squat.

2. So, how do you find those pockets? Shoe leather is usually the best currency. In a lot of that range, if you have three days to hunt, you will see many more deer if you scout 1.5-2 of those days and only hunt a day. Just sitting somewhere in a tree because you saw a track and it looks pretty can be a big time waster.

3. When the oaks start dropping, a good tree can really concentrate some deer. It will be your key food source most of the season. Outside of the oak game and an occasional persimmon tree, you are basically going to see a lot of browsing. They feed on greenbrier year round up there. Since it is everywhere, it doesn't concentrate the deer.

4. There is NO place that you will hunt where terrain features such as saddle, benches, etc come into play like they do in the mountains. Until you learn how to recognize those and how they concentrate the movements, it will be tough. By far, the best source of information on learning how terrain features focus deer movement is this book: https://www.amazon.com/Brad-Herndon...?dchild=1&keywords=Mapping+Trophy+deer&sr=8-4
For hunting up there, it will be the best thirty some dollars you will ever spend. Read it, and then read it a couple of more times. Invest in some good topo maps. GPS are good for getting you in and out, but don't do much for showing you the big picture of an area. After seeing Brad's diagrams and discussions, you will start picking it out when you hit the woods. Once you get comfortable with it, you will be able to take a topo map, look at it, and oftentimes go right to a hotspot. It certainly cuts down on the scouting time.

5. You have to understand thermals to see deer up there. The book will have some explanations.

6. January and February are you best friends up there. After the season, with all of the leaves off is the absolute best time to scout. If you bust a bedding area, no biggy. Trails, scrapes, rubs, etc are really visible. You will start to see how that sign is influenced by the terrain features.

In closing, it takes paying some dues. Next year will be easier. And, at some point, a lot of it will become second nature.

Hang in there!

 

[Grill-n-man]

First thing to help you is to take a deep breath, relax, and calm down. This is hunting not killing. Remember its about the hunt not the killing. The hunt is more than seeing the animal your after, its watching and learning about all the other things around you thats going on. Figuring out the why of all those other things will help more than you now. When i started if you saw 5 all season you were extremely lucky. You are learning and knowledge takes patience. Also stop watching these science fiction shows they call hunting shows. If you want to watch some real hunting shows and learn a few things watch the ones from people like Dan Fitzgerald back in the 80s. You need to put the time and work in to figure it out. And I dont mean deer hunting. You need to be in the woods at all times of the year looking and learning. You are in an age of where electronics has taken the place of boots to the ground. Don't be afraid to put some miles on those boots. If your acorns (mast) and water is anything like around here, deer do not have to travel very far to eat and drink so they are not covering much ground. Cameras only help at a minimal, they only tell you a what and when not the most important thing the why. Talking to other more experienced hunters, not facebook and forums, but real words face to face is a tremendous help. Those lost check stations have greatly impacted new hunters in a negative way. So much has been taught and learned leaning over truck beds than most will ever know. A good example of being the new hunter is when I started Ft. Campbell. I had never been there before and spent several days for the first couple years not seeing deer like most. But what I did do is listen to the stories and how each hunter liked to hunt while standing in line for hours. After a few years of listening to the stories I got to figuring out what areas has or didnt have, the walkers, the all day sitters, the field watchers, the thicket hunters, and was able to use this to my advantage. So as soon as let the frustration go and the knowledge sink, not only did I start seeing but killing deer. So in short, take a deep breath and relax and let what your eyes and ears are telling you sink in. Dont be afraid to try new things. If you find yourself sitting there wondering why all the squirrels seem to want to be on the other side of the ridge then go look and find out.

 

[zim]

I grew up in that part of the world and learned to deer hunt up there. At the time, we were killing around 25,000 deer STATEWIDE. So, I feel your pain. Here are some old guy observations:
1.You won't see deer if they aren't there. Not trying to be a smart butt, but, it really holds true in those mountains. Deer ARE NOT evenly distributed across the acreage. Once you start figuring things out, you will see that they are in pockets up there, with large expanses of land not holding squat.

2. So, how do you find those pockets? Shoe leather is usually the best currency. In a lot of that range, if you have three days to hunt, you will see many more deer if you scout 1.5-2 of those days and only hunt a day. Just sitting somewhere in a tree because you saw a track and it looks pretty can be a big time waster.

3. When the oaks start dropping, a good tree can really concentrate some deer. It will be your key food source most of the season. Outside of the oak game and an occasional persimmon tree, you are basically going to see a lot of browsing. They feed on greenbrier year round up there. Since it is everywhere, it doesn't concentrate the deer.

4. There is NO place that you will hunt where terrain features such as saddle, benches, etc come into play like they do in the mountains. Until you learn how to recognize those and how they concentrate the movements, it will be tough. By far, the best source of information on learning how terrain features focus deer movement is this book: https://www.amazon.com/Brad-Herndon...?dchild=1&keywords=Mapping+Trophy+deer&sr=8-4
For hunting up there, it will be the best thirty some dollars you will ever spend. Read it, and then read it a couple of more times. Invest in some good topo maps. GPS are good for getting you in and out, but don't do much for showing you the big picture of an area. After seeing Brad's diagrams and discussions, you will start picking it out when you hit the woods. Once you get comfortable with it, you will be able to take a topo map, look at it, and oftentimes go right to a hotspot. It certainly cuts down on the scouting time.

5. You have to understand thermals to see deer up there. The book will have some explanations.

6. January and February are you best friends up there. After the season, with all of the leaves off is the absolute best time to scout. If you bust a bedding area, no biggy. Trails, scrapes, rubs, etc are really visible. You will start to see how that sign is influenced by the terrain features.

In closing, it takes paying some dues. Next year will be easier. And, at some point, a lot of it will become second nature.

Hang in there!

Now that is what I'm talking about! You essentially confirmed my thinking in that I am on the right track, but I have a lot to learn. At least I'm focusing on the right things!

Thank you sir.

 

[T. J. Mercer]

Adding to what others have said ...

If the deer aren't there, you have two choices:
1) bring them to you, or
2) go to them

Trail cams can get pricey, and some don't last more than a few seasons, but having at least one gives you a better picture of whether they're in the area.
I swear by trophy rocks.
I've been able to pull deer across property lines where I couldn't hunt to areas where I could with simple attractants. Drop a $15 trophy rock, half a bag of a $6 50lb bag of corn, and slap a camera on it in late June, and check the camera in two weeks. If the deer are there, you'll see em.
We have strict laws against baiting, so obviously be careful with that during season, but some attractants are allowed. Learn them and use them.

I once moved my climber 50 yards and saw more deer than I ever had before. Trails in some places are your bread and butter. A camera will help you either find them or learn if they're there with attractants.
As stated above, put in the legwork of scouting. Cameras can time lapse a spot, but your eyes can canvas an area.

 

[T. J. Mercer]

Also, when I began hunting, I wanted to hunt the fields to see farther and thus, more deer. Imho, this is not the way of the bowhunter. Get in the thick stuff, if you can. You gotta get up close and personal. And it's harder to draw when the deer can see you move.

 

[zim]

Adding to what others have said ...

If the deer aren't there, you have two choices:
1) bring them to you, or
2) go to them

Trail cams can get pricey, and some don't last more than a few seasons, but having at least one gives you a better picture of whether they're in the area.
I swear by trophy rocks.
I've been able to pull deer across property lines where I couldn't hunt to areas where I could with simple attractants. Drop a $15 trophy rock, half a bag of a $6 50lb bag of corn, and slap a camera on it in late June, and check the camera in two weeks. If the deer are there, you'll see em.
We have strict laws against baiting, so obviously be careful with that during season, but some attractants are allowed. Learn them and use them.

I once moved my climber 50 yards and saw more deer than I ever had before. Trails in some places are your bread and butter. A camera will help you either find them or learn if they're there with attractants.
As stated above, put in the legwork of scouting. Cameras can time lapse a spot, but your eyes can canvas an area.

I will absolutely be doing this kind of stuff next year. With this being my first season, I have just gotten permission on these spots. By next season I will have had an entire year to find bedding areas, travel routes, movement patterns, etc . . .

 

[huntncoach]

You mentioned that you are seeing deer, just not within range. Use some time after your hunt/sit and check out where you saw the deer and try to figure out why they were there. My example: I had a decent spot and would typically see multiple deer while in the stand but couldn't get any shots because of thick brush and hemlock trees. I finally found a better tree to climb which opened up more shot opportunities and also led me to learn where the deer were entering this area and how they traveled to and from it. Just takes time and willingness to try something different.

 

[TNGRIZZLY_]

I live in Scott co TN in between North cumberland TWRA and Big South fork. Do I see deer? Yes, but not a lot.
As other have said, go to middle TN during bow season. But during Nov just be in the woods with what ever gun is allowed.

Good luck

 

[1jamey]

Thanks boys. Don't mean to come across as whining . . . just getting it off my chest.

I have some cams out. And see some decent deer on them (I think).

I will keep at it. I'm sure this happens to everyone. I do wish I could figure out my mistakes and correct them.

PS I'm up in NETN.

Me too, Hawkins County

 

[Heath423]

You can tell you are not whining but just really frustrated. Your post reminded me of myself when I 1st started deer hunting in the mid '90's. Trying to self teach and learn was hard. Benefits now is that there are a lot of video's, podcast and forums to gather information. Hopefully, you can gather most information during the off-season and try and apply what works for you and your area during the season. You sound as you are doing the right things it just takes time (boots on the ground). You will eventually have deer on you within shooting distance. Once that happens you will find you have even more to learn. Deer will pick you off with just the smallest movement. If you get the shoot pulled off (especially archery) be patient before going to recover. Countless times there have been more deer come through (when it rains it pours). Take that time to observe the deer and how they move, look and listen. If you need to track blood to find your deer be prepared with TP and mark each blood discovery. Sometimes the blood you are tracking will be very minor.
Stay with it and good luck on your future hunts.

 

[T. J. Mercer]

TP as in toilet paper?
So do you just lay a piece of TP on any blood you find as you go along?
I'll have to try that.
I always stick my arrows in the last few spots, so I can look back and see the fletching and visualize the direction the deer was running if the trail goes cold.
Small pieces of TP would give me a longer line of dots to connect.
Great tip.
Thanks!

I would add, Zim, to try and never go past your last spot of blood until you see the next drop. Sometimes you get lucky with a clean blow-through and blood letting out both sides, resulting in puddles and a tracking of only 50 yards. But sometimes you clip some liver or a hole gets plugged, and it's extremely slow-going. You don't want to step on the only leaf with a drop of blood and have it stick to your boots only to never be seen.
Tracking is hands down my favorite part of bow hunting.
Do I want to spend three hours tracking a deer across 300 yards?
No, but oh the reward of finding your quarry.

 

[Vince]

I understand your situation. I have been there.

I started hunting in 2013. I would get to go hunting only 5 times every season due to various commitments. Only bow and rifle. I have gone so many places and counties, public and private land and was yet to see a deer. I even hunted in E TN on public land and in Rhea county in private land. No deer anywhere, not even to be seen. I remember venting out here in my second year of hunting and the experienced folks here reminded me that's deer hunting. I was frustrated that I go to the same place and spot that my buddy kills every time he sits and I wont even see a deer. I would see deer all around when I drive into the property, but not one from the stand. I was lucky to meet catman; he sympathized with my situation (thank you Jonathan!) and took me to one of his hunting spots as well, and unfortunately didn't see any. I felt like I was the deer repellent. I wasn't sure what I was doing wrong. My clothes were all scent free, I used cover scent on boots, checked wind etc. I kept reading and learning a lot here and from videos. (Taking this opportunity to thank everyone on here who supported with tips, good luck wishes etc.). I didn't have properties available to scout except public land, so stuck to the virtual world more.

I saw deer for the first time from a stand only in 2017, my fifth year of hunting. That too in Mississippi, and it was being chased by dogs. And in 2018 I see two does while hunting in Mississippi but no shot through the branches. In 2019, I see my first deer (a doe and fawns) bow hunting from a blind on public land in middle TN. It blew and ran away but I was so happy just being able to see a deer. Later in 2019, I shot my first deer on rifle opener deer on private land. This year, I am seeing a lot more deer because I go hunting once a week, and I think I found a good spot. Not that it matters, but i killed my first deer this year in jeans, not camo.

Even now I am not certain what I was doing wrong previously. My parents were against me hunting, in fear of whether I would follow suit one of their uncles who took hunting to his head and wouldn't take care of the family. They prayed seemingly jokingly that I don't get a deer and thus get hooked. One of my friends at church prayed in 2017 and told me there is a "block". I didn't tell him about what my parents jokingly prayed before. The next week I called mom and said no matter how much you prayed and I don't get a deer, I am still going to the woods perched on a tree, come deer season. She didnt even remember what happened in 2013 and said I'll pray you get one this time. And I doubled up a couple of weeks later on the rifle opener. In my 8th year.

I don't think my story might help you much, but praying it gives you hope. Just keep trying. You can't kill from the couch anyway. Sometimes, there might be deer where you are and you are just not seeing them. May be you need to go higher on the tree or may be, wear jeans. I wish you good luck that you get one sooner than later, and praying you get to experience the fever of seeing and shooting one.

 

[AlabamaSwamper]

You should have started 30 years ago if you think it's tough now.
Keep at it

 

[scn]

Try 50+ years ago. Just seeing a track was an encouragement.

When I first started with the agency in 1977, I think we killed 16,000 STATEWIDE that year.

 

[Heath423]

TP as in toilet paper?
So do you just lay a piece of TP on any blood you find as you go along?
I'll have to try that.
I always stick my arrows in the last few spots, so I can look back and see the fletching and visualize the direction the deer was running if the trail goes cold.
Small pieces of TP would give me a longer line of dots to connect.
Great tip.
Thanks!

@T.J.Mercer....yes toilet paper. Most everybody carries some in their pack. The cheap thin stuff (for tracking only) works best. With the 1st rain the paper will be washed away. Works great and it gives a great directional line if you lose blood.

 

[T. J. Mercer]

I look forward to making the earth look like it cut itself shaving!