A little discouraged

[Dustinb80]

We haven't seen a deer during daylight hours on our property or trail camera since opening day I haven't been on the property in almost 2 weeks. Changed out the card last night and we have a tons of deer at our feeder during night time hours, but still nothing coming out or just walking thru during the day. I don't want to give up on this property b/c its the only one we can hunt all year. I will be hunting a different property the week of Thanksgiving and thankfully its a different story over there. Deer on camera all times of the day. A few nice bucks too. Im holding out on my tag for a buck. Thoughts?

Dustin

 

[bowhunter1023]

How big is the property? How many guys hunting and how often? Gravity feeder or timed? If timed, what's your settings?

If you believe in the moon helping/hurting the rut, its been pretty shitty. Clear, cold full moon nights encourage all night orgies that kill daytime activity.

 

[Dustinb80]

5 acres 2 guys, hunt together in a blind. Smoke session before each set. Have not over hunted. Havent hunted the property nearly as much this year as previous years. Timer feeder. goes off at 8 am and 330 pm for 10 seconds each time. Thinking about going with the morning feeder only. I wouldn't say that I do or don't believe in the moon issue, but it has proven itself that on full moon nights, its dead in the morning.

 

[bowhunter1023]

5 acres is small dude. Easy to burn that out even if you think you're being easy on it. And its a small slice of the pie.

The only place to kill a deer is in the woods, so keep after it.

 

[Mike]

I own a 5 acre patch of woods and I have the same problem; that's why I haven't hunted there. Until I can make it more desirable to the deer, it's just going to be visited at night. Gun season is a different story. Deer will run on the property when pushed.

 

[Dustinb80]

LOL I know its small. Everytime I think about, I tell myself I have to find another property. That's why I started the thread asking about Leasing. But no guy likes to hear someone say that his piece is small. LOL.

 

[bowhunter1023]

We're not talking about your member, just your hunting property. lmao OMG Becky, it is SO small.

 

[Dustinb80]

We're not talking about your member, just your hunting property. lmao OMG Becky, it is SO small.

:smiley_clap:

 

[jeremy44230]

I hunt a couple places around 5 acres. One I hunt 2-4 times per year only now. Wind has to be perfect. I hunted it too hard in years past and really ruined it. I let it set for a year and now I've seen deer each trip.

The other, is where I killed my 2012 and 2013 bucks. Sighting were way low until end of October. I hunt it very little as well. Maybe 6-8 times per year. However over the past few years, I've tagged a buck by early November (lucky me).

It's tough when that's all ya got... Good luck there and elsewhere and also with a lease. I'll be searching hard for a lease for next season.

 

[Dustinb80]

Its all I have for now, so we have to make due. Congrats on your deer. Ill be doing some door knocking this spring that's for sure. Id rather do a lease as a last resort.

 

[finelyshedded]

Dustin, my BIL is in the exact same position. Hunting the 5 acres behind his dads that just happens to be a great 5 acres cuz it's a pinch at the edge of a doe bedding area. He's killed nice mature bucks late 3 out of the last 4-6 years but is having it tough this year so far due mainly to numbers being way down. He's hunted dark to dark this past week getting skunked on a few of those sits but knows it can happen at any moment that a shooter can cruise through so he's bideing his time hoping its not much longer.
Just keep on keeping and hopefully some daytime action begins soon, its about your only option BUT I'd hunt only when wind is favorable. Good luck!