Frustration in zone 15

[Buck619]

All year had some great doe and few bucks traveling through the property. Now the does are gone and the bucks too. I have only hunted this property 3 times this year so I am not over pressuring and I am the only one who hunts it. Until 2-3 weeks have great deer movement with tons of acorns now acorns are almost gone and deer are gone. So frustrated I feel like I might to start baiting. I have never baited during the season would bait a bit in the summer to get an inventory of deer. Not even sure what to do at this point.

 

 

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[Black Bear Bowhunter]

I’m in the same boat! Z8

Hang in there they will come back- Telling myself the same thing 🙈

[Yobuck293]

We are all in the same boat.  Z25

[james7]

I’m no expert but i think a major problem a lot of here in New Jersey is closed canopy forests in combo with too many invasive undergrowth. Summer there’s browse and of course hard mast in early fall late summer but we run into bare forest come this time of year. Unless you’re hunting ag or a healthy forest that’s a different story 

[james7]

In my past two sits in the stand I’ve watch a small buck browse ferns, and does eating every last leaf off spicebushes, you can probably do an internet search both those plants are probably on the “deer resistant” native plants list  , but when food is scarce they’ll hit it. Even if it’s breeding season deer still need to eat, the reason some of us might be struggling is not that there’s no deer, it’s unhealthy forests 

[Nomad]

Somebody is baiting heavy near you probably. Either start baiting heavy to bring does which will bring bucks or sit on travel routes to intercept traveling bucks.

Edited November 4, 2022 by Nomad

[mike033089]

5 hours ago, james7 said:

I’m no expert but i think a major problem a lot of here in New Jersey is closed canopy forests in combo with too many invasive undergrowth. Summer there’s browse and of course hard mast in early fall late summer but we run into bare forest come this time of year. Unless you’re hunting ag or a healthy forest that’s a different story 

I would think this has some merit to it.  I’m in zone 5 And have several acres. I have spots in my woods with zero undergrowth, spots with tons of invasive stilt grass and Thorny wine berries.  There is browse and acorns but it also could be your layout vs the sun. North part of my property doesn’t get a lot of sun due to about a mile north starts the water gap mountain ridge and blocks a lot.  South side catch’s a lot however since I’m up high not all parts on the lower end of the property get decent sun.  

[deadonshot2]

5 hours ago, Nomad said:

Somebody is baiting heavy near you probably. Either start baiting heavy to bring does which will bring bucks or sit on travel routes to intercept traveling bucks.

Someone set up about 75 yds from my stand in one spot and the guy drops 200# at a time. I throw about 20# down a week. My newer hunter has seen a nice 10pt four times from stand and never near or headed towards his stand. So you do not need to bait just as heavy. Location, location, location. That and guy hunting 75 yds away is a dope. He made his own roadway closer to his stand so he crashes through brush and announces his arrival. Then he was smashing antlers and grunting loudly every 15 minutes opening week in October. He is driving deer to my stand and they are eating all his corn at night.

[electric10162]

41 minutes ago, deadonshot2 said:

Someone set up about 75 yds from my stand in one spot and the guy drops 200# at a time. I throw about 20# down a week. My newer hunter has seen a nice 10pt four times from stand and never near or headed towards his stand. So you do not need to bait just as heavy. Location, location, location. That and guy hunting 75 yds away is a dope. He made his own roadway closer to his stand so he crashes through brush and announces his arrival. Then he was smashing antlers and grunting loudly every 15 minutes opening week in October. He is driving deer to my stand and they are eating all his corn at night.

50lbs of corn mixed with 20lbs of sweet horse or Antlermax pellets will make his pile more attractive

[deadonshot2]

5 minutes ago, electric10162 said:

50lbs of corn mixed with 20lbs of sweet horse or Antlermax pellets will make his pile more attractive

The only thing going to attract a buck to his spot is a hot doe at this point. Deer probably laugh at the guy when they are in the area. My new hunter was upset someone set up on us like that but after watching his habits and some teaching moments and she now sees how we use him to our advantage.

[smittty]

8 hours ago, Buck619 said:

 

All year had some great doe and few bucks traveling through the property. Now the does are gone and the bucks too. I have only hunted this property 3 times this year so I am not over pressuring and I am the only one who hunts it. Until 2-3 weeks have great deer movement with tons of acorns now acorns are almost gone and deer are gone. So frustrated I feel like I might to start baiting. I have never baited during the season would bait a bit in the summer to get an inventory of deer. Not even sure what to do at this point.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Save your money bait ain’t the answer 

[megavites]

i hunt z15 and have backed off corn for past 2-3wks because a little scouting showed they were hammering the acorns.

Does have been hiding. Had two in side yard landscape that suprised me as I left for work Wed.

Weather change looks good for Tue thru Thur. for Z15 with a 17deg drop of daytime temps.

Fri. after the 24hr rain window around noon looks good to. Get out that am to a doe bedding area under cover of rain.

[SPEARFISH]

Deer patterns change several times through the year and you need to too.  They are constantly moving to the best food sources and there are also areas where they rut.

[Slayer1962]

Two spots one in Jackson where I baited heavy last year . I saw deer almost every sit last year . I literally have seen one deer this year. The other spot I bait with cameras is no hunting area too close to houses I put cameras out for my wife in the back yard she likes to see the pictures. They stopped coming in last week  or so . We had 4-6 deer every night until two weeks ago then 1-2 for the week ago , now zero for 5 days . Changed pattern i assume because looking for the rut 

[Bucksnbows]

9 hours ago, james7 said:

In my past two sits in the stand I’ve watch a small buck browse ferns, and does eating every last leaf off spicebushes, you can probably do an internet search both those plants are probably on the “deer resistant” native plants list  , but when food is scarce they’ll hit it. Even if it’s breeding season deer still need to eat, the reason some of us might be struggling is not that there’s no deer, it’s unhealthy forests 

Spice bush has always been a native plant that is favored by whitetails. It is one of the first species we look at with forest management plans to see what browse pressure deer are putting on that species. It shoots suckers up to survive, and those tender shoots are a preferred food for deer. But if they over browse those new shoots, the spice bush will eventually die.