Help please 😅

[Newbie_Hunter]

Hey everyone. I just started hunting for the first time in my life this year (currently 28 years old). I got a lot of help early in the season with some advice but still haven’t gotten a deer yet. Been out once almost every week since 9/10, saw deer only 3x at around 3pm/4pm but never close enough for a shot and never twice in the same place which sucks because the following week I would go out to where I saw them early and wait all day with no deer in sight.

Just wanted to ask, should I be going out early morning to camp out a spot? If so how early should I already be out before sunrise? If at night, at what time should I be out there before they get out of their bedding? 
 

any advice would help, thank you.

[Rjtfd]

11 minutes ago, Newbie_Hunter said:

Hey everyone. I just started hunting for the first time in my life this year (currently 28 years old). I got a lot of help early in the season with some advice but still haven’t gotten a deer yet. Been out once almost every week since 9/10, saw deer only 3x at around 3pm/4pm but never close enough for a shot and never twice in the same place which sucks because the following week I would go out to where I saw them early and wait all day with no deer in sight.

Just wanted to ask, should I be going out early morning to camp out a spot? If so how early should I already be out before sunrise? If at night, at what time should I be out there before they get out of their bedding? 
 

any advice would help, thank you.

Where are you setting up at night vs morning? Night you should be close to food source so when they come out to feed your there. Morning closer to bedding so when they leave food source they’re heading back to bed. Morning I like to be out 45-1 hour before light. Also are you hunting the same spot since 9/10? Deer will pattern you more than you will pattern them. Careful with your entry go slow and quiet and sit still and patient. Are you setup on one of their trails to feeding? Watch which way your wind is blowing in direction they travel. 
There is a lot to learn just be patient at it all comes together. You’ll be rewarded in the long run. 
Good luck

[ratherbhunting]

I had hunted for a few years before I got my first deer. Be patient and learn as you go. Today there is a lot more information out there then when I started 40+ years ago.

[deadonshot2]

It  sounds like you still have a lot of homework to do. You should be scouting a lot more.  What is making you set up in the places you have? Has the food source changed? More pressure? Less cover? There is a lot to learn and going out once a week does not allow  much room to consistently be successful. Many guys could kill at least a doe most sits. Not just hope to see a deer. Get some more time in the woods is best advice I can give you. And if you run into another hunter along a dirt road/parking area do not be afraid to say hi and take any info they give about the area. But do not treat it as gospel because some may try to steer you wrong cause they do not want you hunting their area. They obviously hunt that spot for a reason.

[Newbie_Hunter]

28 minutes ago, Rjtfd said:

Where are you setting up at night vs morning? Night you should be close to food source so when they come out to feed your there. Morning closer to bedding so when they leave food source they’re heading back to bed. Morning I like to be out 45-1 hour before light. Also are you hunting the same spot since 9/10? Deer will pattern you more than you will pattern them. Careful with your entry go slow and quiet and sit still and patient. Are you setup on one of their trails to feeding? Watch which way your wind is blowing in direction they travel. 
There is a lot to learn just be patient at it all comes together. You’ll be rewarded in the long run. 
Good luck

 

28 minutes ago, Rjtfd said:

Where are you setting up at night vs morning? Night you should be close to food source so when they come out to feed your there. Morning closer to bedding so when they leave food source they’re heading back to bed. Morning I like to be out 45-1 hour before light. Also are you hunting the same spot since 9/10? Deer will pattern you more than you will pattern them. Careful with your entry go slow and quiet and sit still and patient. Are you setup on one of their trails to feeding? Watch which way your wind is blowing in direction they travel. 
There is a lot to learn just be patient at it all comes together. You’ll be rewarded in the long run. 
Good luck

I haven’t been hunting the exact same spot each time. I would go to a spot one extra time once I confirmed I have seen deer in that area and then the second time I’m there earlier than the time I saw the deer (all 3 times in the afternoon) they didn’t come. And that would be like a week later that I visit the same spot. 
 

so the first two times the food source did change, I believe there was corn in the area the first time I saw them and on a trail camera as well. But the second time I visited that area I noticed that everything was cut down. The third time I saw a buck (not specifically hunting buck because I didn’t get the permit for it being I had no luck getting just an antler-less one)  it was on a field where there could possible have been corn but it was cut down the moment I saw it. (Funny think I set up my camera, walked back to my car and when I got in my car and looked up I saw a buck right next to my camera about 100 yards away from my car). I tried going to pick up my camera the second time I went a week later to hunt that field and noticed someone stole my memory card for the camera. I set up my tree stand at around 12 and sat there till 4:30 but nothing except a few squirrels came. (I was freezing my ass off thinking I bundled up enough but I stayed persistent and stayed there till the sun started setting).

Just yesterday morning at like 6:45 I went into the woods next to that field and ventured out about 300 yards down a trail and then off trail up a hill to see if I get a better view and saw 4 tree stands in that area (all empty by the time I was there and empty when I walked past them on the way out).

 

I don’t want to give up, I want to get a deer. 

[Greybeard]

Welcome to hunting.  I put in a lot more time and think you did better than me this year.

[james7]

Where the wind is taking your scent is the first thing you should be focused on when you go into and when you set up anywhere. Finding bedding and/or a food source and/or a travel corridor is great but means nothing if your scent is getting there before you do

[Mixbaghunter]

It takes time try different areas. Do a lot of scouting.  Un like  most things know a day hunting  is not a instant  gratification . It took me 10 years to get my first deer.

[Rjtfd]

13 hours ago, Newbie_Hunter said:

 

I haven’t been hunting the exact same spot each time. I would go to a spot one extra time once I confirmed I have seen deer in that area and then the second time I’m there earlier than the time I saw the deer (all 3 times in the afternoon) they didn’t come. And that would be like a week later that I visit the same spot. 
 

so the first two times the food source did change, I believe there was corn in the area the first time I saw them and on a trail camera as well. But the second time I visited that area I noticed that everything was cut down. The third time I saw a buck (not specifically hunting buck because I didn’t get the permit for it being I had no luck getting just an antler-less one)  it was on a field where there could possible have been corn but it was cut down the moment I saw it. (Funny think I set up my camera, walked back to my car and when I got in my car and looked up I saw a buck right next to my camera about 100 yards away from my car). I tried going to pick up my camera the second time I went a week later to hunt that field and noticed someone stole my memory card for the camera. I set up my tree stand at around 12 and sat there till 4:30 but nothing except a few squirrels came. (I was freezing my ass off thinking I bundled up enough but I stayed persistent and stayed there till the sun started setting).

Just yesterday morning at like 6:45 I went into the woods next to that field and ventured out about 300 yards down a trail and then off trail up a hill to see if I get a better view and saw 4 tree stands in that area (all empty by the time I was there and empty when I walked past them on the way out).

 

I don’t want to give up, I want to get a deer. 

Public land is very tough. Deer get very pressured and get very weary. Don’t get discouraged. Just learn from each sit and you’ll get closer each time. Don’t give up. Get back deep away from the crowds. 

[Ringtail]

I hunted for four years before I shot my first deer. Don’t get frustrated.

[Devil Horns]

Seems like you are missing out on the best times of the day. The first and last hour are usually your best times. Get a good headlamp and get to know the area so you are comfortable entering and exiting in the dark.