Burned Out!!! Tips?

[Jtaylor]

In the areas I hunt, which may not apply to everyone 100% of the time or ever for that matter, it pays to have a predetermined plan. I live in an area of high densities of deer and a decent amount of hunters too. I have no idea how it compares to southern states or any others for that matter. If you set up on the tell-tale areas that look like they'll hold deer, you'll eventually see deer. You can find these areas via aerial photos/topo maps. Your odds are probably better earlier in the season before others have had the opportunity to hunt these good looking spots and before the deer have encountered hunters. How do you know what these spots look like as a brand new hunter? Read books, watch videos, ask someone, learn before aimlessly walking in the woods. It will shorten the learning curve and time it takes to get on deer. The good looking spots might be 50 yds from where you parked your vehicle this time of year. You have to think like a pressured deer. If you are bumping deer, you are educating deer plain and simple. Bumping deer happens though, I understand that. Some people are under the impression our deer are just skittish. How did your deer become skittish? It's kind of like the same theory, "If I don't shoot 'em the other hunter will." Maybe not. Maybe you're the only one bumping deer and they recognize your smell, sight, cadence, etc. Try something new if you're doing the same thing over and over and not seeing anything. If you can minimize bumping deer especially this late in the season with a good plan you may see deer not ready to bolt or already gone by the time you arrive at the stand site.

 

[kyler1945]

In the areas I hunt, which may not apply to everyone 100% of the time or ever for that matter, it pays to have a predetermined plan. I live in an area of high densities of deer and a decent amount of hunters too. I have no idea how it compares to southern states or any others for that matter. If you set up on the tell-tale areas that look like they'll hold deer, you'll eventually see deer. You can find these areas via aerial photos/topo maps. Your odds are probably better earlier in the season before others have had the opportunity to hunt these good looking spots and before the deer have encountered hunters. How do you know what these spots look like as a brand new hunter? Read books, watch videos, ask someone, learn before aimlessly walking in the woods. It will shorten the learning curve and time it takes to get on deer. The good looking spots might be 50 yds from where you parked your vehicle this time of year. You have to think like a pressured deer. If you are bumping deer, you are educating deer plain and simple. Bumping deer happens though, I understand that. Some people are under the impression our deer are just skittish. How did your deer become skittish? It's kind of like the same theory, "If I don't shoot 'em the other hunter will." Maybe not. Maybe you're the only one bumping deer and they recognize your smell, sight, cadence, etc. Try something new if you're doing the same thing over and over and not seeing anything. If you can minimize bumping deer especially this late in the season with a good plan you may see deer not ready to bolt or already gone by the time you arrive at the stand site.

Where would you hunt based on topography and terrain features and hunter pressure?

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[Jtaylor]

Where would you hunt based on topography and terrain features and hunter pressure?

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Not sure yet, I haven't researched the area. I also prefaced my post to, "In the areas I hunt." I don't hunt areas like that. Looks like to me that area is out unless you have access to a helicopter and rapelling gear.

 

[Rangermatthews]

Definitely can start to wear on you as the season goes on. At some point you almost have to embrace the struggle and enjoy the pain. Remember you are only seconds from greatness. Every time you step into the woods you have the opportunity to become a better hunter wether or not you shoot or even see a deer. Hunting clean and not spooking deer is very important to me and could be a good first step though there are times it just can be avoided. Remember the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Good luck!

 

[Bwhana]

Where would you hunt based on topography and terrain features and hunter pressure?

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Great illustration! The geographical differences between the south and other areas are misunderstood by many on here. You guys have bedding areas up there, we have bedding counties! Maps can help in some areas, but like Kyle's example shows, there are micro terrain or other features in a block like that that can only be seen by applying boots, and the deer know and use all of them.

 

[Jtaylor]

@kyler1945 Just curious, press the red sat button 2 times. I wanted to see what the topo map shows. Maybe a creek or some small change of topography could be seen?

 

[kyler1945]

@kyler1945 Just curious, press the red sat button 2 times. I wanted to see what the topo map shows.

I understand that you hunt a different type of area. I hunt all different kinds. And with the exception of small parcels of private land, my success follows real time scouting. I fully understand hunting smart, cyber scouting, not educating the rats with hooves, etc. But you can gain years of hunting knowledge in a matter of days by covering ground. Even in places with terrain features that might dictate deer movement. ‘Screwing up’ is what teaches us. Plus, it’s fun. If your goal is shooting a deer right now, sure blowing through an area you want to hunt today with abandon probably isn’t the best method. But if you want to kill deer going forwArd, learning what deer do, where, when , and how, in real time, is the best thing a man can do. Even if it pisses off the guy who worked his butt off to find his super secret awesome spot and you walk right by him during prime time.

Oh,

I get your point. And there are creeks, and access roads, and sloughs, and ridges on this property. But it’s 80,000 acres of bottomland hardwoods. Deer have free reign, and aren’t bound by terrain features that show up on a map. They like this nuttall oak today, and that one a half mile away next week.

Plus it’s just fun to walk. And is a good antidote to hanging out with the squirrels.


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[boyne bowhunter]

I can't speak a lot for other areas but where I hunt in northern Michigan I don't believe there is such a thing as an "unmolested" or "undisturbed" deer. There are large tracts of public land but an equal number of small game hunters, deer hunters, hikers, recreational off roaders, etc. The deer have no choice to get used to human presence in their domain.

The trick for me to maintain my deer interaction is to not get patterened. I scout a lot, basically every time I go into the woods (in season and out) I'm making mental notes of where trails are, where they're heading and why they might be using them. I use this information to have many options of possible hunting setups to choose from depending upon wind direction and other weather conditions. I then bounce around among those spots hunting the ones that I think wil give me the best advantage on any given day. I rarely sit in the same tree more than twice during a season and avoid hunting the same general areas (~ 10 acres) within a couple of days. It helps to keep the deer from figuring out my plan of attack (sometimes it even confuses me ). I think the random nature of the spot selection may also make my presence seem similar to that of the other non-deer hunting users of the land which, somehow, the deer seem to figure out aren't a direct threat to them.

Burn out is real thing though, the weather this year has been rough for me. The best I can do is try my best not to let things I can't control define my experience. @DaveT1963 posted a thread last year which helped me a lot where he pointed out, don't get frustrated or unhappy over these things you can't control. Just remember you're doing the one thing you love to do and you've been waiting 10 months of the year for, Enjoy It!

 

[Jtaylor]

@kyler1945 I will agree 100% nothing beats on the foot scouting. I'm usually a pretty laid back guy and this season especially has been testing my patience. I guess maybe if a guy just got up and walked and appreciated what you're there for it would make it a little more beneficial. As for where I'd hunt on that map? I'd start by looking in the lower left where the creeks meet on the topo map, ha!

 

[philsanchez76]

I understand that you hunt a different type of area. I hunt all different kinds. And with the exception of small parcels of private land, my success follows real time scouting. I fully understand hunting smart, cyber scouting, not educating the rats with hooves, etc. But you can gain years of hunting knowledge in a matter of days by covering ground. Even in places with terrain features that might dictate deer movement. ‘Screwing up’ is what teaches us. Plus, it’s fun. If your goal is shooting a deer right now, sure blowing through an area you want to hunt today with abandon probably isn’t the best method. But if you want to kill deer going forwArd, learning what deer do, where, when , and how, in real time, is the best thing a man can do. Even if it pisses off the guy who worked his butt off to find his super secret awesome spot and you walk right by him during prime time.

Oh,

I get your point. And there are creeks, and access roads, and sloughs, and ridges on this property. But it’s 80,000 acres of bottomland hardwoods. Deer have free reign, and aren’t bound by terrain features that show up on a map. They like this nuttall oak today, and that one a half mile away next week.

Plus it’s just fun to walk. And is a good antidote to hanging out with the squirrels.


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Haha. I love this example. When I started hunting public in Tennessee I was all pumped to use Beast tactics. Then I was like; wait.... deer can and are bedding literally everywhere here! Very difficult to use Beast tactics now. My next step was to try to find hot oak trees. The date slider on google earth helps. Oaks hold their yellow/orange leaves longer than other trees. If you find a date around December, the whole forest will look bare except for evergreens and some oaks. Helped me get on some deer in otherwise gigantic mono culture green woods like that.

 

[Jwiggins762]

I understand that you hunt a different type of area. I hunt all different kinds. And with the exception of small parcels of private land, my success follows real time scouting. I fully understand hunting smart, cyber scouting, not educating the rats with hooves, etc. But you can gain years of hunting knowledge in a matter of days by covering ground. Even in places with terrain features that might dictate deer movement. ‘Screwing up’ is what teaches us. Plus, it’s fun. If your goal is shooting a deer right now, sure blowing through an area you want to hunt today with abandon probably isn’t the best method. But if you want to kill deer going forwArd, learning what deer do, where, when , and how, in real time, is the best thing a man can do. Even if it pisses off the guy who worked his butt off to find his super secret awesome spot and you walk right by him during prime time.

Oh,

I get your point. And there are creeks, and access roads, and sloughs, and ridges on this property. But it’s 80,000 acres of bottomland hardwoods. Deer have free reign, and aren’t bound by terrain features that show up on a map. They like this nuttall oak today, and that one a half mile away next week.

Plus it’s just fun to walk. And is a good antidote to hanging out with the squirrels.


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I have tears in my eyes from that topo, cant stop laughing.

 

[Nutterbuster]

I have tears in my eyes from that topo, cant stop laughing.

Looks familiar, don't it? The only appreciable changes in elevation in "our" swamp are man made. Either dirt piled up from digging canals or old indian mounds. A "ridge" is just an area that floods the day after the creek jumps its banks, instead of immediately!

It's different everywhere you go. @Jtaylor and @kyler1945 beautifully highlighted the point I tried to make in my first post. Deer are second only to people in diversity. Deer from Michigan vs Alabama are just as different as the people!

High deer numbers and high hunter numbers DEFINITELY doesn't describe those interior islands in the delta. You will not see deer just because you're sitting in a place that looks good on a map. The deer don't read those maps...

And if I went hunting in jtaylor's woods, I'd very likely bump the bejesus outta deer. I've hunted areas like that before. If you're bumping deer left and right, absolutely sit down, shut up, and keep your bow in your hand. You've found a good spot! The SOA I got drawn to hunt this december kinda fits that description. Lots of deer and a fair amount of people on the weekends folks get to hunt it. I most likely won't be wandering around the woods, because I already did that and literally found deer in every area I walked.

To sum up. If you're not seeing deer, go find them. If you're seeing deer, good job. Somebody put that on a tshirt and give me 10%.

 

[Jwiggins762]

Looks familiar, don't it? The only appreciable changes in elevation in "our" swamp are man made. Either dirt piled up from digging canals or old indian mounds. A "ridge" is just an area that floods the day after the creek jumps its banks, instead of immediately!

It's different everywhere you go. @Jtaylor and @kyler1945 beautifully highlighted the point I tried to make in my first post. Deer are second only to people in diversity. Deer from Michigan vs Alabama are just as different as the people!

High deer numbers and high hunter numbers DEFINITELY doesn't describe those interior islands in the delta. You will not see deer just because you're sitting in a place that looks good on a map. The deer don't read those maps...

And if I went hunting in jtaylor's woods, I'd very likely bump the bejesus outta deer. I've hunted areas like that before. If you're bumping deer left and right, absolutely sit down, shut up, and keep your bow in your hand. You've found a good spot! The SOA I got drawn to hunt this december kinda fits that description. Lots of deer and a fair amount of people on the weekends folks get to hunt it. I most likely won't be wandering around the woods, because I already did that and literally found deer in every area I walked.

To sum up. If you're not seeing deer, go find them. If you're seeing deer, good job. Somebody put that on a tshirt and give me 10%.

It does look familiar, and i do listen to a lot of hunting podcasts from all over the country and everyone has different views and different tactics, but everyone says you have to put boots on the ground as a lot have said on this thread. I've taken bits and pieces from what i believe will work for the area i hunt and i go in the woods to see what works and what doesn't. Its all a learning experience and i just happy i found out about public land and now have somewhere to hunt. Cant wait to start killing all these booners down here in south bama also. LOL

 

[gcr0003]

Looks familiar, don't it? The only appreciable changes in elevation in "our" swamp are man made. Either dirt piled up from digging canals or old indian mounds. A "ridge" is just an area that floods the day after the creek jumps its banks, instead of immediately!

It's different everywhere you go. @Jtaylor and @kyler1945 beautifully highlighted the point I tried to make in my first post. Deer are second only to people in diversity. Deer from Michigan vs Alabama are just as different as the people!

High deer numbers and high hunter numbers DEFINITELY doesn't describe those interior islands in the delta. You will not see deer just because you're sitting in a place that looks good on a map. The deer don't read those maps...

And if I went hunting in jtaylor's woods, I'd very likely bump the bejesus outta deer. I've hunted areas like that before. If you're bumping deer left and right, absolutely sit down, shut up, and keep your bow in your hand. You've found a good spot! The SOA I got drawn to hunt this december kinda fits that description. Lots of deer and a fair amount of people on the weekends folks get to hunt it. I most likely won't be wandering around the woods, because I already did that and literally found deer in every area I walked.

To sum up. If you're not seeing deer, go find them. If you're seeing deer, good job. Somebody put that on a tshirt and give me 10%.

I got drawn Dec 26-29th for Fred T Simpson Lot 13. What did you get selected for? I was out of town and missed the scouting day unfortunately.

 

[Nutterbuster]

I got drawn Dec 26-29th for Fred T Simpson Lot 13. What did you get selected for? I was out of town and missed the scouting day unfortunately.

Same date as you, but for Portland. Should be awesome. I saw a ton of deer, hogs, and turkeys. Saw 5 rack bucks. Easily the best looking area I've ever tromped. I'd pay just to go back and walk it again!

Cant wait to start killing all these booners down here in south bama also. LOL

Don't even get me started. Lol. There are 0 booners or p&y bucks recorded on the books for Baldwin County. None. Sure, they get killed and not recorded, but even the Alabama Whitetail Records database only has 4 deer recorded for the county.

Unless you get access to hunt some of the farms around Robertsdale and Summerdale, you shoot the first thing with 4 hooves that walks out. If you don't, I sure as heck will!

You can't kill what doesn't exist. If they existed down here, you'd see them dead on
the side of I-10. Do you?

 

[gcr0003]

Same date as you, but for Portland. Should be awesome. I saw a ton of deer, hogs, and turkeys. Saw 5 rack bucks. Easily the best looking area I've ever tromped. I'd pay just to go back and walk it again!


Don't even get me started. Lol. There are 0 booners or p&y bucks recorded on the books for Baldwin County. None. Sure, they get killed and not recorded, but even the Alabama Whitetail Records database only has 4 deer recorded for the county.

Unless you get access to hunt some of the farms around Robertsdale and Summerdale, you shoot the first thing with 4 hooves that walks out. If you don't, I sure as heck will!

You can't kill what doesn't exist. If they existed down here, you'd see them dead on
the side of I-10. Do you?

Folks the answer to that question is NO.

Awesome! I hope you kill a big one. I am taking a buddy out there with me but I have no game plan yet. Somewhere I think I read that you couldn't scout on the hunting days; though, Its titled as stalk hunters special so I'll probably take my chances. I gotta try to find some sign.

 

[Jwiggins762]

Same date as you, but for Portland. Should be awesome. I saw a ton of deer, hogs, and turkeys. Saw 5 rack bucks. Easily the best looking area I've ever tromped. I'd pay just to go back and walk it again!


Don't even get me started. Lol. There are 0 booners or p&y bucks recorded on the books for Baldwin County. None. Sure, they get killed and not recorded, but even the Alabama Whitetail Records database only has 4 deer recorded for the county.

Unless you get access to hunt some of the farms around Robertsdale and Summerdale, you shoot the first thing with 4 hooves that walks out. If you don't, I sure as heck will!

You can't kill what doesn't exist. If they existed down here, you'd see them dead on
the side of I-10. Do you?

Lol, i figured that would get you fired up.

 

[catman529]

Do you have an idea of the deer density on the land you’re hunting? If numbers are low, it’ll be tougher for sure. If you’re seeing a lot of sign but not seeing deer, I’d start trying something different. Remember to hunt where the deer want to be, not where you want the deer to be. I’d try to hunt close to bedding, in or around the edge of thicker cover. Good luck


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[catman529]

My advice is to go have fun. Grab a .22 and chase squirrels or something for an afternoon. Just something that gets you out and enjoying the woods. That’s how I hard reset when I start feeling that way.

And you’ll probably see some deer and learn something about their habits too. They have a knack for showing up when you’re not deer hunting


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[Weldabeast]

Where would you hunt based on topography and terrain features and hunter pressure?

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Hey....that's my spot