Am i in the right place or not?

[TrapperJ]

Alright folks I wanna start out saying that I'm new to hunting. But I do know my basics like shot placement and regulations and safety. My problem now is finding the said deer and with a 4 day rifle doe season coming soon (Oct 11th to 13th) I figured I would try to find some deer to know how many I have. Now last year a local farmer planted a field with some kinda seeds and there were atleast 40 does on it all threw the fall and winter then this summer the field was cut and there's no deer anywhere. Now I'm gonna be hunting 5 acres which is one big hill full of white oaks but it's rather close to a house And I ain't forsure if that's gonna affect anything or not. Now about 1 acre is clear of trees and just brush and rock and I tried planting some throw n grow seed. And it didn't take off to good and just died out well then I put about 7 apples on about 5 deer trails... well those are still there so then I went and bought liquid deer cane and thought that might do something...well it didn't so I put a pile of corn and a camera...well so far Nothing so pretty much what I'm asking is what am I doing wrong? And how can I increase the chance of just getting atleast 1 doe in the upcoming doe season. Any help is much needed

 

[Sheltowee]

If you can trap, killing deer should be a breeze. Look for the same kind of travel corridors, food sources and sign, then set up on it while minding your wind. Those white oaks would probably be a prime location if they are dropping during season. Alternatively, find a cut cornfield or beanfield and set up a stand 50 yards or so downwind from where a deer trail empties out into it.

Quit wasting your money with baits, though. It generally isn't effective and, if you're hunting where you said you're from in another post, it is illegal.

 

[TrapperJ]

If you can trap, killing deer should be a breeze. Look for the same kind of travel corridors, food sources and sign, then set up on it while minding your wind. Those white oaks would probably be a prime location if they are dropping during season. Alternatively, find a cut cornfield or beanfield and set up a stand 50 yards or so downwind from where a deer trail empties out into it.

Quit wasting your money with baits, though. It generally isn't effective and, if you're hunting where you said you're from in another post, it is illegal.

I've tried finding there trails and I've found plenty of deer poop now there's none and it's like there completely gone and Isn't baiting hunting over bait? I don't plan on hunting over corn or apples just the acorns the trees drop

 

[TrapperJ]

Alright update. I went up on the 5 acres a few minutes ago to fix a trail camera and while I was up there I went around checking deer trails and I was checking for acorns... well I can't find a single acorn to even save my life and no tracks or deer poop up there. Any recommendations?

 

[Forkyfinder]

Alright update. I went up on the 5 acres a few minutes ago to fix a trail camera and while I was up there I went around checking deer trails and I was checking for acorns... well I can't find a single acorn to even save my life and no tracks or deer poop up there. Any recommendations?

If theres no sign - theres no game. Jmho

 

[ridn9high]

How close is the farmers field to the 5 acres? If the deer are not feeding or or bedding on the 5 acres, and they’re not crossing through it to get from their bedding area to a feeding area, you’re going to have a lot of skunked hunts. The rut could be your best opportunity when the bucks cruise randomly through or chase a doe onto the 5 acres.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Dump the spot. hunt public between an active food source and a doe bedding area, preferably in some kind of cover where the deer are comfortable moving during the daytime

 

[TrapperJ]

How close is the farmers field to the 5 acres? If the deer are not feeding or or bedding on the 5 acres, and they’re not crossing through it to get from their bedding area to a feeding area, you’re going to have a lot of skunked hunts. The rut could be your best opportunity when the bucks cruise randomly through or chase a doe onto the 5 acres.

Well see there a county road dirt road that goes between the farmers field and the 5 acres and the deer cross the road to go onto the field and onto the 5 acres and as far as bedding I think I spotted a few buck beds

 

[Pucky Freak]

Well see there a county road dirt road that goes between the farmers field and the 5 acres and the deer cross the road to go onto the field and onto the 5 acres and as far as bedding I think I spotted a few buck beds

there’s no fresh sign. They’re not there.

 

[TrapperJ]

Dump the spot. hunt public between an active food source and a doe bedding area, preferably in some kind of cover where the deer are comfortable moving during the daytime

I don't know of much public land around

 

[TrapperJ]

there’s no fresh sign. They’re not there.

But there's gotta be something and I mean something and I've read and heard that small acres hold the best deer. But maybe not mine

 

[Pucky Freak]

From my house in IA I can see 10’s of thousands of acres where deer might walk x1-2 times/year, or none at all. Maybe 5% of the visible landscape could you set up and shoot a deer during hunting season. Depending where you are in MO, I can’t imagine it’s that much different.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Isn't baiting hunting over bait?

Many states have much more strict baiting laws. Like you cannot place food attractants or food a set # of days before the season opener.

 

[TrapperJ]

Many states have much more strict baiting laws. Like you cannot place food attractants or food a set # of days before the season opener.

Yeah I think 10 days maybe so here in a couple days if no action I'm scrape the corn up

 

[TrapperJ]

Oh and I will say I found a shed on the 5 acres to. Looked like a small small buck

 

[Straight Arrow]

a small small buck

Prolly a forky.

 

[TrapperJ]

Prolly a forky.

Definitely ill take a pic of the shed here later and post it

 

[Pucky Freak]

I started bow hunting for deer at age 16. On my own with no information, no clue what I was doing. I hunted public and private, never saw a deer.

After many fruitless outings, I eventually learned rule #1 of deer hunting: Find deer, not a place to hunt deer.

You can make an unproductive property productive, but that takes hours and hours of year-round preparation and work, and it generally takes 2-3 years to establish adequate food and/or cover to get deer to move into an area and use it.

 

[TrapperJ]

I started bow hunting for deer at age 16. On my own with no information, no clue what I was doing. I hunted public and private, never saw a deer.

After many fruitless outings, I eventually learned rule #1 of deer hunting: Find deer, not a place to hunt deer.

You can make an unproductive property productive, but that takes hours and hours of year-round preparation and work, and it generally takes 2-3 years to establish adequate food and/or cover to get deer to move into an area and use it.

I think they use the 5 acres as a travel route but it's got food and cover no water so maybe I'm just worrying to much. And maybe they'll show up around doe season. Or not but maybe. Also how often you guys recommend checking deer cameras? I'm pretty close to my camera so I can basically check it every day or 2

 

[TrapperJ]

Also if anyone want to see the way the land lays I can send a picture of that