Any tips on how to increase deer movement

[auggie13]

The land I hunt is about 170 acres with a large pine grove across half of the land. Outside of the grove we have a field of grown up spurce trees all about 7ft tall. Outside of the grove you can normally see about 60yrds in any direction. We have a camera in the grove and during the early bow season we have seen a 12pt, 10pt, and an 8pt on the camera, along with about 10 does. We know there are deer in the area but on opening weekend we sat all day both saturday and sunday and didnt see a deer. I know deer hunting is about being patient and i love that part of the sport but it has been this same story over the last 5 years. Lots of deer on camera no deer when hunting. We think they are just not moving and staying in the woods. Is there any advice any of you have for me? Any ways to increase deer movement? Or are there any scents that you guys use that draws them out of the woods for a bit even if they arent active.

Thanks for any advice
Auggie13

[Patriot]

auggie13,
Welcome to the forum.  Any and all questions are valid and you are welcome here.[:)]
 
I'll chip in my two cents and assume others will jump in as well.
 
From your message, I assume you gun hunt only.  Is that correct?
 
Maybe hunting pressure in the surrounding area during bow season is turning the deer nocturnal?  Do you utilize scent control and hunt only when the wind direction is favorable?  Where are the bedding areas and food sources?  Can you provide us with a Google Earth photo of the property?

[auggie13]

Thanks for the quick response patriot. I have read the forum for some time and always enjoy your advice.

I will work on finding something on google maps. As for the rest of your questions, i always use cover up scent but thats it because i never knew what kind of scent to use and always assumed none is better than the wrong one. I only shotgun hunt because as a college student i cant afford a bow at this time. But we have a variety of box stands and ground blinds so I always pick a stand that the wind is working in my favor. As for bow hunter i dont think there are any bow hunters in the square mile. Our square mile is our land the neighbors land which is much like ours a but with a creek bed. Outside of these two hunting areas they are surrounded by plowed fields that were corn earlier in the year but its all plowed now. As for food sources there is a small alph alpha field on the north end of our land but that is probably 40 acres away from the grove and doesnt have good cover near it. As for bedding areas we have found alot inside the grove but its way to thick to shoot.

[auggie13]

Im not to good at doing much on google maps but if you go to starbuck mn. If you go to County road 18 and turn south on 310th ave then west on 230th st the farm is the first lot. the main grove is to the west of the house and travels north and south. we own all the land from the grove to County road 18.

Hope this helps. Its all private land and the only reason im posting the actual area is because i know you are all good guys

[blueeyeddragon76]

If you now the deer are in the area then that is a good sign, when they are seen on camera is it at night? Deer do move quite a bit and may just be on your property at certain times, and where they might not be pressured from you they may still be pressured on other properties. If you know where they bed, and where their food source is i would find a natural choke point somewhere between the two, look for rubs and scrapes. You may want to make some mock scrapes, and spread around some doe urine or other doe scent in the area of any natural rubs or scrapes as well as your mock scrapes, especially in the rut a buck will go nuts trying to find those does.good luck!

[Ifishandhunt]

Auggie,
 
Have you scouted the area prior to the season? Have you seen worn trails? What time are you seeing the deer on the trail cams? When you walk to your hunting location, are you jumping deer (I am guessing not since you said you don't see any) or notice any bedding areas?
 
In the area I hunt, I was able to observe the deer and which way they exit and enter the property and approximately what times of the day. If you have the ability to do that, it may give you an idea. But also take into consideration the time of year and what food sources are around and where they are located. Food sources will change as fall and winter arrives and that might alter the deer movement as well. The property I hunt doesn't seem to hold the deer, but they use it as a travel corridor to their bedding areas on the neighboring properties so I have to be around during the times they come and go for feeding and bedding. I also know that they will change as the winter approaches and need to move to a new stand location. Just some food for thought.

[Patriot]

auggie13,
Sounds like your place is only 20 minutes from where I hunt.
 
Does this look like the correct area?
 
We can then do analysis from here.
 
 

[auggie13]

Patriot. That is the right property

[auggie13]

Also the camera is located in the small grove of trees in the south side of the land. We see most of the big trails in the smaller grove on the north side of the land. But in that grove there is no bedding areas just rubs and trails. Most of the bedding areas are in the larger grove on the south half. I never kick up deer walking to the stand because i always stay as far into the plowed feild as i can when approching my stand. As for food sources im not exactly sure all the fields are plowed the only thing i know they could use for food is the alph alpha field on the north end. Its the very small green patch behind the north grove.

[Patriot]

Are you seeing any current sign? Is is possible they move to a different property where food sources exist?