I don't wanna sound like a toad, but I am having a heck of a time here.
Last season I missed a spike at 10 yards. He came out, scared me and I froze. I gunned up and he snorted and ran. I missed the snapshot (I shot and then tracked for 4 hours...not 1 drop of blood and 600 yards later through THICK Maine woods and swamp.
This year so far, I jumped a nice heavy 4-pointer at about 30 yards...I took 2 shots and missed both (no hair, no blood for 200 yards...he even stopped to look around after the 2 shots, the jetted when I positioned for a 3rd.)
I have yet to see a deer just wander out into my shooting lane while I'm sitting still. I have 2 ladder stands and a climbing stand...all set up. I live in mostly swamp and walk behind my house (60 acres) every morning at about 4am. I set up at least 1 1/2 hrs. before civil twilight (and at least 2 hrs. before sun-up.) I wash my clothes in scent free, I use scent free pit deodorant, I call at least every 20-30 minutes (rattle, bleat, grunt) when I think they are rutting and some days I just sit tight and don't call at all. I hunt the swamp, the fingers of tight pines in between the swamps and the hardwood clearings...I hunt everywhere that I see an abundance of deer crap and I rarely see a deer. I have seen 5 bucks this season (2 during bow, out of range....a rifle would have dropped 1 of these easily.) I have seen ALL bucks and not one doe....which isn't a bad thing except for the facts that does will most certainly point the way to commonly followed travel routes.....and I have a doe tag.
What the heck am I doing wrong? Maine deer are WAYYY fewer and far between than anywhere south of here as I have read....but J, unless you pull drives...it's tough around here.
Any advice? Any Mainers here?
Last season I missed a spike at 10 yards. He came out, scared me and I froze. I gunned up and he snorted and ran. I missed the snapshot (I shot and then tracked for 4 hours...not 1 drop of blood and 600 yards later through THICK Maine woods and swamp.
This year so far, I jumped a nice heavy 4-pointer at about 30 yards...I took 2 shots and missed both (no hair, no blood for 200 yards...he even stopped to look around after the 2 shots, the jetted when I positioned for a 3rd.)
I have yet to see a deer just wander out into my shooting lane while I'm sitting still. I have 2 ladder stands and a climbing stand...all set up. I live in mostly swamp and walk behind my house (60 acres) every morning at about 4am. I set up at least 1 1/2 hrs. before civil twilight (and at least 2 hrs. before sun-up.) I wash my clothes in scent free, I use scent free pit deodorant, I call at least every 20-30 minutes (rattle, bleat, grunt) when I think they are rutting and some days I just sit tight and don't call at all. I hunt the swamp, the fingers of tight pines in between the swamps and the hardwood clearings...I hunt everywhere that I see an abundance of deer crap and I rarely see a deer. I have seen 5 bucks this season (2 during bow, out of range....a rifle would have dropped 1 of these easily.) I have seen ALL bucks and not one doe....which isn't a bad thing except for the facts that does will most certainly point the way to commonly followed travel routes.....and I have a doe tag.
What the heck am I doing wrong? Maine deer are WAYYY fewer and far between than anywhere south of here as I have read....but J, unless you pull drives...it's tough around here.
Any advice? Any Mainers here?