Maybe Next Year??

[ko4nrbs]

2022 is my first year not killing a deer in many years. Between skin cancer surgery, flu/sinus infection and bad weather I only got out to hunt 4 times. The season stays open into February but I am leaving for our annual 2 month trip to Florida on Tuesday.

The deer here rut much later than the deer in NE Oklahoma where I used to hunt. Didn’t start seeing any rubs or scrapes until about 2 weeks ago. There are not many deer in the part of the refuge I hunt. Even though I am seeing many rubs and scrapes the deer themselves are scarce. Just ain’t seeing them. It obvious the rubs and scrapes are being made at night.

Next year:
Search for bedding areas!!

Don’t wait for scapes and rubs before hunting. Since I know where they have been I will be in the tree stand when the season opens. The rubs and scrapes are in the same area as last year. Some of the scrapes are huge. Patience will be the key!!

Bill

[janesy]

I hear ya Bill, my fall was pretty hectic right up until late November. Didn't even get into the trees until Nov 23rd.
Passed on a button buck all season and a bunch of does with Fawns. Now they are nowhere to be found.

I was supposed to hunt today and tomorrow but my Ex wife is quite sick with the flu so I've got the kids an extra couple days. So that's my season wrapped up. We are done Dec 31. But my boy and I celebrated the end of a long year with 2 porterhouse steaks tonight instead of dragging a deer. I'll take that any day of the week.

On to Planning his first Wild Turkey hunt in April!

[longbow joe]

Some years are bad ... no worries .Bill I must confess l enjoyed your "river hunting " adventure stories in the past.
Hunting new ground is hard and challenging you will end up putting the puzzle together next season and it will be very rewarding for you!
Happy new year Joe z.

[ko4nrbs]

I am trying to figure out their travel patterns in hopes of finding the bedding areas. Ambushing them moving from the bedding areas to the scrapes and rubs area is probably my best hope. In Oklahoma it took me a few years to figure them out. In the river spot I was on the wrong side of the creek!!

Bill