Where are the Deer?

[wallter]

Went out Saturday (11/29)with the bow didn't see anything other than tracks everywhere.

I am hunting private land in Stacy, MN in a known deer area.
Do I need to hunt closer to their bed?
Should I stay on the main trails?
What about Looking for their food source and hunting their?
Suggestions please.

wallter

[Ruttin' Buck]

I was out Fri. eve and Sat. morning. This time of year is definitely trying on a bow hunter. Deer can be scattered or working towards their herding areas depending on conditions. Right now, in my area they're scattered.

I hunted dangerously close to a bedding area with a pile of tracks and some muzzleloader guys 1/4 mile to the south of me hoping they might bump some deer my way. On the drive to the stand (5:30 am) I spotted several deer moving about. That's a bad sign. The deer were likely bedded by first light..but not by me!

The moon is working up to full (Dec. 8) and the deer are using that to their advantage.

The second rut should peak around next weekend (28 days after prime rut). All the does that weren't bred during the first rut will come back into heat. The bucks will begin trolling more intensively during daylight then. Best bet is to use some scent in a high deer traffic area in my opinion.