Do I hunt the same stand tommarrow night as I did tonite? Saw plenty of does but no bucks showing interest in does, should I switch farms or hang in there hoping a shooter comes by to check on those does, minimal scrapeing happening and does grouped up with minimal buck sightings. I know there are some shooters around but am torn, 1 night left and its back to work. I want opinions please!!!! Thanks
4 nights ago I decided to give it a rattle and grunt sequence even though I hadnt seen much activity as far as aggressive behavior, that is until that night I had three small bucks come right to horns, I decided I would give it another rattle sequence an hour before last light and was eventually stranded in the stand unable to get down as I had two bucks lock horns directly underneath me while an audience of other bucks from all over creation joined to see the winner. The point of this is, all I was seeing was does for the last week and a half until I decided to stir things up and boy it paid off. 
I’d try a different farm if you have the option. Those does will still be there as long as you don’t educate them. Chances are that if they were close to coming into esterous you would have seen some bucks harassing them tonight. It’s all really a crap shoot though….follow your gut and keep the wind in your face.
The Bucks are cruising, but the does are not ready yet. They can check all they want but the vast majority of the does are at least 1-2 weeks out especially up there. I find peak breeding to occur around November 13-17th. So I would find a good pinch point, travel corridor, etc. between a few bedding areas in the am or or on a food soruce where the does will be. It is a chance game. This time of year you could shoot a buck you never saw before because he is 5 miles from home “SEARCHING”. If it is your best spot (HIGHEST CONFIDENCE) for the wind, I would hang tight and hunt again.
I will be passing you about Noon today, I will honk my horn going through! 
Maybe hunt from the ground and rub an antler against a sapling good and hard, knock it a few times against the sapling and hit the base on the ground too to make the sounds of hoofs. Because the bucks are waiting out the does maybe use a doe in heat can and roll that over a few times a couple minutes after you rub the sapling. Yu can also try a Grunt, snort, wheeze, then a doe can might work too. Sometimes rattling a full blown sequence will put the bigger backs off if the woods isn’t right that time of day. This time of year just don’t over do it. Don’t keep doing it, try it then leave it alone. Maybe walk the property and find a few good hiding spots to try it from the ground. remember if you do that the bucks will use the wind and circle to home in on the sound so be careful of your scent. You might pull a nice buck off of another property, when the winds right they can hear your sounds a long ways so give them time to come in. If thier holding up use a doe can maybe just once or twice so they have to search for that doe to get them to come closer. If you don’t get a shot you may see a buck or two that you never seen befor. Theres nothing wrong with hunting from the ground if you can control your scent. Even on a calm day scent can go along ways, especially downhill with the cooling temps.
Year and a half old 8 points were in the feild harassing but that didn’t last long then they to went to eating. I rattled and grunted only to have one of the small 8s come right in. Moving round on this farm is not an option as there are deer bedded in almost all of the cover. I don’t want to educate those does but man I wanna wack a buck bad!!!
I have passed on literaly 100! Of bucks with a bow and have yet to shoot one!! Normaly I trust my guts but they are all twisted up!! Thanks boys I ll let ya know qwhat happens!! Hey Rob 4 miles west of Bville on the comstock road on the north side you’ll see a black F350 with stickers on it, that’s us. Good luck to all, any other opinions?
Where you find alot of young bucks usually the bigger ones aren’t around that area is my experience, too much competition. What I do is find the outer fringes like heavily weeded fencelines and anywhere the young bucks aren’t. Try finding a lone fenceline coming from a neighbors property and if you can setup there try and see what comes from that direction. You know where the young bucks are, look for areas other then that, the older bucks are where thier at for a reason. Look for the older does right now because thier the first to come into estrous. In my past where the older does were a couple months ago thier still going to be there, does don’t change alot in thier habit, the bucks come to them. It sounds like there may be more going on at night and not alot during the day, thats what I’ve seen early in bow season. It might be your neck of the woods isn’t ready yet, if thats the case just sit and wait. Hunt the outer fringes right now is my advice and see what you can bring in. If theres any standing corn around thats where thier at bedded down, hunt and call close to that area. Hunt the trails that are traveled the most by the corn. If theres water, corn and alfalfa close by hunt that area.
[quote If theres water, corn and alfalfa close by hunt that area.
Its every where the high water has changed my bedding areas totaly!! I have 1 farm with all cover toatly flooded, over 100 acres!
I switched farms and only saw 2 does and a house cat kill a squirl.
Back home now first morning hunt tommarrow of this farm, should be good IF I can get in!
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