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Good morning all,
I live close to Patuxent Wildlife Refuge, in Anne Arundel, Maryland and need to learn how to hunt it! I can’t find deer-too many days on stand seeing NOTHING. Additionally, there are no agricultural crops around so the food source is strictly browse. I pay a lot of attention to scent/wind directions. However, I have yet to find any kind of pattern to deer behavior. I know there are deer here; I see the harvest reports and photos. How can I increase my odds of at least seeing deer? ( I learned a long time ago that success wasn’t measured by what I drug out of the woods-however, it would be nice to at least see deer). Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Chris
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Anonymous
November 20, 2013 at 4:42 pmPost count: 124CGCHRIS wrote: Good morning all,
I live close to Patuxent Wildlife Refuge, in Anne Arundel, Maryland and need to learn how to hunt it! I can’t find deer-too many days on stand seeing NOTHING. Additionally, there are no agricultural crops around so the food source is strictly browse. I pay a lot of attention to scent/wind directions. However, I have yet to find any kind of pattern to deer behavior. I know there are deer here; I see the harvest reports and photos. How can I increase my odds of at least seeing deer? ( I learned a long time ago that success wasn’t measured by what I drug out of the woods-however, it would be nice to at least see deer). Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Chris
Chris,
I’m not too far from there. Perhaps a joint scouting trip (AFTER the season) and pre-season next year? Advice is so much easier when seeing the area involved.
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Howdy Chris . I don’t know anything about your area or season length . Still , I’ll try to stir the pot of THOUGHT .
If I were in your shoes , no matter if the season ends in a few days , I’d pack some grub , water and bow and start walking that area you hunt . Searching out the waterways, saddles on ridgelines and thickets . Thickets on south facing slopes may be the likely bedding , where it will be warmer on sunny days .Here in Ohio every stream of any size usually has cover and usually holds deer , and every ditch has crossing somewhere .
The lack of agriculture to me is of little importance simply because deer are a browse animal . I’ve seen deer stand on their hind legs to eat briar leaves . The briars were on the edge of a knee high clover field . White oaks are a likely attraction .
Don’t forget the binocs . Glassing ahead as you move may find you a deer to stalk .
Just a few thoughts . Best of hunts to ya .
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November 20, 2013 at 6:11 pmPost count: 124
mhay wrote: Howdy Chris . I don’t know anything about your area or season length . Still , I’ll try to stir the pot of THOUGHT .
If I were in your shoes , no matter if the season ends in a few days , I’d pack some grub , water and bow and start walking that area you hunt . Searching out the waterways, saddles on ridgelines and thickets . Thickets on south facing slopes may be the likely bedding , where it will be warmer on sunny days .Here in Ohio every stream of any size usually has cover and usually holds deer , and every ditch has crossing somewhere .
The lack of agriculture to me is of little importance simply because deer are a browse animal . I’ve seen deer stand on their hind legs to eat briar leaves . The briars were on the edge of a knee high clover field . White oaks are a likely attraction .
Don’t forget the binocs . Glassing ahead as you move may find you a deer to stalk .
Just a few thoughts . Best of hunts to ya .
I’d not recommend that on public land in MD during the season. WAY too much pressure, WAY too many other hunters.
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forager, way to step up to the plate and offer to personally help. Wish there were more people like you in the world today.
Chris, this may or may not help you. But its my routine.
1. look at bing maps satalite (or google earth but bing is more upto date in my area). look for edges, funnels, and obvious places that deer will want to travel. then look for places that deer doent want to go like clearings, bogs, logged areas, etc. then look at a topo map for subtle funnels like benches, saddles, fingers, ditches, etc. Try to figure out what they are eating, were its at and if there are any areas that are prefered for bedding like swamps, tall grasses, marshes, etc.
2. go look at these areas you highlighted and see them in person.
3. find that one tree that most deer are going to walk by based on the sign. try to find hubs and intersections to increse your odds if you are just hunting trails without funnels.
4. plan your enter and exit routes so you dont disturb deer.
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Chris
Many years ago spent a fair bit of time around the Pax river area while instructing at the Naval Academy. As I remember many deer and lots of hunting pressure.
I would advise that you take Sean up on his offer he knows of what he speaks. And don’t forget your own research “Whitetail Tracks” by Geist is a good start.
Knowledge of your prey and terrain, coupled with patience and a lot of work–will eventually pay off–we all hope,every season:D. And don’t forget to enjoy every day afield.
Semper Fi
Mike
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Forager, I agree, that is good of you to offer to scout it with him. What about Sundays? Is that a hunting day in MD? If not you could do some scouting that day without disturbing other hunters.
While there is nothing that can replace boots on the ground I have found that old school topo maps and more recently, Google Maps can be used to find areas of interest before you start your scouting trips. Also don’t forget the local County Public Records GIS which often has flood plain overlays and topo overlays along with the Aerial veiws as well as landowner info. Its a good place to start so when you can get in there and scout it will be more effective. Good luck!
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For me, scouting is a constant effort. I spend more time trying to find the deer than I do hunting them. Their movements are changing all the time and so you must constantly keep after ’em.
If you are not seeing any deer from your stand, you can just move it over the next ridge and see what happens. Scouting from a stand is very effective. I move mine a lot.
But as was said above, and I find very true, look for travel corridors. Deer are creatures of the edge. There are edges everywhere. Creeks, ridges, changes is tree types, trails, brush, blow downs, etc. Find some edges and you have a good start.
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