Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Need advice on bringing em in

Dustinb80

#FACKCANCER
Supporting Member
18,172
187
S.W. Ohio
My brother in law and I have 4-5 acres that we hunt on the backside of a bean field. There is a small creek that wraps 3 sides of the 4-5 acres. We have 2 gravity feeders with corn on opposite ends of the acreage. We aren't seeing much movement over the past few weeks. Is there anything yall would recommend to help bring them onto the property? Only seen a few does over the past few weeks. Now its down to one doe the last week or so. She is young. We cover our scent well and take all of the precautions. Thinking about attractants, rubs, scrapes. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Dustin
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Deer have a lot of food choices right now, making feeders less effective. If you and your partner are both hunting that small piece regularly, good chance the local deer are on to you, scent control or not.
 
Yep like Brock said, food is everywhere including crops, acorns, apples, etc.. With all of your activity with the feeders perhaps you've bumped them out of your area? Then again a lot of guys have been saying the weather has had a lot to do with slowing movement down. Pray for cooler weather is my recommendation.
 

Gordo

Senior Member
5,515
121
Athens County
Brocks right. That small of acreage can b burned out real quick. Staying out as much as u can is ur best option. Go in only when conditions are perfect and only when going in for the kill
 

badger

*Supporting Member*
Deer have a lot of food choices right now, making feeders less effective. If you and your partner are both hunting that small piece regularly, good chance the local deer are on to you, scent control or not.

Yep, there's a lot of food options for deer right now. For our area this might be one of the best years for fruit trees. There's also an abundance of acorns out there, not to mention the farm crops.
 

Rutin

Senior Member
2,029
0
Ina Duck Blind
Being that small of a property, your best bet is during the rut looking for cruising deer along the creek. I honestly wouldn't even hunt it until late Oct-Nov. and only hunt it sparingly. It wont take long until the deer have you patterned on a parcel of that size. Using decoys during this time is helpful for deer at a distance that otherwise wouldn't check this little spot out. Like others have said.... WAY to much food out there right now for feeders to play a big part, going in to fill them all the time only adds to scent. I find feeders most helpful when the is NO food left and your supplementing their winter diet.
 

Fullbore

Senior Member
6,439
126
South Eastern Ohio
Do you have a good number of does in your area?
Once those does start to come into heat, you will have all the attractant you need. Lol.
Acorns are prolly the best food going right now. I would hunt the oak flats and creek bottoms, IF you have any? Good luck.