Deep woods hunting

Desertfox, since you have a lot of experience, I'm curious how is it that you should rely heavily enough on food sources to recommend that so wholeheartedly. I ask because in oak forests where I hunt, food is literally EVERYWHERE, and thus patterning based on "between food and X" is completely useless. Are you in pine, oak, or some other non-oak deciduous dominated area over there in the ouchitas? What are your food sources - private cropland or something else? Thanks.

Just to add one thing, I have always felt that live deer sighting is the best sign that deer are using an area.
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Well, yeah, that's pretty much axiomatic, but I've always felt that if I jump a deer in a spot, that I can rest assured that he won't be back there for at least a few days...so did you mean "sightings where the deer didn't notice you", or "sightings" period, even if you jumped the deer or he saw you?You think that if you jump a deer, he still might come back through there the next day or even the same day?
 
get a few cuddyback cams and find some trails. deer will move thru the easiest routs of passage they can find. across narrow ridges, thru logging roads, thru natural funnels, etc. these are the places you should look for trails.
 
Here are a couple tricks that work for me in the Alabama woods. Something to look for when the deer are making scrapes is a beach tree. They have yellowish tan leaves and stand out like a sore thumb. Sometimes every beach tree I check while scouting will have good sign. I guess deer use them because the way the branches hang low for easy access, and not much undergrowth can be found under thier limbs. This fall archery season most of my hunting here in Alabama will be over acorns. I have learned that when the acorns are on the ground the deer are too. Also if you have some good spots on a property line you can try and find a place where the fence is broken, and the deer will likely cross there. I even cut the top strand of barb wire sometimes. Deer are lazy, and any way to cross a fence a little easier they will take. Other than these few tricks the only thing else I can say is look for some well established trails. You can find a good game trail on our property all year round, and the deer travel them pretty regualarly.

Good luck
 
To answer your questions directed to me, I must say that I scout year round when possible. "Sightings" are in May as well as September. In a new area, I usually scout for areas of interest and then find an observation point.
My observation points are easily accessible without disturbing the whole area. They are high points or good high trees I can put a stand in. Early morning in the summer, before it is too hot, I may climb up and glass during sun up until I must leave for work etc.
After I watch deer movement, I scout to see where they were going and where they were coming from.
Food sources are not everywhere here. Lucky you. Food, in general around here, Oklahoma and Texas consists of winter wheat, acorns, pecans, honeysuckle, cotton, numerous grass sprouts, fresh growth on suculents and a very wide variety of planted crops. Farther south the food sources change but up here around the red river that is pretty much it.
Any fresh cut area will be targeted by whitetails for the new growth in the grass. (powerlines, right of ways or fence rows)
Water is obvious and bedding areas can be found if you check for signs. Cool areas with nice cover and if you find alot of scat in clumps, it means the deer were laying and chewing there cud. (Laying = bedding)
If you make a map of your hunting area and log each sighting or finding, you will come up with a few really great stand locations or great still hunting trails. Success can be easier if you spend the scouting time. Walking into the woods on opening day for the first time has a lower success rate in my opinion.
The idea is to spend as much time scouting year round. If you have this luxary then you have an advantage. That deer track you see may be on a nocturnal trail. If you observe the deer, you know where they came from and where they were going and when. You know if they were indivigual or groups. You know if they were bucks, does or yearlings.
That little tid bit was all I was trying to add. Scout if you can early.
As far as ground blinds, I have been in a few discussions with a game warden friend of mine who taught me that there is a 20-120 rule to ground blind hunting.
If a deer can see your ground blind from 120+ yards they can eliminate it mentally as danger because they observe everything around it and see no danger. Closer than that, he says they will be spooked if they happen upon it until 20 or closer yards. Inside twenty yards your ground blind is large enough to blend in and not be silouetted. He further said they are looking past 20 yards for trouble and if they round a bend on a trail and you are not covering the trail ahead they are watching down it. At 20 yards the deer shouldn't have much time to decipher before your choice of projectiles passes thru him. That is just a little food for thought on ground blinds.
Thank you for asking. Happy hunting.
 
#1 rule. Be there for the rut!:D Thats when the big boy will show his face in shooting hours, if even then he does. Logging roads are great for deer travel routes. Areas where timber change also. Like where a thin hardwoods changes into a brushy area. If you'll follow trails along these types of areas, you;ll eventually find their beds, food sources, and they need water. Put this together and establish their travel route. Then, hang your stand where the wind wont blow your cover. Scentlok or not, a whitetail will smell you if the wind blows any scent from you his way. Always pick places for stands where the wind won't get you. Typical deep woods food will be acorns, laurels in late season, acorns, hedge apples, acorns. IMO, if acorns are there, deer are too, as the guy said above. I find deep woods hunting better than any here. The food sources are concentrated more. A good size oak grove will usually be overrun with deer. DO NOT disturb their "world" though. or they'll move on, at least the old wise bucks. I believe that even spitting on the ground one time is enough to push a big buck out. touching a tree near a trail with dirty hands, it does'nt take much. When you find a good spot, hang a stand and leave, dont trample it to much.
 
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