Knowing when to move on

[Itchy Bones]

Ive read through all these posts now and a reoccurring theme seems to be 1) what is the sign telling you 2) trust your gut 3) throw a camera at it and check the spot in a year or two.

[Boogieman1]

For me there are many factors that come into play for me to walk away from a spot. Most aren't based on if the place holds a good buck.

If I have sole permission to a piece of private that cost me absolutely nothing I don't ever walk away. I don't care if there hasn't been a mature buck step foot on the place in 20 years. If conditions are pretty sorry and I just wanna go hunting for the heck of it then I go to these types. Or if someone asks me to take them hunting this is where they end up.

As for public, if it's a small place (less than 500 acres) and it has multiple parking areas and no barriers to separate myself. When I first look at it and I notice heavy hunting sign, I don't just walk I run away. I might drive back by later in the season and see if the hunters have given up. But typically I will drive around back roads surrounding it and try to find small rundown overgrown farms. Then I seek permission.

Longer drive properties I tend to walk away from if they don't offer something better than I have closer. Also if I attempt to get permission on a small parcel and find out there is already someone hunting it I walk away and hope I would be shown the same courtesy.

The last type I walk away from are places that hold good deer but are just not killable there with short range weaponry.

[Ghost Hunter]

If I'm sitting in a spot and trying to determine if it has went cold. I'm there because sign is what I feel it should be to be productive. If I'm not seeing it play out. I'm sitting there thinking he is on next point, ridge, hill over now, which I'm also familiar with from past experiences. I will give it two sits max most of time. Sometimes only one. Try not to burn a spot with to much of my on activate I don't write that spot off at that moment. I think back with my history of that location. If nothing is happen. I'm I early, late, weather related, timber cut change routes etc. What caused change?

In 2017 I was on a spot that produced a shooter buck (no shot) an another buck on first evening sit just before dark. That spot was hot with sign. Scrapes, rubs, dropping, old good size tracks in area. 2018 I walked into that spot it was nothing there. I went back 2 weeks later, once again nothing. Never went back in there rest of season. But that is one of my best spots. But it was just cold in there. I check it again this coming season. I found out why that spot was cold in next cutover over.

Things change fast in deer woods. What is hot yesterday or last weekend could be cold today. You have to change with sign, always a plus it you can get ahead. That is when you see one putting tracks down. History of spot, Not just sightings, weather, wind, food etc. comes into play. History to me is very important.

I gotta get ready go work.

[strutnrut716]

IMO... shining (if allowed), glassing and trail cameras are HUGE confidence builders in an area. Seeing the shooters or getting them on camera are HUGE. Absent of actual sightings or photos, I tend to "move on"...

[Crazinamatese]

I hunt one public section that is 80 acres. The property has great bedding and a couple of awesome terrain features that funnel deer movement really well. However, this section went public about ten years ago and the pressure has really killed it. I seen two shooters there. One showed up at dark and the other was running away from bird hunters. Its a good spot if you want to fill a doe tag but the big bucks are on high alert all the time. I sense does and fawns really like that area and birth and raise their newborns there. One doe had four fawns there two seasons ago. But as a section for mature bucks, the last three to four season has become more challenging dialing in where they are at. It has become a one-and-done kinda place for me now the last two seasons.

[SidewayZ]

I will hunt a spot a few times before moving on. I know a lot of people here say not to over hunt a spot or hunt consecutive days without rain etc. I don't subscribe to that as much many because the areas I hunt have so much pressure and lack of deer population. I like to move around an area that I have picked out and set up say 3 times a week in different spots within the area I have targeted. I have had good luck with this, Maybe I didn't scout it good enough or totally figure it out before the hunt, but I have found that moving around an area for a bit really seems to pay off.


If you scouted the area and it seems to be holding the buck you want then try moving around and maybe you'll see something that you would not have while scouting.


For me if I hunt an area that had the right conditions but didnt produce I usually move on after 3 or 4 hunts.

[Crazinamatese]

I will hunt a spot a few times before moving on. I know a lot of people here say not to over hunt a spot or hunt consecutive days without rain etc. I don't subscribe to that as much many because the areas I hunt have so much pressure and lack of deer population. I like to move around an area that I have picked out and set up say 3 times a week in different spots within the area I have targeted. I have had good luck with this, Maybe I didn't scout it good enough or totally figure it out before the hunt, but I have found that moving around an area for a bit really seems to pay off.


If you scouted the area and it seems to be holding the buck you want then try moving around and maybe you'll see something that you would not have while scouting.


For me if I hunt an area that had the right conditions but didnt produce I usually move on after 3 or 4 hunts.

I do the same. If an area seems like it has potential, or if I know its hot, I stay on it.

[Doublejake]

Ghost hunter brought this up in a different thread. I think it is an excellent topic.

How do we know when to move on? How many years do we hunt a property or certain bedding area that has yielded zero shooter sightings?

One and done? Do you give it three or four years?!? I’m pretty big on spending the overwhelming majority of my time on properties that will hold a shooter EVERY year. That said, a couple years ago my best property didn’t produce a single 3.5+ yr old buck all year. That includes summer observing. If that was year one and I was an impatient person, an awesome property would be squandered.

How about that bedding area that looks good? You KNOW there are shooters around, but you can never catch one while he’s using your “best bet” bedding When do you cut the cord?

In VT it’s hard for me to cut the cord when I know that a few 2 1/2 year olds are around. Which is a great Deer in VT. Most are killed 1.5 -2.5 if a 3.5 is around I don’t give up. Just keep on trying to figure out where he is with all the Hunting pressure.
I typically only scouted summer and Fall, this is the first time I have done winter scouting and it is so Helpful! Found some great primary Bedding spots. I’m sure they hold Deer all year and not just a winter area.

[BBH1980]

Ghost hunter brought this up in a different thread. I think it is an excellent topic.

How do we know when to move on? How many years do we hunt a property or certain bedding area that has yielded zero shooter sightings?

One and done? Do you give it three or four years?!? I’m pretty big on spending the overwhelming majority of my time on properties that will hold a shooter EVERY year. That said, a couple years ago my best property didn’t produce a single 3.5+ yr old buck all year. That includes summer observing. If that was year one and I was an impatient person, an awesome property would be squandered.

How about that bedding area that looks good? You KNOW there are shooters around, but you can never catch one while he’s using your “best bet” bedding When do you cut the cord?

In VT it’s hard for me to cut the cord when I know that a few 2 1/2 year olds are around. Which is a great Deer in VT. Most are killed 1.5 -2.5 if a 3.5 is around I don’t give up. Just keep on trying to figure out where he is with all the Hunting pressure.
I typically only scouted summer and Fall, this is the first time I have done winter scouting and it is so Helpful! Found some great primary Bedding spots. I’m sure they hold Deer all year and not just a winter area.

Well know gentleman on here told me if he can find 3 mature buck in a 2500 acre lot in the eastern part of the country he's doing well.... I found that to be very true. Here in PA if your putting a 3.5 year old on the ground on a yearly basis your killing it. Lol

[BBH1980]

Ghost hunter brought this up in a different thread. I think it is an excellent topic.

How do we know when to move on? How many years do we hunt a property or certain bedding area that has yielded zero shooter sightings?

One and done? Do you give it three or four years?!? I’m pretty big on spending the overwhelming majority of my time on properties that will hold a shooter EVERY year. That said, a couple years ago my best property didn’t produce a single 3.5+ yr old buck all year. That includes summer observing. If that was year one and I was an impatient person, an awesome property would be squandered.

How about that bedding area that looks good? You KNOW there are shooters around, but you can never catch one while he’s using your “best bet” bedding When do you cut the cord?

In VT it’s hard for me to cut the cord when I know that a few 2 1/2 year olds are around. Which is a great Deer in VT. Most are killed 1.5 -2.5 if a 3.5 is around I don’t give up. Just keep on trying to figure out where he is with all the Hunting pressure.
I typically only scouted summer and Fall, this is the first time I have done winter scouting and it is so Helpful! Found some great primary Bedding spots. I’m sure they hold Deer all year and not just a winter area.

Another story of a guy here in PA killing a 110-120 class deer every year that moved to MN... He started killing giants immediately. 150-160 class on a regular basis ... His skill level was there, he didn't all the sudden get better moving out there. He was just in a better area for mature buck.

[MOBIGBUCKS]

So here is my take on when to move on...I live in an area that has 2.1 million people and I gotta simply hit the road if I want to get away from all the guys out hunting. When I check out a public spot, I look for big deer tracks first and foremost, rubs and scrapes secondarily but never put much stock in that since I target older bucks. However If you only scout a place once, I honestly don't feel you have an accurate depiction of what actually moves across a property. I scout alot late summer all the way through summer and I'm constantly checking for what I'm looking for. Post season is great for getting the lay of the land ,but some places hold deer when the cover is thicker in the early season. The only way you are going to find those areas is to get outside of your comfort zone and scout.

I think you should give a spot a couple years of scouting to truly figure out the big picture. Otherwise, I feel you give up on a spot much too quick.

[mspaci]

no gut here, I need proof if Im gonna spend time there. Many times its a neighbor who saw. I have found spots where there was no sign but I have proof from some source. Mike

[Doublejake]

Ghost hunter brought this up in a different thread. I think it is an excellent topic.

How do we know when to move on? How many years do we hunt a property or certain bedding area that has yielded zero shooter sightings?

One and done? Do you give it three or four years?!? I’m pretty big on spending the overwhelming majority of my time on properties that will hold a shooter EVERY year. That said, a couple years ago my best property didn’t produce a single 3.5+ yr old buck all year. That includes summer observing. If that was year one and I was an impatient person, an awesome property would be squandered.

How about that bedding area that looks good? You KNOW there are shooters around, but you can never catch one while he’s using your “best bet” bedding When do you cut the cord?

In VT it’s hard for me to cut the cord when I know that a few 2 1/2 year olds are around. Which is a great Deer in VT. Most are killed 1.5 -2.5 if a 3.5 is around I don’t give up. Just keep on trying to figure out where he is with all the Hunting pressure.
I typically only scouted summer and Fall, this is the first time I have done winter scouting and it is so Helpful! Found some great primary Bedding spots. I’m sure they hold Deer all year and not just a winter area.

Another story of a guy here in PA killing a 110-120 class deer every year that moved to MN... He started killing giants immediately. 150-160 class on a regular basis ... His skill level was there, he didn't all the sudden get better moving out there. He was just in a better area for mature buck.

Absolutely! That would be the case for many of the Hunters in the Northeast such as VT. Hunting is a lot harder and the Location is everything. You can have all the skills in the world and it wouldn’t be noticed because the quality and quantity Deer are just not their.

[Doublejake]

no gut here, I need proof if Im gonna spend time there. Many times its a neighbor who saw. I have found spots where there was no sign but I have proof from some source. Mike

I think the move on question is if you know that it has the Deer but put time in and have not had any luck or sights of the Deer.
I prior to this coming season put all my efforts on the Same Property on multiple stand locations. Now my plan is to jump on to a new area that I have previously Scouted.

[BBH1980]

Ghost hunter brought this up in a different thread. I think it is an excellent topic.

How do we know when to move on? How many years do we hunt a property or certain bedding area that has yielded zero shooter sightings?

One and done? Do you give it three or four years?!? I’m pretty big on spending the overwhelming majority of my time on properties that will hold a shooter EVERY year. That said, a couple years ago my best property didn’t produce a single 3.5+ yr old buck all year. That includes summer observing. If that was year one and I was an impatient person, an awesome property would be squandered.

How about that bedding area that looks good? You KNOW there are shooters around, but you can never catch one while he’s using your “best bet” bedding When do you cut the cord?

In VT it’s hard for me to cut the cord when I know that a few 2 1/2 year olds are around. Which is a great Deer in VT. Most are killed 1.5 -2.5 if a 3.5 is around I don’t give up. Just keep on trying to figure out where he is with all the Hunting pressure.
I typically only scouted summer and Fall, this is the first time I have done winter scouting and it is so Helpful! Found some great primary Bedding spots. I’m sure they hold Deer all year and not just a winter area.

Another story of a guy here in PA killing a 110-120 class deer every year that moved to MN... He started killing giants immediately. 150-160 class on a regular basis ... His skill level was there, he didn't all the sudden get better moving out there. He was just in a better area for mature buck.

Absolutely! That would be the case for many of the Hunters in the Northeast such as VT. Hunting is a lot harder and the Location is everything. You can have all the skills in the world and it wouldn’t be noticed because the quality and quantity Deer are just not their.[/

Over the years I have seen it.... By the time a deer is 3.5 here they are very well versed on hunting pressure and how to avoid humans.... Radio collared deer studies here tell us they adapt to the rifle season even prior to opening day. With our opener being Monday one buck went into hiding the Saturday before and spent the entire 2 weeks in a 100 square yard area on a 50% slope next to a road. I think he watered after dark but that was it proving that human pressure and safety are absolutely #1. Even over their stomachs.
In another study one was kicked from its bed ... It skirted it's home range circled down wind and went right back to it's bed. The study is called the deer forest study done by pennstate. It's absolutely amazing to watch these animals survive at 21 hunters per square mile. The argument has been made that taking a 3 year old here is just as hard as a 5 or 6 year old in less pressured states. For me the jury is still out cause I've never hunted out of PA. Lol.