Hunting help

[courtgreene]

I’ve moved recently, and since I’m far away from where I usually hunt, I need some help. Here’s the situation. I live in the NC mountains (Canton if that means anything to you). Turkeys are everywhere, but any time you mention deer to the locals they say, “do you go to Georgia, South Carolina, or out East?” Their meaning, of course, is that they have no deer. They then proceed to speak of the days when they did, say something like, “you still see one now and then,” and then change the subject. Having said that, I just don’t see how it could be impossible to find a deer in some of the best habitat I’ve ever encountered. So here’s my personal situation:
I’ve got tons of access. Between game lands, national forests and people nice enough to let me hunt their places, I’ve almost got too much access.
I’ve got the time if I can find a deer, because it’s local, the thing that I don’t have time to do is miss work and drive for hours to where I know I will find deer.
I need your advice.

Do any of you know the area? Any tips you could give me would be great.

Any mountain hunters (Appalachian, Smokies), have any advice?

Anyone have any tips for finding deer where no one else thinks to look?

Am I completely wasting my time? I don’t think the locals are stupid. I respect them and think they’re being honest, but my hope is that they just aren’t looking hard enough and with effort I can have some luck where they haven’t.

What I’ve tried is hunting the base of a mountain, where there is a natural shelf, with apple trees all around me. That’s all the hunting I’ve done here so far. To date,I have only seen turkeys, squirrels, and cows.

 

[Danoobie]

Well, this is a question which would have come in handy about 6 months ago. Deer are usually
less cautious and easier to find in the off season. If you want to see if there are deer in your area,
a lot of tracking, glassing, and sitting stands in the off season, maybe to also hunt coyote, or wild boar
would be in order. Don't be too discouraged if at first you only see does. They don't exist in a vacuum.

Now, you have to seek deer during the season. Considerably more difficult, as there is so much more
hunting traffic to spook them, in season. I would pick two or three likely places on permitted
private land, set up your stands, preferably near some (deer) tracks, and wait. Set out
your game cameras at likely spots, if you have them.

 

[jeepnik]

You're new to the area. The locals aren't likely to tell you about the local deer population. Just saying.

 

[red rick]

It's too late for it now , but setting up a camera and corn is a good way to see what is around . If there are any crops planted near you I would scout those areas and if there are any acorn trees that would be a good place to sit or set up a camera .

 

[Armored farmer]

Find food, water, bedding areas, and look for tracks.
Scouting and choosing stand sites are my favorite parts of the season.

 

[courtgreene]

I agree with everything y’all said. The problem is that I didn’t move in time to do all the preseason work. Oh well, next year, I suppose.

 

[Patocazador]

When I lived in East Tennessee, I never saw a deer in the mountains except along hard to get bays of TVA lakes. Deer will choose the places with the most nutritious feed. That means lowlands and farms especially.
Mountain soils produce less nutritious food due to millennia of erosion from rain, slides, etc. Try to get permission to hunt a farm in the lowlands.

 

[red rick]

The most important thing is get into the woods , because you are not going to see anything or learn the land setting at home .

 

[GAF]

How many dead deer do you see on the side of the road in your local area?

 

[JeffG]

You might want to take note of anyone spotlighting from a vehicle at night. Part of your answer might lie there. What about feral hogs?

 

[JackSprat]

I've got Kin in White Pine Tennessee,and they do alright on deer.Around here the acorns are thick this year,and they probably are were you live too,so you should be able to find hot spots in the oaks were the deer have been eating ,.I assume you are seeing the cattle in pasture fields..The deer will go up in them fields,especialy in the evenings..If you can't hunt the fields,then cover the deer paths leading out of the woods..The bucks will often hang back on the edges of the woods waiting for it to get good,and dark before they come out in the open...You should be able to see how many deer were killed during season last year in your county,and get a good idea of how the hunting is..Good luck.

 

[Milt1]

I live in N.C., just not in the mountains. My best advice is to contact the local game warden in your area. He will level with you as to the best hunting spots around Canton.

 

[courtgreene]

Thanks for all of the tips, I’ve found one of very few oaks dropping acorns, the place is overrun with maples, and have found a LITTLE evidence of deer there. A few tracks is about it. It’s near the edge of the pasture which I can hunt. I’ll be there Monday.

 

[buck460XVR]

The most important thing is get into the woods , because you are not going to see anything or learn the land setting at home .

^^^This. Part of hunting is getting to know the lay of the land, where the food sources are, the bedding areas, the travel/escape routes and where other hunters hunt during the season. Hunter pressure is as important as any of the others in any given area and is one of the most ignored aspects when scouting a new area in the off season, especially on pubic land. Nuttin' more frustrating than thinking you have the best stand in the woods, only to find out on opening day, 10 other folks did too. This can kill the buzz of opening day more so than seeing no game. There should never be a situation when time is the woods is wasted. One can always learn something, even if it's just not where to go. Another thing to try and figure out during the active season is where other hunter access the area. This can lead to spots they don't access or spots they push game to/thru when they access the area. Most folks take the easy way in and generally that's the same route for the majority of folks all the time. Animals pattern us just like we pattern them. They hear a car door slam at the general parking spot and they are already alert and on the move. A car door from another spot, sometimes not so much. When they are used to seeing everyone come down the old logging road, they set up to watch that old logging road and leave themselves exposed from another direction. Always something to learn and no time like the present.

 

[GAF]

Also as other have suggest, go scout the land you will be hunting.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I often wonder if the locals are really accurate when they say, "ain't no deer around here", and assuming they don't want to discourage competition for the animals..., I wonder if the deer have simply learned to be better at avoiding the humans than the humans are at spotting the deer. I also wonder that although I'm scouting and don't find "sign", if I'm scout where an average white tail would be (whatever average means), and I'm simply not going into the areas where the white tails have learned are good to hide from people. The white tail's number one tactic to avoid predators is being undetected, and I think they can learn to be very very good at it..., if they live long enough.

LD

 

[GAF]

I have scouted woods I was to hunt in and there were sign all over the place. you would have though 300 deer were bedding down in the scouted area. Come gun/deer season not one deer to be seen.

 

[FL-NC]

Cameras, corn, diced up apples.

 

[Ks5shooter]

Because its late,just pick a spot you may get lucky. Sitting in the woods to me is not a waste of time,in fact its my favorite part of hunting. Next year do your homework and get situated. Hunting is my sanity time...getting a deer is a bonus.

 

[Glockula]

As others have stated just get in the woods. Around here a fair amount of deer can be killed off of a 5 gallon bucket. The best way though is to be elevated in a tree stand. Either Get A Good Line Of Sight A
and be able to shoot far or get sneaky and shoot them close in. There is no substitute for just watching deer. Good luck and shoot straight.

 

[courtgreene]

Monday is opening day of bear season out here, so there will be people and dogs all over the place. I’m hoping that by Wednesday the deer are hungry from having been hunkered down for a few days and they’ll move looking for food (apple trees and acorns with me in between). That’ll be the strategy behind my next attempt. Back to bows.

 

[courtgreene]

Because its late,just pick a spot you may get lucky. Sitting in the woods to me is not a waste of time,in fact its my favorite part of hunting. Next year do your homework and get situated. Hunting is my sanity time...getting a deer is a bonus.

I’m with you there. It’s not like I’m a new hunter, just new to hunting mountains. It’s a completely different experience and I’m trying to figure it out, but like you hunting keeps me sane, reminds me that the world is good, and resets my mind and soul.