Going from average to awesome?

[rhendrix]

So far this season I've hunted a total of 22 days at my lease in East Texas and have only drawn my bow back once, and that was on a doe. Everyone else on the lease has pictures of good mature bucks, but all I keep getting are young 6's and basket 8's.

Three 10 points and three or four 8 points have all been shot this year within the first two weeks of rifle season. So I know there are shooters on the lease, how do I get them into my pasture though?

Food plots?
Minerals?

I had a feeder up but stopped running it because nothing was coming to it.

What am I doing wrong?

Signed,
Frustrated

[CRM_95]

They may come to corn better before long. There has been a lot of acorns in East Tx this year and they will eat them first. Or you may want to move your stand altogether if that's an option.

[rhendrix]

I took down my set and will try a different set next time I go up there. Whenever that may be.

I really didn't have anytime to scout or put in food plots like I wanted to this year. Guess I'm paying the price now.

[dadogg]

We are not having any luck with deer at the feeders as well. We have re located some stands deeper into the woods on trails and trying hand corn. This was after we set out several cameras to locate the most used trails. Just set them up early this week and will try them this weekend

[rhendrix]

If we have another wet September and October what's gonna keep the deer from not coming into a food plot?

Just thinking out loud here really and looking for some input.

[Greenheadless]

1. Are you hunting where the deer naturally want to be (i.e. good trails)?
2. Are you hunting too much causing to over pressure them?
3. Are you actively scouting and moving according to the deer movement?

Don't focus on what you think will create deer and just hunt the deer.

[kyle1974]

you have any water where you are?

[Greenheadless]

you have any water where you are?

Good point, I am in East Texas also and we are so dry right now the water holes we have are covered up in tracks.

[kyle1974]

if you can swing it, set up a watering system with one of those 275 gallon totes. Or if nothing else, throw out a trough a fill it up when you can. We saw a pretty good improvement setting these up right at the feeders stations, even though there are a couple other natural water sources.

I've watched deer going back and forth between protein and water for 20-30 minutes at times.

[rudytexas]

Hand corn on some good trails, set up cameras and your stands on them. Don't waste your time at the feeder, the good bucks are smart they avoid them other than at night. Rice bran was a hit on my lease near Corrigan and I killed a nice buck using it. Pour it in small piles on the trail.