Hi guys & girls,
Ok, so basically I'm 37 yrs old, and last year at the very end of the season my husband & his buddy invited me to come hunting with them..and even though I have still not got ANYTHING and only even saw my FIRST Deer 3 days ago!...I was utterly & completely IN LOVE with Hunting!! The problem besides the obvious ( NO Luck yet ) I kinda think my hubby & his buddy didn't really expect me to take to this like I have...& are a little aggravated ( or maybe even jealous) that I have been reading EVERYTHING I can find on Hunting instead of doing everything the way they're telling me to! And it probably hurts their pride a little that I have done some bartering before the season opened & have acquired ALOT More Hunting Gear, Bows, Guns, Equipment, Stands, etc than they have put together & most Nicer, Better Quality Too! So, the reason for the LONG back story is to explain why I think this... I think they are deliberately giving me wrong/bad instructions & advice to sabotage me getting any Deer before them ( as they haven't got one this year & are pretty ill about it) & I DEFINITELY KNOW they DON'T want me to get a nice, big buck! They have actually said so in other words! Of course I'm Ticked off! That being said, I will be in a shooting house that's built up on stilts this morning at a location I think from all my research and scouting the area to be a prime place for me to get my first Deer! It has 4 terrain changes ( edges) all in about a 1&1/2 sq. Acre area, a rub line that's COVERED with rubs on each edge, I've seen funnels and what i believe is a travel corridor, huge buck tracks through there, another person has seen 7-8 bucks heading toward that area lately, and this is where I saw my First Deer 3days ago... a MONSTER BUCK with what looked to be 10-11 pts. from the glimpse I got before he jumped down into a valley & out of sight ): So, HE is who I'm going back after today!! But, I'm not gonna pass on any other decent deer! I just need advice about whether I should put out any scent on wicks, what kind ( Buck or Doe?) And where about to put them? Also, should I be doing any calls at all when I clearly hear something walking near me & can't see it? Or when? And just doe bleats? Or Buck Grunts, Snort/Wheezes? And how many each time? How often & at what intervals? Use antlers to rattle? What is overkill with ALL this stuff!?? And lastly, ANY other advice on what to do or what to DEFINITELY NOT DO that may help me in ANY WAy?? I'd GREATLY APPRECIATE it & will check back soon for any comments!! Thanks So Much!!

Welcome to the forum ! Good luck this morning .

Thanks! Headed down the road towards the woods now! (:

First thing is tread lightly. Make as little sound, smell and any other sign of human life as possible. Don't go in and out no more than you have to and walk in the area instead of drive. Kill as much of your scent as possible (no scent is the best scent). Sometimes I do use a drag soaked in Tinks 69 doe urine to trail behind me on my way to the stand but lead the scent trail in a direction that I want the deer to come in at. I would hunt the area without rattling for a while first. I always get in my stand way before daylight and have had good success by doing this. When those big bucks go nocturnal by this time of the season you can sometimes catch one dragging up on getting back to his bedding area after daylight. Hunt as much as possible and stay out there as long as possible. I try to stay in my stand from before daylight till after dark if possible and have killed bucks at all different times of the day. Hunt the wind. Make sure you get down wind of the area you are hunting and stay off of it as far as you can and feel comfortable shooting. You may have to ditch the shooting house and get in your stand in order to hunt the wind. I go as high as possible in my stand to keep my scent drift up high. If you know a nice buck is in the area persistence is what it takes to intercept with him. Good luck and be sure to post a picture when you get him.

Welcome aboard! One tip is to set up on a fresh scrape, if there is not one in sight then make one close to cover then pee in it before getting in your stand. Deer are very curious & will investigate & work it.

Welcome aboard Rachel Five!

I'm no where as experienced as most here so I'll not make any suggestions - welcome and good luck though

Sounds like you've already done the bulk of what you need to do. You've found a good area with buck sign and have seen a nice deer. I would not make scrapes, rattle, grunt, pee, walk around in there or do anything else that will tip that deer off that you've been there.

Just pick a day with the right wind/weather conditions (breeze not blowing from you onto where the deer will most likely be), dress warm and comfortable, make sure your seat is comfortable (take a cushion if need be) and plan on spending a lot of time in the stand. If you're not comfortable you'll not want to stay put very long.

Good advice in this thread. From reading your story the only thing I can add is kick your husband in the nuts. I do everything I can to get my wife on deer when she can hunt.

Good info I agree with scrubbuck!!!

From the pace of your post...Sounds like your a bit excited...
And ya sound like you're over complicating it...
Some of the things you mention work sometimes, but none work all the time...some are just gimmicks...Sort of like a Joe buying a duck call that Phil Robertson made and think theyre the Duck Commander...
Personally I think less of that stuff works better than more of it...
Rattling? Ive had ONE buck I know came to rattling horns in 30+ years...
Grunt tubes...Ive used them with success but the conditions have to be right...now I grunt sparingly, grunt when I hear another buck doing it...and you have to very aware...most bucks sneak in very slowly when grunting...Best advice I can give...be very quiet, keep aware of the wind...and go enjoy yourself...One of those "let it happen" vs trying to "make it happen"...

I agree with scrub buck. Hunting scent free will greatly increase the odds in your favor. Don't use any scents at first. Be very observant, quiet and still. Good luck and may the Good Lord bless you with a awesome 1st buck.

Persistence will get you the rewards you are seeking! Don't let doubt come into your mind and keep a positive attitude when things are slow. You will do well.

Agree with scrub buck, spend a lot of time there with the right wind in your favor, consistency kill a lot of big deer!

I can't imagine being in competition with my wife to kill deer....I love that. Good luck I hope you get one. Everything that has been said so far is excellent advice.

Don't over-think it. Put in the time and the deer will come. Patience.

I hope you kill the biggest buck on the property this morning.

If you can stand to sit all day in an area you know has good bucks, then do that and be as quiet and scent free as possible and remember you may not see anything on the first or second hunt, but it only takes a minute for him to walk into your view. BE READY!

Welcome aboard. Put him to shame. Lol

Thanks for all the Great info, Words of wisdom & encouragement!! Sadly, he and any other deer in the vicinity were a no show this morning. I sat from 4:45am until about 30 minutes ago, and DEFINITELY did NOT want to leave! But, when your kid needs you...You leave (;
Also, to SFC3...I'm sure it seems I'm over excited and complicating the situation... Lol. But, actually this is what I'm getting aggravated with! The aforementioned "advice" from the hubs and his buddy is the source of all the questions I asked. They seem to tell me so many different things and something different every time! My suspicion of being misled came in part from my research, and mostly from noticing the men hardly ever use the things they tell me to...or do the things they tell me to do. Anyhow, going to try to get back in the woods today in a different area..and try going back to the spot I was in another day when I can for sure stay the whole day! Again, Thanks to All!