Why can't I find deer!?

[Rooster1981]

In my experience when the deer aren't moving, and you know there are animals in an area. Instead of covering tons of ground, it sometimes is better to think small. Blacktails don't go that far from day to day. Hunt one area very thoroughly, stick with it and keep hitting the same spot every day. Make an area of about one square mile and keep hunting it, take a differant path each day in and out so not to make a pattern of pressure.
 That's what I do when the animals aren't moving.

[Bullets_n_Octane]

I don't think anyone enjoys the rain during a hunt, but it will be nice this weekend, just enough rain to get em movin...

[Southpole]

I think they're in people's back yards, unfortunately. I don't know if it's just coincidental or maybe predators are pushing them into residential areas and or the vegetation that they prefer are in the pastures and yards. Either way, I don't see much of anything in the hills except predators.  That's my observation of unit 448. 

[Bullets_n_Octane]

After two FULL days of boot work in the 437 and 448, it is all but confirmed, all Deer must be in between highway 9 and the sound... and Bear have all but vanished as well...

[hntrspud]

Did you find no sign at all? With the amount of area you say that you have covered, you have either walked or riden by deer already. As rooster said, think smaller areas.

[Bullets_n_Octane]

My last spot I found a TON of fresh sign with food shelter and cover... so I know where to hit next time.

But overall, until I by chance hit this spot, not a single sign of life. Honestly I utterly HATE hunting Western wa... unless I am simply after Grouse... came across 43 GROUSE YESTERDAY... could have limited by 6:40 if I'd have brought my Shotty...

[Evoac05]

I haven't seen any blacktail yet, not even a doe. I'm hoping I can tag out soon though. Do you westside hunters usually have better luck early or late archery?

[Bullets_n_Octane]

Yearly I tend to see a MONSTER buck in late season, never fails... however I can never get the crosshairs on it in time. So this year, doing archery, I assume it will be alot different.

[DoubleJ]

Moon phase has them almost completely nocturnal right now and it's been that way about a week.  Next week promises to be better with Tue, Wed, Thur being the best days.  Should be a lot of dawn-8am and 6pm-dusk deer taken next week.

[steeliedrew]

can you explain the moon phase thing? I always thought a full moon is the worst. It's not real full right now so I was thinking it was the heat being the reason they're doing most or all of their feeding at night?

[Turner89]

In my experience when the deer aren't moving, and you know there are animals in an area. Instead of covering tons of ground, it sometimes is better to think small. Blacktails don't go that far from day to day. Hunt one area very thoroughly, stick with it and keep hitting the same spot every day. Make an area of about one square mile and keep hunting it, take a differant path each day in and out so not to make a pattern of pressure.
 That's what I do when the animals aren't moving.

X2
  Blacktail don't move around alot.

[Forrestrover.02]

My last spot I found a TON of fresh sign with food shelter and cover... so I know where to hit next time.

But overall, until I by chance hit this spot, not a single sign of life. Honestly I utterly HATE hunting Western wa... unless I am simply after Grouse... came across 43 GROUSE YESTERDAY... could have limited by 6:40 if I'd have brought my Shotty...

43 grouse!!! That's amazing. I'd love to see that many grouse in one day!

[Forrestrover.02]

Over the last two years I've been concentrating on a specific area in
Unit 460. After hunting the area for a while, I started seeing animals.
Ended up with a nice buck last year. I hadn't really thought of that spot
As a serious deer hunting area before that. I agree with working a smaller area, & being patient.

[furiouzgeorge]

I've been hunting the same spot for two years now. I've just been trying different approaches, times of day, hunt methods (i.e. still, blind, stand.) and have to agree that it takes time to get to know an area, understand it's wildlife, and inevitably put meat on the table. I hunted this spot for Bear all year last year and got nothing. This year I've spooked bear, and today came across super fresh scat and bear tracks in a creek bed. Found one of Momma and Cubbies bedding spots and high-tailed it out of there. I'd hazard to guess that you're covering too much ground. Slow down, find a patch of DNR land that you can come back to time and time again and invest the time. I'm sure it'll pay off! 

[Kc_Kracker]

as i was told. they smell and especially hear you and your bike long before you see them. park, get off, sit sit sit sit all day.. its a waiting game if you know they are in the area. if you hapen to just see one wander in the bike path it will be by accident not normal.