I drew this year and have been counting the days till it starts on November 1-14, I know the southern half of the unit pretty well, got my buck last year opening day of modern in a wilderness area, spent quite a few weekends scouting this year and saw some nice bucks this summer, but after spending the day over there today I am feeling a little discouraged with my hunt fast approaching. I hunted one of my higher elevation spots last week and saw no deer, some of the other areas I hunt have been closed all summer from the maple fire on Jefferson ridge, and today, I figured with the rut approaching and rain, I should at least find does so I can come back next week with my permit and see if bucks are with them. Well i figured I would glass all day today from dark to dark a handful of clear cuts, from a couple years old to almost too overgrown, all behind DNR gates either off Hamma Hamma rec road or off the 24, jorstad creek. I didn’t see anything at all, I glassed, rattled, and tried fawn distress to bring in does. NADA. Next weekend I am going to spend 4 days out of my truck hunting the first week of my permit and I am looking for advice. I’ve never hunted the first two weeks of November so I don’t know what to expect, and after today my confidence is pretty low in finding deer in clear cuts. If anyone would be able to give me some advice it would be much appreciated, even if it’s where I should avoid hunting due to it being a waste of time. I’ll be camping out of my truck and will have my mountain bike so I can go pretty far behind gates or I’ll hike trails. Thanks, and I’ll keep this thread updated on my hunt.
