Need some help. Bought 73 acres this year off lake Palestine. North and east pretty off limits to thin mobile home housing. West neighbor is cattle pasture and south is prob 1000+ acres of tree farm mainly pine and is I think city limits so off limits for hunting. I concentrate heavy on south end. I do have a water source including some springs seeping. Good mixture of water oak, juniper an pine trees. Corn pretty heavy for last month, light last few months. Can't seem to get any consistency on where to arrow a deer. Had maybe 5 days in last month were deer showed up for corn. Walked property looking for signs, found some rubs an set a camera little off it with some deer pee. Hour after had 2 buck, one really nice one. Here now doing same thing, working wind, no deer. No deer on cam for days. Found a few tracks here and there. seems sooooo random. Hurts seeing all these people on here passing on deer.


Any tips or thoughts appreciated

East Texas is different. Especially that area most of the time your wasting time with corn. I'd concentrate on natural food sources. IE oaks. I'd plant summer food plots, and corn after season when there is A. No pressure. B. no acorns. That will get them used to your property, and your feeders. Next year plant a fall plot. Bet you'll see a dramatic increase if you give them several options if food for a full year.

This year there is so much for them to eat, just keep an eye on your acorn trees, I wouldn't be to concerned with not get any pics, once the rut kicks in all bets are off. Just put in the stand time and I'm sure success will walk right by you...

Do you have any white oak trees near the water source?

Also, can you post up a google earth shot of the property?

Walked most property and couldn't find and white. Best ID was most are water oak. Seems low acorn crop this year. Glasses a lot of trees and actually see nothing. Poss pic later. In stand now!!!

As for the other comments- thanks guys. Going to plant some fruit trees, white oaks and plot next spring. I know there some big deer around. Large hunting club few miles down road

if u are going to plant trees u might try some chestnut and/or persimmon trees, something different that the neighbors dont have. its tough out there, find the good trails and sprinkle some corn, then hope they stop for a shot.

I will be honest. For me in Emory this year I usually see 8-15 deer every single hunt. I have hunted 4 times and haven't laid eyes on a deer yet. I do have pics if them at my feeders but not when I am there. Something is very odd right now.

One thing about this early in the season is that with the rains we've had, everything has greened up so the deer don't have to move around as much to find food and water!!!

That's true. And a good thing for the deer IMO. If my wife cooked more often, I wouldn't have to go to town for a hamburger.