Super frustrating I know the feeling I had a few questions if you don't mind some outside review.

What is your scent elimination or cover protocol when you get dressed till you are in to your stand?

And are you hunting prehung most tree stands or climbers?

Ammo storage can make one quiver.

Scent killer. Fixed ladder stands.

I am not spooking bucks. They just are so random on location

How do you know your not pushing them away if you don't really evaluate your entry and exit and whole Routine.
Ok just Scent killer,
Can you elaborate or do you just spray your self?
I ask bc Simply spraying with decent killer isn't likely to help you.
Here's what I found works.
-My bow hunting clothes are kept in a mostly air tight garment bag. I either have had wood smoked the clothes or run the ozonic's on them. both work very well.
- before I go out to hunt I shower with scent free soap and put on my rubber boots on the way out the door.
-Truck is parked about a half mile from stands, after leaving truck I spray down and walk slow to stand so I don't Perspire. If the stand is over a mile away I might bike to it.

I only hunt with the right wind unless I have trail cam footage of specific time and place of bucks showing up/ patterned behavior.
Never hunt on the same stand more than two days in a row.
Never let the deer see you leave the tree.
If I don't have cover to hide my path to the stand I am in the stand before there is any light.

Also great option if you have a place that's like this… Most dear don't pay any attention to a tractor. If you can have a buddy let you off in the tractor before light it's a noise that they are used to in a smell they are used to.

Does the rut overlap with your bow season? If so, try rattling. If you have the wind right you will get them in closer than just waiting on them to randomly wander by. There is an art to it, but I am sure you can look up threads on here that give you more detail on the how and how not to rattle for deer.

15 years damn.
Spend the next off season practicing from 60-110 yards. Might have to change your set up but you can get dialed in on a paper plate consistently at 85 yards if you practice at those ranges.

JSKolache said:

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The handful of monsters we've ever seen on our place have been seen exactly one time. They either stepped out and got shot, or we saw them in a cam one time and never to be seen again.

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Funny that you say that. I know people that hunt on sub 500 acre high fenced places and will only see a specific buck once in an entire season. Never caught on camera or seen in person since the prior season. Monsters really do hide in the shadows.

JFABNRGR said:

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15 years damn.
Spend the next off season practicing from 60-110 yards. Might have to change your set up but you can get dialed in on a paper plate consistently at 85 yards if you practice at those ranges.

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i've never bow hunted but I have spent my share of time in the woods chasing game, and to me that sounds like a great way to ensure every deer he sees next season is roughly 120 yards away

I cannot believe that no one has recommended a crossbow. Slackers...