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Really odd question, but I have reasons to wonder.

How often do ya'll see coons, possums, foxes, yotes, and cats on the stand?


I'm wondering if there is a correlation between seeing "other animals" and not seeing deer. Odd, maybe. I have just begun to wonder if it has something to do with it. It's almost escalated to being a joke, in not a funny way. Don't get me wrong, I've had the pleasure to watch a grey fox, 2 bobcats, and over 27 coons this year. It's been eventful, yet, very uneventful.

I'm starting to think, I need to rethink my sets. I'm kind of at a loss. I may need to pick up varmint hunting or something.

Had a coon walk in front of me at 30 yards Saturday afternoon. With in 10 minutes had a deer behind me at 40.

Do not know the numbers or science behind it....but countless times I have had "Ole Smiley" the opossum come thru a few minutes before dark. Seems there is a certain connection with Smiley = no deer, or no wildlife in general. I have seen deer come in front of and behind coons, turkeys, coyotes, bobcats, coveys of quail, squirrels, armodillas, feral cats, otters, etc, etc. Definite difference once Smiley enters the scene. Birds quit chirping, squirrels quit rustling, woods go dead. Call it the curse of Smiley. Honestly I have left a spot 5 minutes before dark just because Smiley is there. Doom! Once was hunting a particular persimmon that was loaded down with fruit, a year when other trees just did not seem to produce, but this one was hot. Not even a big fan of hunting persimmon trees but the deer sign at this one was too good to pass up. About 4:20 a family of coons (5) show up and begin to devour the orange fruit on the ground. Quickly they move to the better source and start climbing the persimmon tree 10 yards in front of me. About 5:00 I hear walking noises heading my way. I stand up and grab bow from limb thinking my shot is on his way. Here comes Ole Smiley. DANG! He approaches the tree in his slow methodical wallowing paying no attention to the occupants above. The coons on the other hand are paying very close attention to their soon to be guest. As the opossum ascends the tree all eyes are upon him. The coons are at different levels up the tree, each one having went out on their own limb to satisfy their hunger. As Smiley, no doubt heading to top of said tree, heads up the main trunk, each coon is watching without so much as a blink. Each limb Smiley passes that has a coon sitting in it as Smiley goes vertical, that particular coon would then go back to the main trunk and descend down. Finally having passed the last coon, Smiley himself ventures out on a limb to grab some friut. The last coon heading down and reaching the ground, the family moves off. They wanted nothing, I mean nothing to do with Smiley. He is an outcast. No one wants anything to do with him. Does it bother Smiley??? I do not think so. But this is for sure...if he shows up at your spot a little before dark, you are done. Go ahead and pack it in. Tell the wife or girlfriend you wanted to come out of the woods early cause you missed them or something. Use it to your advantage. It may be the only good thing Smiley ever does for you

Sounds like Smiley needs to walk into an arrow!

Sounds like you need to get a few dog proof traps and some honey buns.