Little noob advice por favor?

Back story-

Hunting a small 25 acre site in a bow only county. Property is narrow and long, story of my life. Propery is long north to south. Very low pressure area with literally 1000 or so acres, almost connected, where it is illegal to hunt and probably another 2000 or so acres of ranch / farm land with little to no pressure surrounding me. My first year allowed on the property and first year with a bow. I'm hunting in a pop up.

I'm set up on a small drainage area that is treed that connects to my neighbor to the east's pond with cover. North is native grass to the government land. I'm on the north side of the draw with the feeder 25 yards S/E.

Anyways, tons of younger buck and doe pictures. I've drawn on a doe once and she started walking as I was getting ready to release. So no shot was taken. Had one young 6, no way was he legal, within 10 yards of the blind one day when the wind was from the N/E and he approached from the east.

Does are approaching from the north and N/W. The bucks seem to approach from neighbor's land from the east.

I've been spraying a puff or two of Tink's doe pee on the blind when I get in to mask my scent. I am washing clothes in some scent free stuff.

The Problem & Advice Part -

So Saturday a week ago my target buck approached from the S/E, winds where from due north. When he rounded the corner I could see him catch the scent and he ran back about another 20 yards. He was about 60 from the blind at that point. It was getting dark so I grunted at him and he bolted like the wind.

Tonight, same approach but it was sprinkling. Again, he came around the corner stayed about 45-50 yards out and continued west. Obvioussly, way beyond my ability to shoot. His nose was in the air a few seconds when he first stopped.

Nothing is showing up on camera until after dark except for one young 4 point. That's only when it's cold and rainy.

So, should I stop with the Tinks? I didn't use as much tonight as I have been.

Should I attempt to rattle him in? I've never tried it.

Was thinking maybe I should sit in the tall grass south of his trail once it dries out.

Any pearls of wisdom would be appreciated.

Bow huntin be hard.

NEVER, EVER hunt a stand with the wind direction wrong. If I could only have one set up I would probably set up looking east since a west wind seems to be one of the less common winds. Throw away your doe pee. The deer are just going to smell you and your store bought doe pee. The higher up you can sit the less chance you have of being winded. And I will add that I have been playing with an Ozonics machine this year and from a ground blind I am finding it seems to work pretty good.

Appreciated on all counts.

If you set up in the grass try to find some cover in front of you, i learned the hard way they are really good at picking up motion.

Thanks for the heads up foodie. Grass is knee high, think I'll hide behind a little ground blind on the next north wind. That is if it isn't still soaking wet.

if the bucks are coming from the east S E, set your blind up for east S E wind. not a north. brush your blind in. keep the wind in your face and sun to your back. Forrest

I have had some good hunts hunting the trails to and from a feeder when bow hunting moreso than hunting the feeder itself. A little corn in the shooting lane can give them some distraction and stop them for a shot.

Always hunt the wind and if it is wrong hunt elsewhere. Also have different stands if possible for different winds.

If the bucks are coming from the east can you hunt 50 or 100 yards from the feeder and catch them on the travel route instead of at the feeder. Mature bucks and does can be skittish as all get out around feeders.

If he smells you he is gone it doesn't matter what you do. You could try rattling it has worked for us on some occasions. I called one in the other day with a few aggressive grunts and a snort wheeze.

Again, thanks guys. Truly appreciated.

Looks like the wind may be perfect on Saturday for my current location, SSE 10 mph. I'll update Sunday.

Honestly, I'm used to stepping out of my Dad's back door setting a 243 on the bench and taking a 100 yard shot to take a deer. All I needed was a north wind and a little patience. Sadly the old man has sold out and is moving to town. Can't blame him, he's getting up there. Celebrated his 73 birthday yesterday.

Happy Birthday to your Dad. Good luck tomorrow

Swing and a miss, didn't see a thing. Wind was perfect.

But, I have a lot of new bucks on camera since 11-30. My target buck is MIA but replaced with a couple of nicer ones. Necks seem to have puffed up as well.

What direction is the prevailing wind (normal wind)?

When is the peak of the rut for your county?

Edit to say thanks Kmon.

This time of the year wind is either N-NW or S-SE. The N-NW will get more and more prevalent as we move into winter. I don't really want to move my blind south of the draw / scrub because it would be really visible from a gravel road. Maybe I shouldn't worry about it.

I'm also going to try a few days of sitting on the ground behind my little duck blind and a little brush along the trails, leaving the pop up where it is currently. I'll use the earlier suggestions on wind with placement. There's a huge mesquite I can pile up under near the north-south trail.

My plan for next year is to build an elevated box blind on the far west side, north of the scrub / draw. That is land owner approval pending of course, hopefully I can bribe him enough. He seems happy with the arrangement so far and he has already brought up "next year" a couple of times. Hopefully that will give me a shot at both approaching form the east or north. It also would give those approaching from the east plenty of cover.

Traditionally rut peaks around the week of Thanksgiving for the area. September to October had a million pictures of does. So much so I was worried the area had been over hunted on bucks. Now it's the exact opposite. This is the first I've noticed the necks so swollen. Maybe a late rut, IDK?

Ran into the local archery shop owner yesterday. He's been in the area 10 years or so. He claims this is his worst season here and rut started around the first or second week of November. He said its been too warm and too many groceries are on the ground. Picture counts definetly dropped after the acorns fell.

Any day in the blind is a good day and sunset was amazing tonight. So I'm not complaining, just spoiled.

Yeah, I can talk.