Need Hunting Advice for 12/23 (NOVA)

[38superfan]

Very new deer hunter here. I've been hunting once this season and I have the opportunity to go again this Monday, 12/23. My 10 year-old son will also be coming along as he did last week!

My question is how will the coming warm spell impact deer movement? The current forecast shows it being warm on Sunday, 12/22, but cooling off on Monday, 12/23. Is this likely to increase or decrease movement? The property that I'll be hunting on is mostly hardwoods with two small creeks and two ponds.

I plan on scouting on Sunday. Any advice on what to look for would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[dorminWS]

Generally speaking (and quick, dirty, and VERY abbreviated; but you don't have time to go to school):

Scouting is key. Look for sign. That means tracks, scat, hornings, scapings. Got to hunt 'em where they are. Where they eat and where they go to water, and their routes between. If they are not unduly disturbed, they more or less run a route on a schedule just like a bus. You should have scouted a couple of months ago. If you can find a place where they're going to be, you need to arrange to be near that place at that time, but upwind and out of sight. Get up high if you can. You can see more, and deer seldom look up. And take extra good care of that 10-year-old boy. He's lucky to have a Daddy that will take him hunting, but a 10-year-old takes a lot of supervision on a deer hunt.

And GOOD LUCK. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and VENISON.

[38superfan]

Thanks! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Yes. We are total noobs. I figure we'll do what we can and if we actually get a deer, it's a bonus. Our hunting rules are simple. Be safe (we went to hunter's ed together) and have fun!

[BertMacklin]

How did it go today?

[38superfan]

Apologies for not responding earlier. Kind of busy playing Santa and all that.

We got nothing but wet! It was a good day in the woods, but no deer. We are going to try to get out again next weekend.