I was out hunting today. I still hunted for a while in an area I thought I would find deer. I didn't. I then decided to take a inking trail up a mountain and explore a new area. At this point I didn't think I would see any deer since I was on a hiking trail. Well, I did, I heard two deer run away as I got to the top of the hill :cry:. I was wondering if anyone would recommend returning to that area in the hopes of sneaking up on them this time.
-
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
Spooking Deer
- Thread starter fvigo
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
FV,
you don't say what time of the day it was when this occurred. IMO deer are for the most part cretures of habit. they will preaty much do the same thing day after day unless something really upsets their routine. such as food shortage or love making. my answer to you then is absolutely hunt that area again only get there an hour or two before you spooked them this time. :imo: :m2c: :results:
HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR
snake-eyes
eace: :thumbsup:
you don't say what time of the day it was when this occurred. IMO deer are for the most part cretures of habit. they will preaty much do the same thing day after day unless something really upsets their routine. such as food shortage or love making. my answer to you then is absolutely hunt that area again only get there an hour or two before you spooked them this time. :imo: :m2c: :results:
HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR
snake-eyes
eace: :thumbsup: KyFlintlock
50 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2004
- Messages
- 1,199
- Reaction score
- 0
Heck yes, especially if you aren't seeing them anywhere else! I would get there earlier and sit still for as long as you can, and you'll probably have a better chance. Keep us posted and good luck.
there is an alarm scent that deer deposit when they are spooked from an area that supposedly is supposed to warn and keep away other deer from that area but I have jumped deer from areas and had them come back that same day so its just a theory that gets into books but never pans out in the real world
brushbuster
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2004
- Messages
- 471
- Reaction score
- 0
the only alarm scent i ever heard of in real life was a snort and a white flag waving by by :curse: :crackup: :crackup:
Guest
The only time deer move permanently is when the traffic level goes up to a point where they get uncomfortable. I live in a semi-rural area and many of the residents shoot deer on their property. I have been watching a little 4-point with 3 does since October. No one wants to kill him so they come out every afternoon and go to the same place to eat. The big bucks are a bit more spooky so they have moved into thicker brush but we still see them at night. For several years we watched a nice buck go from a 4-point to a 10 over the seasons. His skin was oddly colored so it was easy to pick him out and we nicknamed him "The Ghost" because several people shot at him with no luck. They are individuals just like people but they're also habitual and will travel the same paths every day.
I would go back and try the area your Doe and younger deer may not mind this so much. The older wiser buck may choose to stay away I have had this happen bowhunting spooking a nice 8pt then never getting to see him the rest of the season
FYI, this occurred around 2:30 in the afternoon so I think they were bedding.
I returned the next day at 12 and made my way up the mountain from the opposite direction slowly and quietly. There are a lot of rocks to walk on so that helped. :curse: They weren't there. There are theories as mentioned, my theory is that this area is traveled by hikers so the deer may have already been spooked. After waiting there a while I decided to get up and move to another spot. Just as I did, a group of hikers walked by. The weather was mild, around 50 degress, I gave up and returned home shortly after.
I hunt in a state forest in NJ conveniently located near my house. It is very frustrating as there are no clear feeding and bedding areas. I have seen plenty of deer trails and droppings. In such a vast area, I find it almost impossible to sit in a spot and expect deer to come by when I am there. The odds are not in your favor. I enjoy still hunting, even that seems hopeless. Any advice?
I returned the next day at 12 and made my way up the mountain from the opposite direction slowly and quietly. There are a lot of rocks to walk on so that helped. :curse: They weren't there. There are theories as mentioned, my theory is that this area is traveled by hikers so the deer may have already been spooked. After waiting there a while I decided to get up and move to another spot. Just as I did, a group of hikers walked by. The weather was mild, around 50 degress, I gave up and returned home shortly after.
I hunt in a state forest in NJ conveniently located near my house. It is very frustrating as there are no clear feeding and bedding areas. I have seen plenty of deer trails and droppings. In such a vast area, I find it almost impossible to sit in a spot and expect deer to come by when I am there. The odds are not in your favor. I enjoy still hunting, even that seems hopeless. Any advice?
Carl Aldridge
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2004
- Messages
- 107
- Reaction score
- 0
I've spooked deer before and if they were does or young bucks they sometimes circled back around to check out what spooked them. So if this happens find a tree stand by and wait an hour or so you might get another chance.This is where a good cover scent comes in handy.
Guest
Hikers can actually be a good thing unless the deer spook while you are aiming. The traffic can get them up and moving - hopefully in your direction. If I were you, I'd try to find a fresh scrape (which might or might not be near a trail). Once I found one, I'd go out before dawn with a day pack and hunt in the general vicinity until dark. You don't have to sit and stare at the scrape all day long but he'll probably come sooner or later. Pay attention to the wind and don't worry if hikers come by. As stated above, they will often follow someone to find out what it is. I had a big deer do that to me on one of the only days it's ever snowed here during the season. I figured the fresh snow would allow me to see tracks so went out early. I made a few big loops and came back on my trail just to see a set of hoof marks on top of my size 11's. Good thing they aren't carnivorous...
Rat
50 Cal.
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2004
- Messages
- 2,310
- Reaction score
- 593
Slamfire could have a point there.
The first deer I ever shot, I had seen the day before, but didnt' get a shot. Next day, went back to the exact spot and got it. Depends on if it's a spot they hang around at, or if they just happened to be passing through same time as you.
Sounds like an area that might be best hunted moving around. However most people don't realize how REALLY slow you have to move. Got to go slowly, quietly, and then slow down and be more quiet. Move maybe ten steps, and stand or crouch down for a minute or so, and so on. Sometimes I'll move only one or two steps at a time.
Most of the other hunters I see in the woods I call the "fast movers", because that's exactly what they do, just kind of move through the woods like a F-4 on a bomb run or something. Ya really gotta kind of "melt" through the woods...makes it difficult for me to hunt with other people, because usually we'll hunt a patch of woods and agree to meet up somewhere, but they will get there HOURS before I do.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it anyhow.
Rat
The first deer I ever shot, I had seen the day before, but didnt' get a shot. Next day, went back to the exact spot and got it. Depends on if it's a spot they hang around at, or if they just happened to be passing through same time as you.
Sounds like an area that might be best hunted moving around. However most people don't realize how REALLY slow you have to move. Got to go slowly, quietly, and then slow down and be more quiet. Move maybe ten steps, and stand or crouch down for a minute or so, and so on. Sometimes I'll move only one or two steps at a time.
Most of the other hunters I see in the woods I call the "fast movers", because that's exactly what they do, just kind of move through the woods like a F-4 on a bomb run or something. Ya really gotta kind of "melt" through the woods...makes it difficult for me to hunt with other people, because usually we'll hunt a patch of woods and agree to meet up somewhere, but they will get there HOURS before I do.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it anyhow.
Rat
Guest
Rat,
:agree:One of my sons is a "fast mover". He basically runs through the brush and shoots at whatever he can spook. He is 6'3", 19 years old, has very good eyesight and reflexes plus is a good shot. He kills a lot of game but I can hear him coming from 200 yds away. I went walking with him last week and he about ran me into the ground but we jumped and killed a nice 8-point. It's hard to argue with his success but I am always trying to slow him down because I believe he doesn't see everything he should when moving that fast. I prefer to poke along as you have suggested and that is why I am often out from dawn to dark - takes me that long to make a circuit.
:agree:One of my sons is a "fast mover". He basically runs through the brush and shoots at whatever he can spook. He is 6'3", 19 years old, has very good eyesight and reflexes plus is a good shot. He kills a lot of game but I can hear him coming from 200 yds away. I went walking with him last week and he about ran me into the ground but we jumped and killed a nice 8-point. It's hard to argue with his success but I am always trying to slow him down because I believe he doesn't see everything he should when moving that fast. I prefer to poke along as you have suggested and that is why I am often out from dawn to dark - takes me that long to make a circuit.
Similar threads
