OK, here's the problem - I ran into it again tonight and am looking for creative ideas.
Sometimes I get trapped in a stand at the end of shooting hours with deer I either can't shoot because they aren't quite close enough or aren't ones I wish to shoot. I don't like to climb down out of a stand and teach them that I live in trees in their area. I would really prefer to sneak out unnoticed.
I've had deer hang around until it is too dark to even see them anymore. Can't tell if they have even left or not. But then when I climb down am treated to snorting and blowing and white flags waving in the dark. I hate that! :banghead:
Sometimes I've had luck moving them off by talking to them in a loud voice. They can't seem to pin point the source. Other times they just freeze in place and won't move until they can figure out who's talking, so that doesn't always work.
Any other ideas?
I usually "bark" at them. Deer don't wait, they hightail it out. I do know some who carry rocks to throw out of the stand.
JDSIII
Yup, me too!! I try to sound like a yote' with the yip, yip and a howl at the moon type of deal. My Dad taught me that 40 years ago and at the time I thought " Yaeh Right!" well guess what it is very effective!! Shawn
i use to carry rocks if i was having that problem.
that or i would have a soda can on the ground near my stand...one shot to that with a blunt and them deer up and high tail it out and have no clue where it came from.
Wrist rocket :D pocket full of hickory nuts. May be considered baiting by some but ok by me :D PS sub your own local nuts (http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l101/GUNSMITHAMMO/Smileys/RollingSmiley.gif)
I just always get out of the stand as quietly as I can and walk back to the truck as quietly as I can. My thought is that even if I scare them away, it's dark and they can't see me too well, and they're just running from noise. I usually see them back there the next night (sometimes the next morning).
One of those little boat air-horns works good. :p
Funny guys mention carrying rocks and hickory nuts! They are better for dropping every little while tomake th edeer think that a food source is falling to the ground. I do that a lot when I hunt the apple trees! Shawn
I got stuck for a hour in a blind tonight Joe :knothead:
It was worth it though, I had a monster come in five minutes after shooting time tonight and there was no way I was going to let him know I was there.
When I did get out I spooked two different groups on the way out and like you said I hate it when that happens but none of them blew they just ran off.
Normally were set up so there passing through but tonight I think he was going to check a few scrapes before heading down to the fields and hung around some.
Tracy
I also try to sound like a coyote, has worked everytime so far.
Might have to try the coyote call or the dog bark - that sounds good!
Any others?
Good luck with that monster tomorrow Tracy!
I snort & stomp,it works most of the time.But once in a while I'll get one that follows me out,snorting & stomping.They make me smile.
Leland
How about using a deer wheeze call. Deer will wheeze at the sign of danger and if you just give them a bunch of wheezes, they'll usually run off. The reason this is so effective is that they don't know what they're running from. They just think another deer saw something they need to avoid. In my opinion, if you mimic a coyote they'll avoid the area thinking that they'll be preyed upon. Try it out, I think you'll like it.
Shoot the biggest one, the rest will leave quietly :bigsmyl: Just kidding, I usually just climb down after it is dark.
Joe... try concentrating on having the deer move closer... within shooting distance. By trying to inforce your will telepathically they should leave the area pronto.
At least that's the way it works for me everytime I really want a deer to come close.
:bigsmyl:
Joe,
Take a few dry sticks with you and snap them, that should do trick. The coyote/wolf howl will do the trick but if you do it from same stand regularily I can see the deer avoiding area period.
Joe I wish I had that problem.Try something diff. every nite and see what works best I guess.Kip
I lower my bow and bounce it up and down on the rope. They usually spook and go, but they don't look up in the tree, which is what I try to avoid.
I have shot field points or blunts several feet in front of them but the bow on the rope is the best, I think. I need to have that problem more often. :)
I second the last two posts. The bouncing bow works well, although I will admit that I had a young spike once actually come into the bow and startbobbing his head up and down and lookeld like he was going to play with it like a cat would a ball of yarn. I had to yank the bow up to save it. He spotted me when I did that.
I just turkey yelp my way out whether coming out of a tree, or leaving my ground blind.
QuoteOriginally posted by Roger Norris II:
I lower my bow and bounce it up and down on the rope. They usually spook and go, but they don't look up in the tree, which is what I try to avoid.
Ditto, though I have done the snort trick a few times. One evening I watched two does stand 50 yards from each other and snort/stomp at each other for quite a while.
I have always just made a loud Shhhhh sound by blowing through my teeth. That's back when I used to see deer.
Jim
My boys and I have an arrangement that if any one of us gets stuck out on a blind because of deer, one of us just comes to the rescue in the pickup. They're used to getting run off by vehicles so it's no big deal.
Of course...sometimes all 3 of us get stuck then is makes for a late evening. We absolutely will not leave the blind or make noise until we are as sure as we can be that there are no deer remaining in the area.
Brett
Cool thread. Good question and good answers!
Yeah, loads of good ideas here. I like the suggestion to try different things on different nights so that whatever I use they don't hear it repeatedly.
Had two 50 yards away right at dark again tonight. They moved into some brush and I just sat for awhile hoping to give them enough time. Tonight it worked. I was able to move out after dark and didn't hear a thing. But I was prepared to snort if need be!
Steertalker, I also use the pickup truck idea when hunting with friends. I really think that is the best solution when you can. Deer aren't bothered by vehicles. But around home I hunt alone down in a marsh. I sure don't want my wife driving down there looking for me! :eek:
I usually start owling at them. They seem to walk off without being too spooked.