Was still-hunting this evening and jumped some does out of their bed. They didn't snort or blow, just hopped-up and moved off.
I was about 60 yards from them when they jumped so I walked over to see where they had gone; of course, they were standing about 50 yards away (I couldn't see them till they moved) and took off when I crested the hill.
They made a big "U" around me (I thought I actually might get a shot, but they swung wide), and were gone.
I wonder if I'd just moved closer to their bed and waited if they would have come back? Any rule of thumb to follow in that situation?
I have had good luck blending in nearby after kicking deer up.Some times they will come back right away,other times it could be hours.I'll also do some calling with a doe bleat call.
Leland
Here at the house I bump deer quite abit when I go to my stands even the ones on field edges. Alot of times they will wonder off and get curious and come back within 15 mins. Some of these deer bed in my back yard and are used to seeing and smelling me also though.
The doe I killed this year I had bumped on my way out for lunch.
She was already on her feet and just bounded off about 50 yds away and calmed right down. I got low and hid as best I could and just waited. She slowly worked her way back towards me, feeding, but still alert. She got her head behind a tree at a little more than 15yds and gave me a good shot.
In my experience, if they're not blowing, they usually calm down fast and continue on with what they were doing. If they smell you, they're gone.
i've almost perfected the shakey slim stumble foot method of stalking and plan to write a book soon mabey that will help!
I always carry a turkey mouth call. If I bump one, I make a few clucks and putts. I have had them just stop and begin feeding almost as soon as they hear the call. Of course, the wind was in my favor. Their eyesight is not super, especially if you don't move.
Can calls sometimes do the same thing.
I LOVE Stalking and Stillhunting! Here's My Score...
"Deer" = 243,746,097,851
"Me" = ZIP! Zero, Nada, Nothin'. But I love it so. Wouldn't have it any other way.
... mike ... :D ...
I have had good luck with elk after bumping them. I genrally move to one side about 50 yards and sit and wait. It works better with another hunter. We split up in opposite directions wait 20 mins and alot of times it works and they will horseshoe right back. Sometimes it will work on deer if in areas where they see people alot and are use to the traffic.
The trick is go SLOOOOOWWWWWWWWW and WAIT and then SLOOOOOOOOOOW down and wait!!! That turkey call thing works also. Also keep track of the wind ,hard to do sometimes but its a must.
Good one, Mike!! I'm only a few farther behind than your score...
Hope this works tomorrow as the season is winding fast and I have room in the freezer!
My guess is that it's possible that they would have returned, but not without extra effort on their part to know it was safe, first. Would kinda depend on how they picked up on you in the first place...and then the second bump would have told them they were being pursued...exactly what they would have been waiting to know.
The only "rules" I've seen repeatedly, is if I bump them without much alarm and then put the sneak on, up the same trail they used for escape, I'll usually find that they've not traveled very far and are waiting off to one side or the other, watching their backtrail.
Also, wherever they go, they are not going to initially feel as safe as where they've already been, which is why I'll usually think twice about bumping them a second time. What has worked for me under similar circumstance is to let them see me walk off in another direction...and/or make noise at intervals that gives away my departure. Then, I will quickly make a wide circle and slip back in, but from a different spot (yup...basically the same game they play). I played this once on a fine 10 point; I had just circled back, was scrambling up a tree that was barely adequate, and was reaching down to pull up my bow from a lower limb, when he came walking back in, not 5 yards from the bottom of the tree.
Although I'm convinced that the odds are good in repeating the same scenario, it would be more a matter of satisfying a short list of variables. Anyhow, when I'm zoned in and start thinking like a whitetail I always get back to their first priority...break all the rules.
Enjoy, Rick.
I have found if the deer have been pressured, they will bolt for safer areas.
Early season, I have kicked them up and had them run off 30-40 yds stop and look back. Remaining motionless, I have seen them work their way back but very cautiously downwind. I always carry my hands free mouth call and lightly send out a few doe bleats and this seems to work for me in calming them down.
Well I wish I had given that a try this year. Still hunted all season and bumped Deer numerous time but never hid and waited for their return. Always pursued and bumped them a second, third and once a fourth time. Don't know if they were curious or just trying to humiliate me. Will have to give that wait and see method next year.
When you wait for them to return, do you hunkerdown right where you are at or do you move to one side knowing they will be looking where you were?
Hunting yesterday in a fresh snow fall, I found I had run a deer accros the creek bottom and up the hill on the other side of the hollow. I waited about 30 minutes and still hunted the fresh tracks I had just found. 1/2 of the way up the hill they skirted to the left along a flat bench on the hillside. You could tell it slowed to a walk and at one point stopped and milled a bit, then continued on. I still hunted another 50 to 75 yrds keeping my eyes peeled ahead for the deer. I became complacent,,, i looked up and the ten point buck was coming right for me 30 yards away. We saw each other at the same time and he had the advantage,,, gone. Straight down the hill and right up the other side of the hollow. I cursed myself for not being ready. I went ahead and followed the first set of tracks to insure his tracks were the tracks I was originaly following. They were the same, he went about 200 yards, milled around a bit and came straight back to me they way he had come.
It had been probably 45 minutes since our head on encounter and I thought what the heck I'll trail him again. Down the hill across the hollow and to the top of the hill. He made the hill climb look easy but it took alot out of me. When I got to the top I found where he had gone 50yrds or so down the otherside of the hill, back tracked himself back to the top again and then skirted off on up the ridgeline. It appeared that he was trying to get something of his trail (me) by backtracking himself and slipping on up the ridge. I thought I would not know this unless the snow hadn't showed me. I can see how his tactic would confuse a dog or coyote and keep them busy for quit some time.
Anyway, I was not fooled and followed him on up the ridge, The ridge ends at a large feild edge. He skirted the edge of the feild just inside the woodline over to the next ridge and went out that ridgeline and over to the side of the hill.
The funny thing is,,, is this is where we had the head on encounter with him at 30 yards. In about 3 hours of me still hunting these tracks that buck had circled right back to almost where I had originally jumped him. Within sight of the area anyway! I should have just saved my energy and stayed put. I'm sure it did not take him as long as it did me to cover that ground. It was almost like jumping a rabbit that circle back to its hole.
The 1st jumping he went maybe 200 yrds max and was coming back within and hour. That's where we had the head on encounter. The second time and knowing something was after him, he did the big circle with a little back track for confusing the chaser (or he just changed his mind about where he wanted to go).
I came home that evening and used google earth to plot mine (2.28 from jeep and back)and the bucks path through this ordeal. It was approx. 0.76 miles in all but, I don't think it accounts for the up's and downs of the goegraphy, I think it is as the crow flys, so to speak.
I liked Rickshots thought that their first priority is to break all rules! But, it does go along with a couple other examples provided above.
I have found them to move straight away and then turn upwind circling back - I went rambo style after one deer years ago to see what would happen and cut him off three times before I confused myself and ran the wrong way. When you have nothing to loose and plenty of energy give it a try - more fun than anything else.
I know a guy who has killed a couple nice bucks this way. He still hunts with a stand on his back. If he jumps a nice buck up, he'll climb right there and wait.
It usually lets me know where they was and now where they is. If I just tootle off and mind my own business they usually trickle back to bed and I can approach with caution and go from there. Trick then is to know where they all are cause if I get busted the second time that place is history for a long time.
I love still hunting and to spot and stalk.
When I'm walking with another hunter and we spook a deer, we always have 1 hunter stop and the other keep walking. Deer can't count and about 75 percent of the time the deer returns or resumes it's path within minutes of the walking by hunter getting out of sight. Can't say enough about how well this works!
I hunker down and wait. Sometimes they come back.