So hunting from my lock on stand I saw 4 bucks and 7 does, but closest was 35 yards. They mostly were about 60 yards to my right. They were eating white oak acorns but thousands on ground near me as well. Would you take the climber to where they were or stay put? Hunting it again in the am.
I you weren't busted and wind permits stay put they should eventually make there way there.
I wouldn't move it. Anytime I do something like that,they would be where you originally had it.
Agree that if you move they will probably be where you left.
But had a friend that was very successful moving sometimes three to four times a day.
If you picked out a tree to use I'd move. Either the trail they like is over there or more importantly those acorns might be more preferred. In times of. Lots of acorns there is always a tree or two that the deer will wait for them to fall.
I agree with macbow, I'd be sitting on top of them the next time you hunt.
No different than snow geese in a cornfield or ducks in a marsh. While it may all seem the same to us "location" is key and there's a reason they are where they are.
Good Luck!!!!!
Take a pocketful of pebbles with. If they are 50 yards away eating acorns, start flipping pebbles so they sound like acorns falling near your tree.
Lots of fresh acorns falling might call them closer.
ChuckC
Perhaps they will eat all of those other acorns and wander under your tree for more.
If you're in a White Oak I'd stay put, if not I'd move. The one thing that I can recommend for next year is to fertilize a White Oak in bow range. The deer will always feed a fertilized tree first. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
You could always put up a second stand over them so you cod play the wind.
I hunted a stand 3 evenings and watched the deer enter the clover field from the same trail each night. I got in there midday and moved my stand, only to watch 3 huge bucks enter the field under the original stand site...... You never know what will happen, but I wish I would've stayed put
I would stay put with the expectation that they will come to your stand eventually.
Don't move! I agree with others that say stay put as if you move the deer are sure to be at your original spot. Now with that said and if it happens again by all means move then. I just went through this scenario a week are so ago. I stayed put on the second sit the deer were under me and one didn't make it for long after that.
My answer is it depends...
I would move if I saw deer in that location three or so times. If it was only once, I would wait.
I don't agree with responses that seem to assume "eventually" odds say they will come to me. The "odds" of that happening are not as good as the "odds" of the deer being where they are. :-)
BTW: "Odds" are in quotes as the odds don't change in your favor over time.
I am a firm believer in fishing where the fish are and though that seems obvious, you will be surprised how many folks fish across the lake from the landing.
The first year I hunted at Shrewhaven Lodge in 1992, there were deer all over the place and the oaks were loaded with acorns up on Bannana Ridge. There were deer pellets and acorns everywhere and I put my stand up in a nice triple trunk oak with some cover. Well that night I saw about thirty deer move through just out of range towards the middle of the ridge. The next morning they came through the same general area feeding along. That evening, same thing. So I moved the stand in the middle of the following day and the next morning shot a nice doe from it. That said, I'd give your stand a few sits first before moving. If there consistent at the other spot, it may be they prefer the taste of the acorns off the other tree. Beware of overhunting the area too. If they catch your scent there too many times, they may turn nocturnal or move away from both spots.
I don't move based on one observation. But if I see them doing something twice, I'm moving. This has paid off for me a number of times. Deer are pretty unpredictable. When God gives you a pattern....take advantage of it!
Lots of good ideas. I would probably leave it where it is for now. Good luck!
Thanks for all the i put guys! I have decided to wait one more trip before I decide to move!
I agree with the posts about all oaks not being equal. Deer will eventually eat almost any acorn, but certain species of white oak that grow in rich /fertilized soil will produce acorns that deer prefer. Because these may mature after the other oaks have started to drop acorns, you just have to know your trees and verify that deer are feeding under the tree you can see but not shoot.