Busted???

wisconsinteacher · September 14, 2015, 07:29:00 AM

Last night, my wife and I were in different stands and both got busted. She was in a pop up blind and the deer came from the opposite direction. They walked by at 3-5 yards and when the lead doe hit here walking trail got nervous and spooked. The doe then circled around and winded her about 30 minutes later and started blowing and stomping.

I was in a tree stand watching 2 trails and out of no where I a deer blow at me. The wind was perfect all night until the last few minutes of the day when this happened. I never saw the deer but figure it was 40-50 yards away in the woods. This deer snorted a few times then took off.

We will not be able to hunt these stands for at least a week due to work but my question is, are these spots ruined for the season? I don't have time this week to move sets and to be honest these are the hottest spots that I have found in the area so far this year.

What would you do?

tomsm44 · September 14, 2015, 07:42:00 AM

Not ruined at all. I've been busted before at stands where cameras let me pattern what deer are coming in and what times they are there. I've seen deer show up on camera a couple of hours after I got busted and left, and then be right back at their normal times the next day. Back in my compound days, I had a small 8point bust me. The next two times I hunted the stand, over the next week or so, he would walk to the edge of the clearing, stop, and look straight up in the tree I was in. A couple days later, I moved my stand to a tree on the other side of the trail, only about 15-20 yards from the first stand. He came out, looked at my old tree, then walked right on out broadside.......and jumped the string. :( But smelling me never spooked him completely off of the area. Might be different with an older buck, but I'd say try it again in a week or two.

hitman · September 14, 2015, 07:43:00 AM

They are not ruined by no means but you may want to check the prevailing winds and see if the wind blows the same direction all or most of the time.

Charlie Lamb · September 14, 2015, 07:43:00 AM

I'd make sure when I went to hunt them again that the wind was as good as it could be.
You can only control so much.

Deer crossing your walk in trail is why I advocate for cover scents and scent control. Rubber boots, brush removal so nothing gets touched coming and going and no scent sprays and laundry do help.

Not much you can do about the downwind thing.

wisconsinteacher · September 14, 2015, 07:50:00 AM

Charlie, I try my best to control scent. Our cloths have been on the line for 2 weeks, we sprayed down well, and had rubber boots on. I also watch the wind and it was a good one until the last 30 minutes of light. When the one that busted me left, I pulled out my scent checker and realized then that it had switched.

These old does humbled us this weekend. I even said to my wife, I would rather not see a deer than be busted by one.

Charlie Lamb · September 14, 2015, 08:00:00 AM

Those old does can be a problem. Shootem' when you get a chance. Sounds like you are doing what you can.
Time away from those stands will help.

When you've tried everything else it's time to resort to the lucky rabbits foot.

Cavscout9753 · September 14, 2015, 08:03:00 AM

I'm sure you're good. In many hunting cases where people hunt small wood plots or semi-populated areas, if the deer never came back to where they smelled people they wouldn't have anywhere to go. If they do memorize your stand and detour, or start checking it out first, I would leave it right there and set up a brush-blind on the opposite side where they come out at. While they're making sure your stand is empty you can be letting the air out of them.

Nantahala Nut · September 14, 2015, 09:13:00 AM

Is this the first time you spooked them? I think you will be alright. Sometimes we give deer too much credit. They aren't as smart as we think they are and I don't think their memory is too good. I would think an older buck might stay away for a while since they are more aware of their territory. Go back in a week and see if you can figure out how to avoid getting busted again.

September 14, 2015, 09:16:00 AM

No, the spots are not ruined. Just wait till the wind is right again, and go hunt!

Bisch

ChuckC · September 14, 2015, 09:51:00 AM

Stand is not ruined ( in my experience) but those does MAY look for you in or around that spot for quite some time. I have watched two does, I believe mother and grown daughter, split up in the marsh and obviously come sneaking in looking for me. They seemed to enjoy the game.

Shoot them if you can...
ChuckC

Wandering Archer · September 14, 2015, 10:11:00 AM

Well, I'm guessing bears are different than deer when it comes to this, but just last weekend, I had a big bear bust me when the wind shifted and she was only 10 yards away. I saw her again that very next morning in the same spot, but approaching from a different direction. When she busted me the second time, it was all my fault for moving.

highlow · September 14, 2015, 10:57:00 AM

Bears are something altogether different. Make deer look stupid in comparison.

Also, don't know why no one mentioned this but get yourself down to Cabela's or Bass Pro and get yourself a couple or three of dem Ozonics things. Problem solved.

Terry Green · September 14, 2015, 03:58:00 PM

I agree with everyone else...not ruined at all.

Jakeemt · September 14, 2015, 05:32:00 PM

Mature old does bust me every dang time! They are a bear to hunt from the ground.

wisconsinteacher · September 14, 2015, 05:49:00 PM

This was the first time hunting these spots on the property. I just hope that a dumb one comes out first so we can shoot it before the old smart doe arrives.

wisconsinteacher · September 14, 2015, 05:54:00 PM

This was the first time hunting these spots on the property. I just hope that a dumb one comes out first so we can shoot it before the old smart doe arrives.

maineac · September 14, 2015, 07:08:00 PM

I never have a sit that wind does not swirl, but a consistent change often happens due to topography. I have one stand I sat with a perfect wind, until prime time when the wind switched 180 degrees. I realized it was thermals with air moving down hill. Good luck at putting the puzzle together,

September 15, 2015, 02:05:00 AM

When our area public lands and busier private lands have hunters doing predictable things every day, it does change the deer patterns and the deer do what they need to do to avoid them. It takes more than once or even twice to totally ruin any given spot, the deer will just adjust a bit, but then deer patterning will not guarantee that deer will do the same thing over and over, even if they were not alerted to human activity.

Doc Nock · September 15, 2015, 03:15:00 PM

Several posts about them keying in on the stand tree...amen x 2 or 3!

Seen it innumerable times. Just switched a small distance as said and Game back on!

Good luck and have fun...they live there and by their senses...we have to make sense of all that to score! Mix it up and watch the fun unfold!

FoCoBlackWidow · September 15, 2015, 04:46:00 PM

Everyone gets busted once in a while. It's probably a good thing you're leaving it alone for the rest of the week, though.