Great first day and question

[NHGuy]

Hi everyone,

This is my third deer season but have not taken a deer yet. I had a guy show me some sites the last couple years but he doesn't go out as much as I'd like so this year I decided to go out on my own. I've gone out a few time the last 10 days during ML season and saw some nice tracks but never saw the deer. Today was opening day for firearms so I was back to that spot first thing. After a while sitting in my usual spot I decided to take a little walk and managed to spook a deer that was bedded down in the middle of some trees. It looked like a good size body but I didn't see whether it was a buck or doe because it took off so fast. It's "antlered only" in my part of New Hampshire.

So I left that spot after a while and went home. Once home I decided to try a patch of woods behind my house and ended up in a five minute staring match with a doe. That was so cool! She eventually walked away so I guess I won. There were lots of rubs and scrapes around the area so I'm hoping there's a buck looking to hook up with that doe. True?

So my question. Do deer bed down in the same spot? If I go back to that first spot tomorrow morning what are my chances of seeing that deer again?

[bigpapa]

In my experience yes. They are creatures of habit. Unless you bother them a ton they will continue to bed down in that same area. I wouldn't go walking in their bed's but I'd hunt near them. Looks like for a fun season for you. It's a great place to start. Give it time you'll get one. I'd also start carrying a shotgun with me in the woods behind home.....ummmm that is if you don't live in city limits and you are not in a neighborhood. Safty first.

[IndyHunter83]

Yes. As bigpapa said, they are creatures of habbit. If its legal and safe, you may want to try hunting the area behind your house. Sounds like a great place to start

[NHGuy]

Thanks guys. That little patch of woods behind my house is state forest that turns to national forest so no problems hunting there. Since I saw deer in both spots I'm torn between which spot to go to tomorrow. Good decision to have to make.

[RugerM77.270]

They will be back don't worry. hunt the one witht he most sign.

It took me 6 years to kill my first deer and 9 to kill my first buck so hangin there it gets easier after the first. Let me tell you the two most important things I learned that now help me kill deer consistantly.

1. Scent control. use a scent killer and use it well. Also watch the wind scent killer helps but it doesn't elimanate.

2. Keep your butt in the stand. I to liked to get up and "take a walk" many times though I would scare deer and spread my scent.Most good hunters have one thing in common they stay in the stand for hours at a time. I now make it a point to if at all possible sit for three hours each time. It can be hard but learning the self-discipline to stick around when things aren't exciting will be a life tool.

[Hunter_59]

I have killed deer by betting they will be in the same area the next day after I spooked them. One thing to keep in mind, they were bedded there because they felt secure with that wind direction. If the wind direction changes overnight, they may not feel secure in bedding in that location. Hunt that bedding area with the correct wind direction and hunt it whether on stand or stalking, with the wind blowing from the bedding area not into it. Practice good scentcontrol and use the wind to your favor and you will have good luck. You may be able to beat their sense of sight, and hearing but you will not beat their sense of smell! Good luck!