.308 Swar

Ok first, I tried calling last night I started at 5 pm and did a social grunt of a doe and a buck...well about 15-20 min later out steped a Doe. I shot her but i think there was a buck behind her...after i shot i heard it bound away....So i shot her at 5:20...do you think it was the call? i though that was pretty ealry for her to come out of the woods...as i said i am trying new hunting styles that i learned from this board...Hell this is the frist thing i have seen after a month of hunting.

Second question. Since i shot her so ealry i stayed in the stand. when it was dark i got out and ventured out o the woods to the food plot...well i spooked 4 deer. It was very dark. all i could see was tails in the air. ...Where i had my stand is where i thought they would come through to enter the plot...well these got past me. There is 3 sides they can come in to the field from. Should i try another side? How do you find the side they are using the most?
Last, Should i go back tonight and try again or did i spooke them to much...as i mentioned they were just grazing away inthe plot until i stepped out on to it.tell me what you all would do
thanks
.308

jred

As far as the doe it was a little early but not uncommon for a deer to come out at that time. But the grunt could have very well done the trick.

For the deer you spooked up I dont think you will have to much to worry about, Being that they were around after fiering your gun and they more than likley sented way before you saw them. And they only then ran off when you were visable.

Were you able to see where they entered the woods, a visable trail of some sort.

I would look at possibly moving your stand a little closer to the field. Do a little scout first, be smart. Then place your stand in the most visabily use area of movement. Or possible place your stand on the edge of that field.

Good Luck!

skeeter 7MM

First of congrats on your deer!! Calling may have helped ease her out one never knows, but it worked so keep trying it.

As to spooking game, I wouldn' t worry to much only when it becomes the rule do they alter drastically. Spooking game is going to happen especially at prime moving time and feeding times on food sources. Just hunt it smart and use the wind to your advantage.

Deer will often have several trails and they don' t always come out on the same one every night. Sometimes it depends on bedding or water areas. Pressure can also cause them to change things up, such as route and time. If you found a well used path then your gtg. However having other options is always a good thing. You may try setting up at a distance and just glassing to try and pinpoint locations and patterns. I look for trails that run lateral to the food source just inside the bush line, they can be 10 yards and they can be 50 yards from the fields edge. Once I find these I look for game paths and how the intersect from bedding to the food source. 2 things can be done; set up on a the lateral trail (especially if they funnel one direction from the other trails) or set up deeper in the bush at a intersection of trails. Often these types of setups will give you more action during legal times (especially mature bucks) as the deer feel comfortable and safe milling about inside the cover. The only problem is wind and spooking reaction, depending how those intersecting trails run sitting a lateral with an improper wind may just alert deer upon approach. However wind blowing to the field can get you caught by deer you let pass or entered from a direct route. Hence the importance of finding and then following trails to decide what is the best tatic, location and choice...wind should always be a prime consideration when choosing spots.

CarolinaDeerHunter

308 Swearoffsking I have an opinion but you have to pay me for it. LOL Give me a call when you see this. -- CDH