willtill

I was out this morning and had two nice sized does about 50 yards away. Too far for me to engage, although I was watching them intently. Unknowingly though, two more doe snuck up behind me as I was watching the first two.

I was about 15 feet off the ground in a Strong Built ladder stand, I turned towards my left while still seated, and started watching the two does that snuck up on me.

They couldn't quite figure out what I was, but they knew that I was there. One of the does would stamp the ground a little, and sniff the air. Both of them never alarmed and eventually walked off, as I tried to be as still as possible.

My question is, would it have been possible to slowly draw my bow as they were trying to figure out what I was? I was in full camouflage and was as scent free as possible. I feel that I missed an opportunity to arrow one, they were at 20 yards and presented nice silhouettes.

Your comments please....

Kindest regards,

-Will in Maryland

mahoningbuck

90% No! My fear would be as soon as you made that movement they would of bolted! They were aware something was not right and I think any movement would of spooked them to the point they would of waved the white flag to you! You can speculate all you want to but I think you did the right thing and you will have another oppurtunity!

tsoc

You will never know the answer to your question.My belief is that it may have been very possible to draw on one of those doe's if done very slowly.Deer will accept very slow movement if they don't know what something is.The challenge would have been at the shot,If the target doe looked away and you got your shot off probably a dead deer.If looking at you or has got you in her peripheral vision,there would be a good chance of a string jump or a drop and spin on her part.Resulting in a hit other then the one you intended or a miss.

shootnmiss

IMO You would have gotten busted.

DubsOnD

I can tell you that during my first year of bowhunting I tried a lot of things to see what I could get away with and one of them was Ipicked up and drew my bow while a doe w/ a fawn watched me. I held it on her vitals until she looked away (seemed like an eternity at full draw). I then let down and watched her for another 10 min before she left. Not saying that would happen all the time but take it for what it's worth. I did make sure all my movements were very very slow and deliberate.

davidmil

Sure you could. About the time you took up the slack on your back muscles they'd figure out what you are. They'd be in the next county before you cold say boo.
When they're like that, you have to do exactly what you did. NOTHING. As you learned, they finally give up if they haven't smelled you and will walk away or go back to whatever they were doing before they spied you.

ArrowDynamics

I believe you did the right thing, unfortunately the season goes by in such a hurry that you think you will have many more opportunities and another one just never presents itself in the orientation that you described. Hopefully that won't be the case, but it certainly has happened to me.

PABowhntr

Not a chance in heck in my opinion. On only one occasion have I pulled this one off and it was because I was on the ground in a natural ground blind. The doe knew something wasn't right but wasn't nervous about it.

willtill

Well, it appears that the general consensus was to not shoot, and stay still. Guess I did the right thing (I guess). This area that I'm hunting is full of very alert deer. In another area of Maryland that I hunt (near Patapsco State Park) the deer act like they never been hunted.

All I can say is that I had a successful hunt, many deer close, not busted. Hopefully Saturday I can take one home with me.

Kindest regards and thanks,

-Will in Maryland

Bees

the fact that she was stomping says she was alterted when that happens they usually leave in short order. if you had moved by trying to draw your bow, she most likely would have picked up on that motion in an instant and gone the next taking the others with her, however since she is leaving anyway I would have attempted the draw cause ya never know.