Although I only took one shot last year.....I did come to full draw on SEVERAL. There's one 10 pointer on my land (game cam photos of him, this year) that was a tight little 6 pointer last year (It looks like the same deer.....and has split brow tines, this year) that I was at full draw on, twice. I'm liking the fact, now, that I didn't release the arrow.

I did practice coming to full draw on several does....and a little half-rack 6 a few times....just for practice, also.

Do you guys do this? Or....do you avoid the risk of spooking your set?

Interested.....

jeff

I know of people who do this, but I usually avoid doing so. Reson being is that if I happen to accidently spook something, I wouldn't want risking any potential shooters in the areaalso getting spooked or even alerted. A "spooked" snorting/running is something I want to avoid.

I do draw my bow though, duringthe day and even shoot a few blunts.

I ALWAYS try and draw on a couple just to work out any potential bugs and to try and keep the nerves down a little by building that confidence in drawing smoothly. I'm very afraid of having that monster walk by and it being the first I've drawn all day. I draw at the car though too to make sure my clothes are all good.

I have practiced on occasion on some yearling deer just to make sure my set up was fine.

I also practice a lot of movement and noise making while deer are under my stand. I try different calls to get the deer's reaction, I try to make my stand creek, I tap my release on the side of my stand, put a dip in, spit, cough, stand up, sit down, pour coffee......well you get the point.

I have found that a lot of the things I do do not bother the deer that much at all.

I think I get the point, you're educating the deer in your area.

Educating would mean what to you? The deer ran, didn't come back? I don't have any problems at all seeing deer day after day while doing these things.

I don't draw and here's why;


We all know that deer have a scent gland between their hooves called interdigital (sp) gland.

I saw in a caribou hunting video onetime, that caribou use this scent to follow each other on migration. Also when a caribou gets spooked by something, they release an extra amount of this scent. They showed on this video, that when another caribou comes along, they can smell this extra interdigital scent and they will get spooked and run also. They may come across this scent a long time later and still be spooked.


We've all seen deer stand and stomp their feet. Most people believe they are trying to scare you into moving. While this might have a little truth to it, they are actually releasing more scent from the interdigital gland, located between the hooves. This scent warns other deer that there was danger here.

This is why I don't draw on deer. I'd be taking the chance that they may see me and become alarmed. If they stomp their feet and release this danger scent, I'd be screwing up my setup.

They could release this scent by just running also.


Did you ever spook deer while in your stand and notice that when another deer comes along, they seem to act more cautious? I have.

I never practice draw. The couple of times that I tried I ended up double lunging the deer so I don't draw on any animal that I don't intend to shoot. I do draw a few times when I get in the stand to make sure of my shooting lanes.

Windwalker.....

What about when the bucks chase does out of my set all morning long?

Are they excreting?......(Not like they WANNA be...but yaknowwhatimean?)

I've had deer chased from here to yonder all underneath me.........

Hey...........

I've never seen any monsters, either! You might have somehting there!

jeff

Seriously.....I find that "interesting"...but I know nothing about it.

i will take a doe for "practice" or to break the ice. That way im more confident and have better control of my nerves when its the big buck.. Kinda like the anticpation builds up all year, i let most if it out on doe early so then when i have the opportunity to take a trophey i dont blow it.

I never draw my bow unless i intend to shoot it. Just no need to risk anything. I will take the occaisional practice shot at a leaf or squirrel on slow days.