tdwarburton

I was out yesterday to catch a few pic's of some decent whitetail bucks I had seen a couple times. Unfortunately these bucks were bedded about 90 yards from where they were the day before. The problem with that was I was careless and really didn't expect them to be bedded on my trail to my blind. Of course they immediately bolted to about 250yrds away flags up and then entered some tall reeds. They then followed the tall reeds along the slough bottom untill they were out of my sight. Do you think they're gone? Will they continue to bed in and around that area even though they had a frightening encounter? You know that sick feeling you got when you broke a bone, or your grandpa passed, or someone kicked you in the berries? Twelve hours later and I still feel that way

Bols

Go to the front page of HNI website and find a field journal called Bump'Em and Dump'Em. Some may not agree with this philosophy, but in your case it could have worked to your advantage since you had already bumped the deer out.

Go read it and it might give you some comfort.

Saxman1819

Just leave that area alone. They may be back. It is still early. Don't worry too much. Without anymore pressure they'll probably come back.

Dr Andy

Someone may bump them from where they are now. You did't mention the area/terrain but if the woods have any foot traffic at all this is likely to happen.

tdwarburton

Thanks guys, I think I leave that area alone for a week or two. Archery opens up around here on Sept 6. I noticed that the crop was swathed yesterday so maybe thats why they were bedded in a different area. Another week the crop should be off and then the activity around the area should dissapear for a while.

Might Mite

They will be back. I bump deer around the start of the season at times, taking things in, and have not had trouble with them vanishing. They are an animal of habit..as long as you don't KEEP bothering them ya know.

tdwarburton

Dr Andy, these bucks were bedding in a slough bottom in the tall reeds and bome/timothy grasses. The area around is all crop land. The coulee around the slough is native grass because it's too rough to farm. As far as foot traffic, none. The land owner is a personal friend of mine and has had too much trouble with hunters driving all over everything. So I am the only person thus far with permission to hunt there. Not to mention my area don't have may bow hunters. I would attribute that to the wide open country we live.

Greg / MO

One reason I'm not setting foot into the place I hunt until I hang a stand in the afternoon of opening day. Of course, I've got the luxury of hunting the same place I have for the past five years... But my thoughts are that I can only go in there and spread human scent around or bump a deer at this point.