ransome

Well, I went in the woods about 8:00 this morning to get next to a place where I know deer have bedded from year to year. I find a nice Oak to get in and as I take my stand off my back, I see movement to my left. I kneel down, grab my bow, knock an arrow, and get on my knees behind my stand because it was still sitting upright. This nice buck comes walking through the woods grunting and gets about 15 yards from me before he sees my stand. He stops and stares at it for about 10 minutes. He couldn't get my scent because the wind was wrong for him. I couldn't shoot because he stopped behind some very low tree limbs. He decided to move to my left so that he could get the wind right and as he did that, I drew. He stopped again, but this time behind an old blown down tree. I could see his vitals, but I couldn't shoot through the limbs of the tree. Once he caught a little bit of my scent, he bolted about 20 yards and stopped again. When he turned, I could see that he was a nice 8 point. Very nice rack with tall tines. He then walked on through the woods. My question is, since I was about 70 yards from his bed, should I set up near it again, but just on another path? And maybe hunt him during the afternoon rather than the morning? Actually, I was going to hunt at least through the early afternoon, that's why I went in the woods at that time. I thought I would catch one walking around during the middle of the day. Do you think I ruined that particular bedding area?

mofireman

I might choose an alternate trail if I were you!! I don't think you really spooked that buck too terribly bad, otherwise he would have high tailed it to the next county. Hang in there and keep hunting him!

Smyas01

You know for a fact thathe beds there, and from what it sound like he wasn't sure what you were or else he would've been long gone, so he will probably continue bedding there.

I would set up a tree for your stand and then let it rest for while.It sounded like he was returning to his bedding area after a night of feeding, so I think that you were just in the woods too late. If you would have been in the woods an hour earlier you could've been sitting and ready. So I'd givethat spotbreak and just get in extra early to ensure that you don't spook him, and preping a tree will make getting up and in your stand much quieter, and make less chance of spooking a deer.