rookie12

Hello everybody. I was hoping some of you could give a first year bow hunter some much needed advice. I've beengettinginfo here for awhile now, but have never posted myself.

I hunt 10 acres of timber that lies on our family farm in N.Central IA, which is surrounded by farmland on all sides. I was out in a stand 2 nights ago and saw probably the biggest buck I may ever lay eyes on again.He was defininately a mature deer with drop tines and all (thought I was going to have a heart attack!). ItWould have been an easy shot, except I was packing up to go home at the time. By the time I got an arrow and my release back out, he smelled me and bolted. Man is this frustrating!

Do those old boys stick around after that, or do you think he's gone for good? If there's a chance he's still in the area, should I stay out of there for a while or justchange things up withdifferent stands, scents, etc.? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Rob/PA Bowyer

He's still around somewhere and it's a good chance you may see him again when the girls bring him around. Good luck, tho, mature ones like that are smart, smart, smart.

LebeauHunter

I think there are different levels to getting busted. If he smells something out of the ordinary and
veers away from you, that's one thing, but if he definitely saw you and bolted, he will know
where that stand is and either avoid it or be very wary (study it for movement).

If it's that good of a buck, I would try to pick a spot 50 yards or more away on his line of travel
and set up again there. If you saw him at sunset, I would set up during the day and hunt it that
afternoon.

rookie12

I thought for sure he saw me, but when he left, he stopped about 35 yds in some heavy brush and looked back, than turned and ran again. So then I was hoping he was just confused by the scent. One thing I know is that my rattling is what brought him there. Should I lay off the rattling for a while or keep it up?

MOTOWNHONKEY

If he is responding the the ratteling, try it again. Thats the dominant buck in your area and he wants to kick some butt. Play the wind. If you spook him again it could be your last sighting of him.

mohunter82

He is probably the dominant buck. get aggessive mitht he rattling and grunting. Most likely he will resond if he doesn't another one probably will.

davidmil

They stick around but generally become smaller once they're laying on the ground or should I say in a pickup truck.[&:]

Deleted User

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OKbowhunter20

There is a difference between trotting off and sprinting out of there....if you think he really busted you it might be hard to see him again...but if you think he just got nervous and wanted to leave thats another story...he could very well be back next time...


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rookie12

Thanks for the advice so far guys. I'm definately never leaving until it's completely dark for now on, that's for darn sure. As much as I like the stand, I think I might stay out of it for the season. I really like the location though, it's not on a major trail, but close to a bedding area. I would still like to hunt this area, but don't want to disturb it by tromping in there and hanging another stand. I don't suppose ground hunting would be as effective? I have two other stands to use next to trails, but they're on the edge next to the corn/bean fields... I guess I can't see an old buck making an appearance in the open outside the woods with the sun still up. Does and small bucks yes, but not this guy.

And I think you were right DropTine249, I had a feeling that night after I was back home that that buck had been lurking around my area longer than I realized. I had heard something behind me awhile before, turned around and heard something run away. It was than I decided to rattle again. Waited for awhile and figured what ever I had heard was spooked already and thought it was time to call it a night. Little did I know thatdecision would cause me lost sleep!