Disapointing results
 

I was hunting Thursday and at 7:30pm I had a mature doe start her way down one of the trails I was watching over. When the doe got to about 18ydsshe lookedup right at me.She froze and we were in a face off. I held my eyes open and never blinked for at least two minutes. Never moved. She started doingthe "head wave" that they do trying to figure out what I was, stomped then off she went.

I must say that I am quite disapointed. I expected better results from the Predator camo. I wasn't out in the open, I had good background cover. I'm still going to wear the camo to futher test it out, but if I get more results like this I will be switching.

RE: Disapointing results
 

Your season starts early! Exciting story, even though it didn't turn out with venison. I'm ready to hunt.

RE: Disapointing results
 

In the lowcountry of SC the gun season opens Aug. 15th.

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If you had a facedown at 18yds for 2 minutes,she didn't know what you were.I'd say the camo worked.Maybe she caught your scent

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It sounds as if she may have gotten a wiff of you. Did you consider that?

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Of course its something that I considered. Ididn't start huntingyesterday. ;)

There was a constant breeze blowing from my right to left. The same direction she was coming from. If she smelled anything it was her hind end.

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Strut, this has happened to be here in IL, and I knew I was as scent free as possible for early season, but she still smelled me....Someone told me that in the evening as the air is cooling, it will push your scent towards the ground, cool air is heavier than hot air...don't know if thats true or not but it makes sense.

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Maybe she didn't. Thats why I said that I would still wear the camo to futher test it out. I've been in this position before with other deer to have them drop their foot then resume normal.

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That isvery true. That may have beenwhat happened.

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I could also be that she was not use to seeing something up in the tree and it spooked her

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You also have to think about this too.You're hunting in a deer's living room.It'll notice anything and everything out of place or out of the ordinary.And if it wasn't there the last time she walked down that trail,she's gonna question it

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How high up is your stand?

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LoL I knew this was going to open up a can of worms.

I'm aware of thermals. Thursday was when we started to get the effects of Fay. As I stated, there was a constant wind blowing from her rear to front. Thermals wouldn't have been factor.

I also understand that we hunt in the deers' homes so anything can be "out of place". However, as I stated I've been in simular situations and even had deer at 10yds while hunting on the ground that resumed normal after "spotting" me.

I'm not one of those who climber 50ft in a tree. Throughout mylife of hunting I've learned that it is very important not to out limb your cover. I was 13-14ft high which allowed me to stay within the cover of my background.

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I guess my post would have read better by explaining that I'm not that surprised that she spotted me for the reasons some of youhave mentioned. What I was surprised is how fast she "picked me out". She came down the trail, came around and bush and BAM!!! She had me pinned. I felt as if I had Christmas tree lights strung around my stand.

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No, you didn't open up a can of worms, but you gave an open invitation for folks to give some possible reasons why this may have happened. You don't have to agree with them.;):D:D

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Very true and I appricate the replies. However, being an avid hunter my entire lifeI tend to cover most bases before I "throw myself out there". ;)

I'm going to continue wearing the camo this year unless these sort of things become common then I will stop with it.

It is the Brown Deception and you would think that it would blend in great with the sky line mixed with the rednees of pines.

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Thank GOD it was just a Doe and not a Monster Buck. That would have been a BUMMER!;)

Hatchet Jack

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Jason, I'm sure you know what you're doing, and I'd say your camo is fine. I have afeeling you may have just gotten a slight down draftthat you didn't even notice, but she did.;):D

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:D Could be just "one of those days"....it happens to everybody, youdon't do anything different than you did in the past with results, but on a certain day, you just get busted. I wouldn't worry about to much. hey at least YOUR hunting, I have 5 more weeks to wait.[:'(]

PS....CONGRATS on getting my 1000th post

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Sometimes it just happens. I think all of us have been busted. It will happen again. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Not questioning the way you hunt, but 13 or 14 feet is not very high for bow hunting. I personally don't like being less than 20 feet while bow hunting. Preferably 23 to 25 feet if possible. You did say you had good cover though, so who knows. You weren't swatting mosquitoes, were you? I have been busted doing that before. Thank God for Thermacell now.I can't believe deer season opens so early there. Is there a particular reason why? Too many deer? South Carolina seems to have very liberal hunting seasons. Just a side note, if you come on here wondering why something happened, you have got to expect many different responses. Nobody is questioning your hunting knowledge or capabilities. There are many knowledgable hunters on this forum and they are just trying to help. Some are here to bash and start arguements, but most are not. Good luck, I'm sure you will eventually score.

RE: Disapointing results
 

Since I'm not the doe I can't tell you 100% if she smelled me or not. However, judging from her reaction I'd say she didn't. She never lifted her nose to try to sniff me out. I know that they don't have to do that to wind you, but from my experiences a deer winds you doesn't normally give a "second look", but a deer that see's you will.

Right now I'm throwing it up to just one of those days.:)

RE: Disapointing results
 

Here are my thoughts about that.

Hunting here in the SE we hunt mostly planted pines. If those pines are being grown to use aspoles instead of paper they are left to grow very tall. These pines are genetically altered to have very few limbs so you can reach as high has 30ft before coming to the first limb.

If these pines have been thinned it means that the area can be open with exception of other farious types of undergrowth and trees that are only 12-15ft tall. So, if you climb 20-30ft what cover do you have? You are sitting there in the wide open like a sore thumb.

Another situation. Say you are hunting a rather thick spot where the canopy really thickens after 15ft or so. So, if you climb 20-30ft up a tree all you can see when you look down are treetops.

Over the years I have learned to let your surroundings dictate how high you climb. I've been 30ft up and got busted, but I have been 10ft up and had deer sniff my treesteps.

For the rest of your questions. No, I wasn't moving at all. I seen the doe coming from a distance. And from being a member of this forum for a few years I've come to notice that lately anytime you say anything negative about someone else's favorite product the bashing starts. Just stick around and you will probably experience the same.

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I have had great results with mine. I am very impressed with it.

rick

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