I got busted today!
 

I went into my honeyhole to put a camera on a different trail, and since I was there I climbed my sticks and tightened the straps, and eventually made it to my stand. I decided to sit for a while and see what kind of action I might catch. It was early evening, around 7pm so I put a pinch of Kodiak in my mouth and sat and watched. All of a sudden a nice 4x5 walked within 15 yrds of my tree with a 3x3 on his heels. The bigger buck went traight to the scrape and was doing his thing when the smaller one let out the loudest snort I have yet to hear. They didnt see me but they were down wind from me and caught my scent. Both of them put their tails up and ran about 30 yards and stopped for some acorns. The looked all around and could not see me...at least I dont think so. It was getting darker and darker and I left my flashlight in the truck so I had to get down and start the trek back. As I was climbing down, the smaller buck busted me and both of them gave me their middle finger and hauled butt out of there.

Im wondering if they have a good memory, and will avoid the area after seeing me. I sure hope not because the 4x5 was definately a shooter buck, and my stand is pretty much there for the season.

I still have until the 4th of October, and am not going back in until then. Whats the odds of them remembering where my stand is and avoiding the trails?

RE: I got busted today!
 

Very likely though not definite. You didn't do yourself any favors by getting busted.

The saying goes, the first time you sit in a stand is your best opportunity. The odds go down from that day forward. You leave scent all over, even after you leave. You might want to consider moving your stand towards the direction they came from.

Best of luck.

RE: I got busted today!
 

nahh youl be alrite by ocy 4th.

RE: I got busted today!
 

If that were me, I'd go back there. October 4th is a ways away and without any pressure til then I'm sure they'd go back to it. I mean,would they evercross a road again if they seen a vehicle?

RE: I got busted today!
 

yeah last year i missed a 6 pt on a nightwatch and the next night he came back and i got him.

you never know

RE: I got busted today!
 

Huge difference in a 1.5 year old and the caliber bucks he seems to be talking about Shawn.

Chances are, it may be find but he didn't do himself any favors by getting busted already.

RE: I got busted today!
 

That really sucks, I'd stay out of there until season start.

RE: I got busted today!
 

They tell you(who ever they are) that the best chance of killing a big buck is the first time you sit in a stand. I guess they're right, too bad the season wasn't open. LOL You messed up with your sight seeing sunshine.[:'(]

RE: I got busted today!
 

You are correct Rob about the larger buck. He was definately 4-5 yrs old and his partner was 2 at the most. I kept telling myself to just get the camera up and leave, but on the way in I thought since I was there I would make sure all my straps were tight on my climbing sticks. Last year a few loosened up a bit and made for a noisy climb up.

That stand is one of 4 that I have been contemplating on hunting opening day. I will probably do a morning hunt there to see what is happening, and then maybe an evening hunt a few days later to see if they are still using the trails along the creek where they cross. Anyway, thanks for the input guys.

RE: I got busted today!
 

You know better than that.

RE: I got busted today!
 

Jeff, place a nice sized present in the woods with a large bow....inside write, "please I am not Jeff the hunter, I am his neighbors, the hippy loving animal loving people. I mean you no harm. Inside this present is a 2,000 lb bag of Deer Cane. On October 4th we will distribute more in this exact spot at 0800. Take Care".

And while you are in there, set up this new ground blind.....

RE: I got busted today!
 

I personally think to much is made out of the first time is the best time stuff! I have hunted 32 acres about 10 stands for the last 15 years and killed p&y bucks on the first set of the year and on the 30th time in one stand.
I think its much worse if you hunt the same stand over and over and over, no breaks, walking in the same way everytime. Hunting it on any wind, stuff like that hurts you worse.
2 quick stories,
1. A buddy of mine missed a big p&y buck out of his stand one evening a couple years ago. He returned to the same stand the very next morning and shot the same buck!
2. I was running late a few years ago and was busting deer all the way to my stand that morning. The last few blew and snorted as I was taking my first step up the ladder. I was in the stand 5 minutes, just light enough to see my pin and arrowed a nice 130 class 12pt.

RE: I got busted today!
 

I have heard, (and tried last year with success) that if a deer snorts and spooks without actually SEEING you or they arent 100% sure what it is that spooked them then do a snort back at them. I have read that deer snort sometimes to vocalize to other deer just to know where other deer are.
Last year I had a deer spook for no reason I can find, and when he did he ran about 30 yards and stopped. He was behind a thicket and so I got out the buck roar by primos, gave a snort back at him, and within 2 or 3 minutes he came right back to where he was. Stood around and ate for a bit and then left after 10 minutes or so.

I'm not guaranteeing that it works everytime. Hell, I'm not 100% sure that it worked for me, but it sure seemed so. Its worth a shot anyways. All i knew was he snorted, I snorted back, and here he came back. You be the judge.

RE: I got busted today!
 

I definately knew the difference in the snort he made from one that actually saw me. He was definately communicating something but from my position he didnt see me but got a whiff of me and snorted. I couldnt replicate that type of snort, or have I ever seen a call that will make that noise. Its very distinctive. I just hope to see them again in the same place on opening day!

Brett you crack me up! Im gonna remember that as I have to go retrieve my deer from their property!

RE: I got busted today!
 

The saying goes, the first time you sit in a stand is your best opportunity
Rob

I hunt in a high pressured WMA..this has been 100% true for me..nearly every 1st hunt I've seen a deer..after that ..just about forget it.

RE: I got busted today!
 

Bummer. Around here that would pretty much guarantee a guy of long cold sits in a tree seeing maybe a deer way to far away, blowing. Other places it wouldn't matter much with deer densities being much higher. Va is one of those "it doesn't matter much" places. :D

RE: I got busted today!
 

Looks like it time to move then stand. Maybe to a trail that they use going to the honey hole.

RE: I got busted today!
 

I stopped right there....

These guys KEEP telling you.....and you KEEP going back in there. They're not making fun of you. They're trying to help you.

LISTEN TO THEM. I seem to make this post every week.

RE: I got busted today!
 

I've killed deer out of the same stand on consecutive days with the gut pile of the first still visable. If I am visiting a stand site when it's close to the season opener I do not sneak in. I figure the bull in a china shop alerts them less than sneaking in. I even take my dog for the walk in.

RE: I got busted today!
 

I totally agree.

RE: I got busted today!
 

I wouldnt know, I dont shoot the little ones. ;)

RE: I got busted today!
 

I clicked through all the posts looking for this one, thank you for obliging Jeff. How many more trips to whack off over your stand do you have planned? If it is that good of a spot, STAY OUT!!!! I like to admire a good set-up as much as the next, but admire it while sitting in it during the damn season.

RE: I got busted today!
 

I agree, I think the time has passed to be checking trail cams often. I would pull it and not go back until you hunt. If you leave the area alone for a bit until your first hunt, the chances are 50/50 they'll come back. They probably will if you're in an area that's used to human activity. If you're in the wilderness, maybe not.

If you're set on keeping the trail cam out, is there a spot near your hunting area where you know they'll travel regularly, that you can get into without much disturbance? The reason I ask is that I have a spot where the deer move down an old gravel driveway in the woods every morning and nightly into a cornfield across the road. It's easy enough for me to walk 10 yards from the road down the driveway every 2 weeks, hang the camera pointed down the driveway, spray the hell out of it with scent killer, wipe and leave. I'm not actually seeing where they're going in my hunting area, but if they're following the trails I've identified, which they likely are, I'm good. And by having the camera on the driveway, I have a good low impact way of knowing at what times they're moving. You can do the same with other low impact areas you can identify.

RE: I got busted today!
 

I will reply as humble as possible, with all the respect to what GMMAT said. Itwas late last night when I got in and made the post. I did not disclose all of what my reasonings were for going in this particular stand. It may make better sense after explaining my reasoning. My lease is fairly large and have several (6) stands set, with my climber to be more mobile. In the evenings I have been watching my plots out of a blind whichis located in about 35 acres of field. (see picture). My property pretty much starts on the hill behind my blind, so the picture is looking south. Two of my better stands are near a creek and and ridgeline about 1/2 mile north (behind where the picture was taken). While sitting in my blind watching the deer feed I have noticed several hounds from the hunt club that borders my property. I retrieved 3 last weekend and called animal control because of the condition of the dogs. 2 of them were so bloody from briars that their legs were red and the other was extremely exhausted.


I called animal control and they came and got the dogs. Theowner of the hounds (a 17 yr old punk)has made threats to a mutual friend that he was going to cut my straps on my stand so I couldnt get to it. Animal control fined him a hefty fine for not having the rabies tags on their collars, and were going to investigate him for animal cruelty. These dogs were way underweight and dehydrated. So my main purpose was to check the straps and set the camera pointing toward the stand and concealed a little better. My intent was not to go in and play hunter, but to secure my property andmy life...and angle the camera towards my stand that also shows the newest trail. It was very tempting to set the camera and leave, but it was my choice to climb and sit since I had made the trek back there. That much is my fault. It was the perfect time of day, no wind and overcast.

99% of me tells me that I shouldnt have gone in, but the 1% really made sense.Where I live, you take these kind of threats seriously.

So my reply to those who responded that it was my fault for going in there, it wasnot a harddecision for me to make.This is the stand the punk said he was going to cut the straps on my sticks.

It would have really been a mess climbing in the dark and falling 30 feet from a cut strap. I have the camera pretty concealed watching if the guy makes good on his promise.

So yep, I should have stayed away in a normal situation, but I believe that I did not hurt my chances at a shooter buck, as they are very abundant in this area. Im sorry for not disclosing my full reasoning for going in, but my dinner was getting cold and wasnt ready to write a novel.Now I bet you would have done the same thing I did, except maybe not sit and have a dip for 30 minutes!

RE: I got busted today!
 

Jeff:

A few things...

1. You don't know he won't sabotage your stand between now and the opener any more than you did before you went in there, yesterday. If I was worried about ths a lot.....I'd pack my climber in with me and cover it up in the leaves if everything was OK whenI got to my stand.

2. These deer don't CARE "why" you're in their bedroom (IMO). They just know you've been going in and out of their wih regularity. Your deer are pressured before you climb into stand the first time. How did you get in there? Out of there? You traveled through THEIR area.....AGAIN.

3. Did you hunt this area last year?

We're not chastising you. We're trying to help you.

Also....these two statements don't jive;)

It was the perfect time of day.....ONLY if you wanted to get busted.

RE: I got busted today!
 

Deer react to things differently. I had a guy who always spoked deer on this property we both had permission on, one day i noticed a nice buck working the hardwoods, but noticed this deer new exactly where the other guys stand was. He was looking at and watching from a distance, deer made a big circle around it. My game plan i adjusted to the deers adjustment, shot the big 8 the next night as it moved around the other stand. If you find that the deer are looking at you or avoiding that area, see how there avoiding it they may just be going around you. so adjust. Sometimes a movement of 60 yards away can open up new opprotunities. The buck i shot, was looking away from me the whole time, just staring into the tree tops towards the other stand, he didnt see that arrow coming. They do remember, especially the old ones!!

RE: I got busted today!
 

I can explain it better using this aerial.


The yellow lines are well used deer trails, heading to bedding areas and food sources. The red dots are locations of current and prior stand locations.

The purple line depicts my entry to the stand in question. The white lines are machetted survey lines that are also used by deer, and is my route around the property while traveling from stand to stand. As you can see there are several entry/exit routes to the stand Im speaking of, and I rarely use the same trail twice. My choice to go in yesterday was due to drizzle and expected rain to help wash away any scent.

To address your points:
1- I truley believe he has every intention of doing something in revenge for costing him money to retrieve his hounds. He and I have had discussions on numerous occasions and I have warned him to do everything in his power to run his dogs on his 900 acres across the creek! I explained to him several times I was bowhunting in here and didnt want the deer pressured anymore than I am already doing by scouting and hanging stands. His attitude is that of a 17 yr old that will get his buddies to slash my tires or worse jeopardize my life by messing with my stand. As you can see in the aerial shot it is the deepest one I have in the woods. If they were able to locate it, I have no doubt that they will either take it or my climbing sticks. This came out of his mouth to a neighbor who watches out for trespassers on my land. As you see in the photo, the only entrance is at the end of the cul-de-sac and it is gated and padlocked.

2- As I have stated before, I have several entry and exit points, none of which are walking on deer trails. Im very careful to not touch leaves, branches, etc. and always wear gloves when in the woods near my stands.

3 - Yes I hunted this area several years in a row, but not as serious as I have for the last two seasons. We have over two acres of clover/chickory plots and Alpha rack plots. If you notice on the aerial shot, across the creek is a hunt club that only hunts during gun season with hounds. As I have been told by the members of the club, they have been running hounds all year long for many years before I was able to secure the lease last year. So in my opinion, the deer are very pressured across the creek and use my property for bedding and outsmarting the hounds by crossing the creek. They loose the scent once the deer cross the creek.

My season opens October 4th, so I have plenty of time to let things settle, as well as two other leases that I will be hunting, mostly with climber. The otherleases I hunt are on islands formed by the North Anna River and I plan to rotate my hunts so that I wont be pressuring the deer anymore than neccessary.

Jeff, I appreciate your response and replies, but at 40 years old I have many years of hunting successfully. I appreciate the input, but try and not belittle me by insinuating that Im out there walking with steel tip boots with a chainsaw clearing a road to my stands. I use every precaution I have learned in the 25 years I have been hunting and tracking. I know what times of the day I can and cant go into areas, as well as concealing myself when I do, even spraying down with scent killer and never step foot in the woods without rubber boots.

At least I have until the 4th of October, but if I recall wasnt it you that just bought a new Lone Wolf and used it to glass your area one or more mornings? Your season is the 13th correct? I could have sworn you posted about going in and pulling your camera cards at the first drop of rain, just a few days ago. Maybe I am mistaken, and frankly it is no concern to me about your skills, just dont come across as being arrogant and pompous.

I do appreciate every tip I can get, and appreciate the fact that you are trying to help, but my point of the thread was concerning a deer's memory to things like seeing me climbing a tree. Thank you for your input, but to throw questions of my common sense and hunting skills I will overlook.

Best of luck in your season coming up. I hope I have not offended you, as that was not my intent of my post. Im friend...not foe

RE: I got busted today!
 

I did nothing of the sort (I insinuated nothing you mention. Stick to what I DID say). I pointed out that you KEEP coming in here and telling us how you KEEP going in there, and how I and others think that's a BAD IDEA.

WHY? If you've hunted the property for years.....and you've been hunting for many years.....don't you KNOW where the deer are and where they'll be? I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt....not "belittling" you.

About 2 weeks ago I had this thought. A bad wind and better judgement told me NOT to go in there. I'll still scout it....but it'll be in-season with a bow in my hand. I'd suggest you do the same.

Right you are! I went in there when the rain was falling......at 3:30 in the afternoon......and cut a shooting lane.....2 weeks ago, yesterday (3 weeks before I knew I could ever sit in that stand). My scent was gone before the deer came out to feed THAT NIGHT.

You went in at prime time to check a stand. If my questioning this tactic insults your common sense.....I'd have you explain why it isn't common sense NOT to do this.

I was/a trying to help you....but I see now how that's received and it won't be offered, again.. You won't listen to common sense. That's been established.

Good luck.

RE: I got busted today!
 

Wow, this thread got ugly in a hurry LOL!!!

RE: I got busted today!
 

WTF, I have almost 500 acres I hunt, I dont understand you when you say I KEEP going in THERE...blah blah blah. I have discussed many times on this forum about several HOT spots that I have scouted, some are almost 10 miles away from each other.

Im fairly familiar with the deer and their routes, food sources, etc. Usually at that time of the evening the deer I have watched are traveling away from their bedding and heading for food sources...which is the opposite way that I came in. I believe I could have picked a better time but my schedule with my daughter and her gymnastics class had me running later than I planned.

I dont plan on doing any scouting with my bow in hand,mainly because I have already scouted my land and plan on hunting during season. In my opinion you should have done your scouting before entering the woods with a bow in hand.

I did exactly what you did, drizzle falling except I wasnt cutting a trail, I was placing a camera making sure my life wasnt in danger. I have a month to go until season opener...so how is that different than what you did other than the time of day?

My common sense told me that I better get a camera filming my stand because a direct threat was made to sabotage my tree stand.

Jeff, I guess your ways and mine are not exactly on the same page. There were several variables that came into play yesterday for me to go into a hotspot in early evening. My family is leaving for the beach Tomorrrow afternoon for a week, and I have a job that kept me busy later than usual. It may not have been your choice to go into the woods, butmy feelings are not hurtif you want to critize my reasoning. Im not going to get into a pissing contest with you, I have better things to do. At least the others that posted their replies were not on their tippy toes standing on a pedestal.

Again, the best of luck to you this season. I look forward to a time we can have a discussion that doesnt make you always right and everyone else wrong.

RE: I got busted today!
 

Jeff:

These are just the times you've ADMITTEDLY been back in there since 8/27.

http://huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2974566&mpage=13&key=&#30157 48

http://huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=3010673&mpage=1&key=&#301103 1

http://huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=3006298&mpage=1&key=&#300629 8

http://huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=3002424&mpage=1

http://huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2974566&mpage=12&key=&#30027 29

http://huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=3002424&mpage=1&key=&#300242 4

http://huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=3000495&mpage=1&key=&#300049 5

http://huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2993576&mpage=1

And this is what you said on 8/13:

And you wonder why I question your "tactics"?

RE: I got busted today!
 

Hoyt take this for what it is worth.

I have not step within a 1/4 mile of my stands. I walk down the two lane and floated the river. All my stands were set in Jan/Feb/March. From what I can tell and it's the reason you keep going to check your stands is this I think. you do not have confidence in your setups, you may think you do, but your actions tell another story. Yes I myself in my younger years did the same boneheaded move.[&:]

A good spot is a good spot, no need to check it;)

RE: I got busted today!
 

Dude, you have issues. I read each and every one of those links, and only 2 refer to the spot that is in question. If you really want me to defend my position on each of those links...give me a few days because I dont have time right now to argue with you about what you perceive as me being contradictory or deseptive. If you want to go to my team threads and link them to this, you are using the wrong method.

I have posted pictures of several rubs that are on two different parcels of land. I have 6 stands on almost 500 acres, and yes I get excited about each and everyone of them when I scouted them and located them. Perhaps you may have misconstrued my comments on several posts, even double postings that I have made on the general forums and reiterated on my team thread. I cant believe the tenacity that you have to prove a point.

Since you dont use a fixed stand, you dont have to worry when someone threatens to cut straps that hold you to a tree. I dont know, but if you did use fixed stands, you would be checking them daily, or do what I did and set up a camera. I chose to do what I thought was right. Im sorry if you disagree.

Im not sure what you are out to prove, but its obvious that I need to get out of this post before I get tossed! Please Jeff, do not feel as if you need to reply to any of my posts.

If you could read the PM's I am getting about this, you might want to just pick another post to reply, or start another of your own about something different.

I wish I could continue more with you rightnow, but my wife just got home and we are off to the Home Depot to get some paint. I hope others are not intimidated to post on here only to have super sleuth tear them apart. That is not what this forum was intended for.

I honestly think you are a good guy, and probably really motivated to learn how to be a good hunter, but courtesy is what I was raised on, so I will do what I originally claimed to do...and be humble.

You are right, I was wrong to go and check on my stand. Is that what you wanted to hear?

RE: I got busted today!
 

i have been busted by a monster buck and i let the place go for two weeks and when i went back i was able to see him that night........so i think as long as you give it time the buck will return

RE: I got busted today!
 

Nope. I didn't want to hear anything. I've just been telling you for weeks that you need to stay out of your spots. I nor the deer care WHY you're going in there.

Nothing more.

It's funny to me that others are telling you the same thing....and you center on my replies.

Remember...I didn't say this.....these were your words.

And in fairess to your friendships...I won't share with YOU the PM'sother membersand your neighbors are sharing with me.;)

RE: I got busted today!
 

If you are having fun setting up stands and enjoying your time in the outdoors, then who cares if you got busted....you have a lot of land and a lot of other deer to hunt. I am sure that by Mid-November the buck in question will have forgot about an event that happened 10 weeks prior. Best of luck to everyone this year.

RE: I got busted today!
 

GMMAT,

I couldnt wait until I got back from Home Depot to read your reply. Since being away from the computer and doing other things more constructive I have decided that in all fairness anyone risks pressuring the deer the more you are in their house. In any ordinary circumstance I had no business being anywhere near my stand this close to opening day. If it werent for the circumstances of the kid threatening my well-being by booby trapping my stand, I would not have been there. Thats just pure common sense and hunting skills.

I honestly believe that this kid has something up his sleaves because Im sure he didnt have the few hundred dollars to get his hounds out of doggy jail. Pure and simple, I went in to set a camera up to watch my stand. No, I didnt mention that I had my camo on, and sprayed down with scent cover, and walked like I was stalking a trophy. I simply wanted to share my experience with being busted by my scent, as Im sure it wasnt me that the deer saw. That very distinctive snort told me he winded me, or it could have been something else.

My original question was very simple...does a deer have the memory that would tell him that in that exact spot he was spooked, and be wary of coming back to that same spot. Everytime I enter the woods I wear rubber boots and camo.

Its not about what others have replied, its the manner in which they did it. Dont take this personally, but your replies are very instigating. This could just be your personality, but the last thing I would ever do is start something over something so trivial. Most that shared their responses to this thread did so by telling of an example, both good and bad. None questioned my integrity or intent like you did.

Brett, best of luck to you as well...just dont shoot my deer when you come down. Im not to worried about them being spooked out of the area due to me being there, and if they were...there are several more.

Jeff, I hope you dont miss your trophy buck this year.

On a side note: I put a trail cam in my backyard near a pond I have on the property. I have pictures of fawns, does and a 6 point 3 yr old. The times on the pictures were all throughout the day and night. If they were so bent on running from me or any person, why do they keep coming back for the persimmons in my yard? I bet I get a shot at the buck I saw yesterday that sparked this whole thread!!

Peace andbest wishesto everyone

RE: I got busted today!
 

No I didn't Jeff. Stop being so damned dramatic.:D

I did question your tactics....and still do.

Good luck to you, as well.;)

BTW....

You never disappoint me:)(I keed...I KEED!)

RE: I got busted today!
 

??????????

RE: I got busted today!
 

wow.......................................