RE: Sitting in a tree in the dark....makes you think.
 

Sitting in the darkness......listening to deer parade by.....makes a man ponder these things.

I swear the bucks act like they haven't a care in the world about being stealthy. In the darkness....I can't attribute all of that to avoiding hunters. We are not their only predators.

I've seen (and identified) bucks walking through my set in the darkness. I've also seen them running (trotting) back to their beds. I've never seen a doe do that.

Just makes me think.....they don't care too much about being quiet. They're moving with a deliberate purpose. Point A to Point B.

RE: Sitting in a tree in the dark....makes you think.
 

I have to agree with you Jeff, almost every time a buck comes in, its a continous crunch, with hardly a pause.

Good news is your giving them a false sense of security, maybe that means your preparation is perfect??;)

RE: Sitting in a tree in the dark....makes you think.
 

yep i agree gmmat. it seems bucks just walk right through w/o pausing and the does seem to be careful.

RE: Sitting in a tree in the dark....makes you think.
 

I agree with ya pal

RE: Sitting in a tree in the dark....makes you think.
 

Still wondering how you went on a morning hunt and were home and posting by 9 am.. :D

RE: Sitting in a tree in the dark....makes you think.
 

Fingerz....

You can ask ROb and Frank.....

This one spot.....it's "over" by 8:00. Period. I saw a doe and two fawns that came out of the bedding area to get a nibble, yesterday.....but they go by in the dark....and if you're lucky....you'll catch one in the daylight. But.....it's gonna have to be quick. This woodlot borders the actual park (the part people actually use) and there's walkers in there by first light. I get a precious few minutes to get a crack at one of them. I've seen a LOT of deeer int his spot....but I was reminded yesterday that Ive never taken a deer from that woodlot.

Rest assured.....lol....by 8:00....it's "over". I cam down at 8:30, yesterday (with Frank)....and 8:55, this morning.

RE: Sitting in a tree in the dark....makes you think.
 

I have a spot like this. By 7:30 is pretty much over. I usually stay til 9 but it's right away or nothing. Its like that at last light too, its at dark or after.

RE: Sitting in a tree in the dark....makes you think.
 

id tend to agree....but it almost seems to me bucks move slower....and like you said maybe more deliberately...

ive had does come in and i could hear them the whole way..crunch crunch crunch...on a mission to get to the acorns that were falling around my stand....bucks ive noticed they seem to just "appear" if im REALLY keyed in, i can usually pick up a noise they made...but ive noticed if im not actively scanning, bucks can come and go and not notice them if they arent real close...

actually missed out on a BRUISER 2 rifle seasons ago....i just happened to look up and there he stood...25yds away...with another buck..not sure on size but nowhere near his size so i didnt look....i never got a shot off...he had me nailed....he slowly walked off and i never got the shot....he just "appeard"...he was walking withing 30yds of me and i never noticed...

had the same 2 bucks within peeing distance pre light...i didnt hear much walking...but they were grunting back and forth and i know they were moving...i know it was them because i saw the biggun in the moonlight....(yep...law abiding mauser passed up the shot...no doubt i could DRILLED him dead)

usually the only thing that will catch my attention is a single snag of a twig or something similar....

didnt get a shot at one in a drive one year because he snuck right by....seen me(facing the wrong way) i heard a twig snap...turned around and there he stood....

does definently seem to make alot more noise...

RE: Sitting in a tree in the dark....makes you think.
 

Disagree. A buck, in my experience, doesn't make much attempt to mask hiscoming and going.

And I've never seen a doe running (trotting) to get back to her bed. I've seen a buck do this .....when he seemingly was caught out after light. It's a neat thing to see. I think a doe just carefully makes her way the best she can.

Bottom line is.....I've never seen a buck sneaking around.Every buck I've everSEEN has walked about like he owned the woods.

RE: Sitting in a tree in the dark....makes you think.
 

ok then we disagree then....lol...i must read the post wrong...but thats been my experience...

i also believe our bucks know the bone on their head gets them in trouble...ive seen bucks practically crawl with their head on the ground...i havent seen nearly as many does act like that...we do alot of driving through rifle and flintlock seasons...we see alot of alert and spooked and deer jumped from their beds...not overly hard to "call" a buck by body language just by the way he acts....


maybe does make more noise to me because they almost always have a yearling or 2 or 3 with them...and usually more does with them as well.....

i guess i do see what you mean about does "sneaking" though...ive seen that as well...maybe its the "mother" instinct kinda thing....bucks are typically alone and arent worried about the lives of their young...

definently amazing animals....