It doesnt have to be....
I went hunting late yesterday afternoon, got there late and decided to sit on the ground instead of climbing..I watched as 3 does came out and started to eat the grass, as I moved I was pegged, snort snort, blow blow and off they went, Feeling that my hunt was over if not by the blowing and snorting, surely by the scent that was layed down by them as they ran away with flags a flying. But no, I decided to sit there a little while longer and watched a small 3 or 4 point buck walk right through where the does ran from!!! I thought to myself "this cant be right". After all was siad and done the only explanation I could give myself was that the does are cautious and scared during the rut anyway, so are the bucks used to the scents and the blowing at this point, or just throwing caution to the wind for a peice of doe butt?

I've seen this happen all to often. Durring the rut most everything we know about whitetail can be thrown out the window. Durring the rut I've learned to expect anything.

I never quit hunting if i get busted. You don,t scare every deer in the area. Many times i have been busted and seen deer an hour or so later. They don,t lay down a scared scent. I,m not sure what you were talking about there.

I have heard deer blow in the distance and the deer I,m watching still go that direction. I have also heard gun shots in the distance and watched as deer still traveled in that same direction. I also have never heard of a deer leaving scent as it runs away from danger.

Nah i wouldnt say the end, Ive had this happen alot too, and seen the same deer the next night. they might act a lil more cautious but they still came in. I guess it depends on how or why they ran off. Ive seen the same deer come in a lil later than before, or in a different location than before. if they didnt see ya I wouldnt worry to much about it. but if they did Id move my stand to the other side or down from where u were before. The scent your talking about is inbetween theirs toes its called the interdigital gland. its the scent they lay down on their trails. when they spook They stomp and release a stronger order which will warn any deer that come into that area, but after a rain or overnight frost that should be gone. I would only worrie about that if they took off and a buck came in on their trail a lil later. he might spook...