akherat

This past weekend was opening day (firearm)and my first time hunting deer. Myself and 4 others hunted the 180 acres they own. If anyone could give me some tips on what I did wrong, I'd really appreciate it -

The first day I was on stand shortly after sunup. The stand sits just over the top of a north/south ridge, facing east. It overlooks a pretty thick area, with 3 shooting lanes - one into a draw to the north, a trail that runs along the base of the ridge and the undergrowth at the base, where 2 other trails intersect it, and one to the right that overlooks a small spur.

I saw nothing while on the stand that morning. I got down and looped around to the logging road that runs along the other side of the thick undergrowth, and then cut back on a much older logging road that runs back up to the top of the ridge a little north of the stand.
When I went up the older logging road, I found a scrape that looked fairly fresh, and appeared to be a morning scrape- the raw side was towards a nearby feeding area. About that time I stepped on a twig, and saw a mid-sized buck jump up about 15 yards to my left and run deeper into the thick stuff, back towards the trail the stand overlooks.

Aside from getting impatient and poking around too near a bedding area mid-morning, what did I do wrong?

In the afternoon I hunted from a blind overlooking a large, soggy meadow with lots of young grass. I saw nothing all day.

Was I in the wrong spot for an afternoon hunt?

Sunday I hunted along the north boundary of the property since the wind is predominantly from the south. The stand is about 3/4 of the way up a spur at the east end of a long ridge, facing southwest. It overlooks a pine bottom that has recently (past few months) been thinned, and visibility is a good 200 yards. I was in the stand about the time the sun cleared the horizon. I hadn't been there 20 minutes when I looked back up to my right at the top of the ridge, where it meets the spur, and saw 2 young does staring at me (they bolted about a half second after I had spotted them). Shortly thereafter it got really quiet, and I got down to see where the does had run - the other side of the ridge is fairly thick undergrowth, and is apparently a bedding area, as there are lots of small paths and clumps of briar. The hollow has an old logging road that runs into it at the bottom of the spur I was sitting on, with thicket on the other side, as well as a couple more logging trails that run into the bottom on the west side (across the bottom from the stand). I saw nothing else the rest of that morning, although there is a big scrape at the bottom of the spur on a good sized pine.

What did I do wrong here?

On my way back to camp, I came up to an open area of tall, soft grass that borders the trail I was walking on (old logging trail), the main road back to camp, and a large thicket area. At about 30 yards, two very large does jumped up and bolted into the thicket - the last place I was expecting to find bedded deer was in an open area right next to a fairly heavily traveled road. Is this spot something I should be watching regularly in the morning? I'd be a snap to get to even in the dark, as its literally right off the main road, and only about 100 yards downhill from camp.


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I was dressed in 3 layers of cotton shirts, with a fleece pullover on top, scent-masking long john bottoms under army issue camo pants, and a pair of boots that I had worn when scouting the week prior (not rubber, although the soles are synthetic - sorta like army boots) and a new orange vest and cotton gloves. The 2 young does were no more than 25 yards when they pegged me (and would have been downwind if the wind had been blowing), and I was downwind of the buck I spooked at 15 yards, so I know I didn't smell too bad.

Any pointers for this 1st timer?

Denali Joe

Use the wind as a factor to where you are going to sit, I like to hunt near a fresh scrape during pre-rut and have had bucks visit them any time of the day,usually before or a little afternnon if you know where there bedding then you want to set-up on a trail leading to the bed and get in there early and try to catch them coming back to bed, or on a trail leading to a food source and try to catch them going to eat in the evening, dont hunt the same spot everyday, use early afternoon for some scouting, if you spook them out of there bed they may not come back, I like to hunt where heavily used trails intersect, look for a lot of fresh deer sh*t, also if you are hunting with four other guys I suggest you get with them and do some drives. And last sit tight if you see some does, wait, there may be a buck trailing them, I have been winded by deer, they snort and run, and a half hour later more deer are coming, if its full rut where you are, your hoping to catch a buck trailing a doe or pressure from other hunters, good luck, let us know how you do, and definitly do some drives.

skeeter 7MM

You have had success, since your seeing deer. Now it would seem to me you are getting ansing and moving. the first location seems like an area that is thick and more than likely a daytime transition area. If the rut is on I wouldn't leave this spot all day, provided the wind was right. Like said, just b/c you saw and spooked deer doesn't mean more won't come...be patient. It sounds like the stand may have postioned in correctly for this spot as well, since the deer appeared on the ridge behind you. If this was just by chance than ok, if not move so you can take advantage of the ridge the deer were on...don't be affraid to sit on the ground or move slowily and reposition. IMO treestand hunting is great but it can cause a bit of the lock mentality. Hunting scrapes can be hit and miss. Although they appear to be fresh and hit in possible daytimes...they often are not. I will pick a rubline(tree rubs in a section (usually in a line or immediate area along travel routes) anytime over hammered scrapes. Why, b/c they are often on doe travel routes or near, so bucks and does are travelling along more routinely...scrapes that are on any road allowance 9/10 are night time hits. But if you can find where they are going you may just be on to something...also these scrapes are usually large and appear always fresh due to many deer interacting with them. What i am saying, is get back and look for the smaller scrapes that a dominant buck will really be working, they are often in the area of his core rubline and travel route...but a great place to start.

Yes, watch your wind and adjust accordingly, which I think you understand. Carry a grunt tube and use it when you see deer. If you spoke a deer grunt or snort them...they may just stop and give you a split second to shoot. I have whistled, even yelled "Hey" and if they never smelt or made me for sure they have stopped or slowed enough for a quick shot.

I would say your a doing pretty well with a number of aspects. Work on patience a bit, often this is what turns the tables on a successful hunt. I can rely many experience from when I was starting out and leaving only to spook or come back and find a deer had been their the whole time. Realizing prime spots comes with everyday in the field, as does learning...dwell on the positives of each trip to make you a better hunter. I honestly can't remember a day were I didn't learn something...I think the day I do will be my last.

Good Luck, have fun and be safe

Codydawg

I would throw out that you arrived at your stand too late in both situations. You should be on your stand before the first hint of daylight in the eastern sky. There are many reasons why, first, you let the woods get back to normal. This can take a half hour or more. Second, any deer that just barely hears you may not bolt as it cannot make a positive ID that you are a human. Many deer are moving just as it is getting light--you are missing out on great hunting time if your are not already situated in your stand. Also, you should be in your stand earlier in the eve as well--you were busted by the does possibly by arriving too late. Get there as early as you can. Staying on your stand is hard, as others have pointed out, seems like you got a little antsy. I know I get ansy and figure everyone else is seeing deer but me, why did I sit here, this is the worst stand, etc. Then, if patient, you see one and think the exact opposite--what a great stand I have!! If it is even remotely possible that it could get cold (less than 50 degrees) DONT wear cotton. Cotton does not wick away moisture and is a terrible outdoor fabric to put next to your skin. The 2 young does busted you. Why? Movement? Probably. Noise? Possibly. Odor? Possibly. Figure out why they busted you, and dont repeat that mistake again (good luck on that one, everybody gets busted sometime, but try and minimize it). Why are the deer moving? Hunting pressure? Natural movement? Answer those questions and it will give you the answer to where you should be. Those would be my comments from your post. Good luck and remember, everyone makes mistakes out there, the key is to learn from them.