Weird question - will a rotting deer keep away live deer?
 

So today I was scouting for hunting season. I came across a fawn stuck in a fence. Long story short, after trying to get it out of the fence unsuccessfully, I had to shoot it with the Glock I was carrying. The wire was just too far embedded in the skin, and it looked like the leg may have even been broken. Because it isn't hunting season in VA yet, I left it were it lay.

The thing is, I actually have a great spot set up to hunt about 200 yards away. Will the smell keep other deer away? How long will it smell for?

I'd like to hunt this spot when bow season opens on October 1.

Only predators and scavengers like the smell of death. If you have coyotes, wolves or big cats in the area, the carcass should not last long. It is hard to say how/if this will affect your hunting area for opening day. Next time, call the game warden and have them take care of the animal.

200 yards away should be plenty far enough. I usually drag my deer about that far before gutting them, just in case....lol

i know a guy that done the same thing and the game warden threw a fit because he killed a deer out of season. i read in field and stream you should not hunt an area for 3-5 days after a kill, so i would leave it lay and i think you'll be ok to hunt it when the time comes. good luck

you should be alright, but i would probably leave out the whole shooting thing.

Won't make any difference. Scavengers have probably taken care of the deer by now anyway.

I don't see why that would ever be a problem. There is death in the woods all the time. Deer always react to what they see, hear or small as a threat. The scent of a dead animal presents no threat to the deer, unless the deer is aware of predators in that area. Plus, nature usually makes quick work out of situations like this.