huntingkidPA

i was out tonight in a new spot that i had scouted but never hunted. Lots of deer signs, scrapes, big rubs, and fresh tracks. I was down in a little valley with a marsh were they bed and i was on the edge of the hardwood where they hop on the trail to get to the field and heavy pines.

I had never seen deer here before so i set up on the combination of a few heavy trails. well at 6:40 pm a 9 point came trottin in, mouth open, looked like he was runnin a doe or comin into that doe estrous. Well he came in the trail from the feeding area to the bedding area, which was a straight on shot to me. I was about 15 feet up in a tree and he came down the ridge and i had drawed on him when he was 50 yards away and he spotted me at about 15. it was a straight on shot and since he was elevated on the ridge i wasn't out of his view up high enough in the tree (since i was in the valley) and he spotted me. I didn't want to risk wounding him. i ended up getting spotted and had to hold my draw for a couple minutes, staying as still as possible. He did see me and was looking at me, but he just walked away with his tail horizontal, occasionally looking back. He never stomped his foot or snorted.

He definitely knew something was up but he didn't completely bust me and run away. then i had another 7 point come in 5 minutes later that i passed on. I waited abuot 20 minutes after i last saw them before going back to the truck. I'm going to give this stand a break for about 5-7 days i think. Did i mess up this spot right now? should i wait longer to hunt it again? i know once the rut is in anything can happen but its the early stages of the pre rut right now. what would you do?

Murby

Put up a camera and see if he comes back..

huntingkidPA

my camera is broken. plus i feel like that would just be more unnecessary activity going on in there. I want to go off of peoples past experience with them getting busted by deer. this was not a bruiser mature buck. probably a 3 year old deer with a respectable set of bones.

Wilcam47

you wont disturb him anymore than walking in there..if rut is heating up he'll stick around if theres does there...just hope no one else gets him..

itsslow98

IMO id move the stand 30 yards away from where it is now. He'll remmeber that spot where he thought something was and likely skirt that spot out of bow range. I dont think hes left the area though.

Night Crawler

You educated him.

Valentine

With so much spent on tree stands, one locations, trail cams, feed, the real answer I'm afraid is still out.
Besides, I'm too old to change any opinions. Too much capital already spent on one answer, I'm afraid.

illiniquack15

I think you should be alright. Let it rest for a few days like you said you would. If we wasnt hauling a** out of there you should be alright in a week. If it happens again with the same buck then I'd say your screwed. Good luck!

Boone660

I agree 100%

rockport

Well this is just my opinion and kind of against the grain but if its rut the time to stay out is over. No way I would let one 9 point keep me out of a good spot during the rut.
For me the rut is why I hunt cautious the rest of the time. Come rut I'm all in.

The last thing you want to do is abandon a hot spot during the rut over one buck that might well already be long gone.

Of course our situations could be very different. If its rut where I hunt the gun hunt is right around the corner and the woods are about to be invaded by the pumpkin army.