Ty06

Hi Guys, I'm a new member but lifelong hunter, mostly pheasent and small game, I used to bowhunt untill the EX got the best of me. Originally from Iowa but I now live in Arkansas. I have a great place to gun hunt this year but it's a small area (40 acres), only a couple of good places to sit. My son will be coming to visit and hunt his first deer a week after the season opens.
My question is this; if I shoot a deer in this small valley and he drops where he is shot, should I drag it clear of the area before gutting it? It's a steep valley and I will be hunting alone, so this might be quite a drag. (pun intended)
Do you think other deer will avoid this area even if everything gets eaten in a day or two?

Thanks

finner

welcome to the forums "TY"...I found in the past that the deer dont really care about the gut piles. Ive actually seen them walk up to them and smell the area. but most likely if you have any preditors in the area they will clean it up in one night. So i wouldnt worry to much about dragging the deer out of the area... in my opinion as long as you didnt leave to much human scent in the area it shouldnt effect it too much.

slugman

As Clint Eastwood said " buzzards gotta eat , same as the worms." Deer wont be bothered by gut piles

skeeter 7MM

I agree, drop em where they lay..death is normal process in nature so they are use to finding dead things or parts of dead things.

A quick story 3 years ago I was bowhunting Mule Deer, had 2 bucks feeding in a meadow the larger buck came into my lane/range, while the second buck was about 25 yards in front. I shot the buck he bolted maybe 40 yards then stopped and look back at the bush that just stuck him, the second buck equally stopped. Then the effects of the BH took on the buck and he fell, the other buck walked back to the dead one sniffed him, walked about 15 yards and went back to feeding. Only when I got up did the other buck decide he should leave!

rybohunter

The deer won't be bothered at all. NO worries messing things up.

Ty06

Thanks guys, Just thought I'd see what everyone had to say about it.

cardeer

Gut it on the spot, critters will eat it

JerseyJim

A couple of years ago I took a buck from my stand on a very heavy trail! The buck was with a pretty large group of deer with two other bucks in it. The next day while hunting the same stand. The same group of deer came up the same path just about the same time and I took one of the other 2 bucks! The gut pile was there from the buck before and it was the same group I shot at the day before! Go figure?? Gut him where he lays! ... Good luck! ... Jim

Trustee

If anything it may help with the smell.

BOWHUNTERCOP

Last year I shot a balck bear and gutted him right where he fell, within 50yds of my treestand, 1 week later I was back in my stand hunting the antlerless muzzleloader season, and I got a large doe within 15yds of my stand, granted the gut pile was fully cleaned out.