So, yesterday evening I was a little late getting to my hunting spot, actually an hour late. Anyway, I got to my tree and hung my climbing sticks and stand. This was the first time I’ve hunted this particular spot but had a 140 class buck behind a doe 25 yards away but couldn’t get a clear shot a week earlier. I was setup in the same area about a hundred yards from where I saw him last on a trail that crossed a dry, overgrown slough. There were rubs from this year all

around. I carry in my Stand and climbing sticks and it takes me about 15-20 minutes to get situated. I had to saw a couple limbs to get clear shots. As I had just got settled, I hear a deer blow once from the same direction that I walked in from. That slough runs a couple hundred yards and I think he was bedded up on the other side of it from where I walked in on. I think he heard me climbing up and then sawing limbs and got up from his bed and came to investigate and then saw me moving as I settled in.

My question is “will he abandon the area”? It’s a swamp type area that is not far from the road on public land. There are long sloughs (dry now because of no rain) with high spots. There are big rubs on one particular high spot.

There is one spot that I have marked on my gps that is only 150 yards from the road but has a couple trails crossing a ditch that always has water, about a foot now. I’m not sure what my next move is. This is a bedding area, I think. It is about 3/4 mile long and a half mile wide There are a few sloughs in it with higher ground in between the sloughs.

I realize that there is no certain answer. It’s December now and I guess there is not much time left before the bucks lose their antlers. Is it time to get aggressive? Should I hunt morning or evening, or even midday?

This is public land that I can hunt until January 31. I have two other trees that I have pre scouted that I can climb before daylight. I’m thinking of hunting the tree that overlooks a crossing on the ditch, which is close to bedding, and the scouting for another spot in the same area if I don’t get a shot.

The buck sign in this area has been unreal in years past but is less this year for whatever reason. I have to cross a ditch to get there and need hip boots if it rains alot. I do know there is at least one good buck in the area and have until January 31 to get him.

Thoughts are appreciated. There are no wrong answers. I’m just seeking input on how to approach this.

I initially thought a doe busted me but on second thought, it was probably a buck. In my experience, a doe will blow multiple times if she spots me in a tree. This deer only blew once. I hope it was a doe but I’m thinking that it was a buck because it only blew once.

So, yesterday evening I was a little late getting to my hunting spot, actually an hour late. Anyway, I got to my tree and hung my climbing sticks and stand. This was the first time I’ve hunted this particular spot but had a 140 class buck behind a doe 25 yards away but couldn’t get a clear shot a week earlier. I was setup in the same area about a hundred yards from where I saw him last on a trail that crossed a dry, overgrown slough. There were rubs from this year all

around. I carry in my Stand and climbing sticks and it takes me about 15-20 minutes to get situated. I had to saw a couple limbs to get clear shots. As I had just got settled, I hear a deer blow once from the same direction that I walked in from. That slough runs a couple hundred yards and I think he was bedded up on the other side of it from where I walked in on. I think he heard me climbing up and then sawing limbs and got up from his bed and came to investigate and then saw me moving as I settled in.

My question is “will he abandon the area”? It’s a swamp type area that is not far from the road on public land. There are long sloughs (dry now because of no rain) with high spots. There are big rubs on one particular high spot.

There is one spot that I have marked on my gps that is only 150 yards from the road but has a couple trails crossing a ditch that always has water, about a foot now. I’m not sure what my next move is. This is a bedding area, I think. It is about 3/4 mile long and a half mile wide There are a few sloughs in it with higher ground in between the sloughs.

I realize that there is no certain answer. It’s December now and I guess there is not much time left before the bucks lose their antlers. Is it time to get aggressive? Should I hunt morning or evening, or even midday?

This is public land that I can hunt until January 31. I have two other trees that I have pre scouted that I can climb before daylight. I’m thinking of hunting the tree that overlooks a crossing on the ditch, which is close to bedding, and the scouting for another spot in the same area if I don’t get a shot.

The buck sign in this area has been unreal in years past but is less this year for whatever reason. I have to cross a ditch to get there and need hip boots if it rains alot. I do know there is at least one good buck in the area and have until January 31 to get him.

Thoughts are appreciated. There are no wrong answers. I’m just seeking input on how to approach this.

I initially thought a doe busted me but on second thought, it was probably a buck. In my experience, a doe will blow multiple times if she spots me in a tree. This deer only blew once. I hope it was a doe but I’m thinking that it was a buck because it only blew once.

There is a uniqueness about every hunting situation, therein lies the story.

Was the deer downwind of your stand location?

The snort could have been a challenge to provoke you to move and better reveal your position.

The curiosity of deer may play in your favor as they look for you.

I agree that getting snorted at doesn't mean that the hunt is over; it usually means they're trying to figure out what you are. Being a ground hunter, when I get blown at I'll sometimes make a bounding run as if I'm a deer, and then pause and give a snort of my own from good cover. Sometimes they will come looking.

Your busted!;)

Now you have a deer on high alert!

Now you have a deer on high alert!

Blow back at him!

If it were me and you still have a month plus to hunt I would let the area cool down as far as your presence was felt. Give it a week or so and maybe change to another tree to set up in.

It's gun season in N.C. and I gun hunted last Fridqay afternoon. I was trying to get caught up on a few things at the "happy hunting grounds" and time got away from me. I was about 45 mins. late getting to my stand and busted deer when I got there. They didn't seem very spooked, so I decided to sit down about 50 yds from my tree-stand with my back against a stump at a good vantage point rather than go to my tree and disturb things further. At 4:00 I watched a big doe for a while, until the sinking thermals carried my scent down to her. At 5:00 I heard a deer coming through the mountain laurel. I caught a glimpse of what I thought was the big 6-pointer without brow tines that I've seen for the last 3 mos. I was hoping it would go on by. Instead, it circled and came in directly behind me. I was pinned down knew he was staring at me at under 10yds. I turned my head enough to see that he was a small basket 8 pt. but not the deer I was after. It blew close enough I thought I could feel it on the back of my neck, lol. I thought it would leave the county, but it just ran about 50 yds. back into the thick laurel and stopped. Much to my surprise, after 5 mins. of silence it started circling around behind me again. When it stepped out in the trail I had rolled over and was watching through the scope. Easy shot, but I let it pass. Moral of this story, this time of year bucks are still on a mission and you're just a temporary setback. Don't assume the worst, they can surprise you with some dumb moves.

I would not hunt that tree for a very long time if he seen you in it.

Maybe (if you can get in there without too much disturbance) pick a new spot which that buck will pass through as he circles down-wind of the tree where he might have busted you.

Make sure you keep eyes on that spot though, in case he’s still using the trail you expected to see him on in the first place.

That’s one of my favorite hunting tactics. If I see a tree stand I move about 100 yards to where I think the deer will travel to avoid the tree hugger. It helps if you hunt off the ground and don’t sit in the same place when you hunt a area. It makes it harder for deer to pattern you.

RayJ,

A deer blowing at you can mean several things. If it was a mature doe or buck I think the most likely reason was to sound an alarm.

But, the sound/experience is not the only thing to be concerned about. I believe when deer are ‘frightened’, they can emit scent to let other deer know something happened at this spot. That scent can last several days unless there is a good rain/snow.

Several years ago a hunting buddy had the same experience except he saw the deer on a well traveled trail and mentally marked the spot where it blew at him. He hunted the stand for a few days and saw deer several times on the same trail. When they got to the spot where the deer blew at him, they all wheeled around and ran from the area.

He returned to the stand a week later after a hard rain and shot a nice buck.

But remember, even with all the good advice on this site, if we could predict what a deer is going to do there would be a lot more killed each year.

Consider this the challenge of the hunt and see what happens. Then let us know.

RayJ,

A deer blowing at you can mean several things. If it was a mature doe or buck I think the most likely reason was to sound an alarm.

But, the sound/experience is not the only thing to be concerned about. I believe when deer are ‘frightened’, they can emit scent to let other deer know something happened at this spot. That scent can last several days unless there is a good rain/snow.

Several years ago a hunting buddy had the same experience except he saw the deer on a well traveled trail and mentally marked the spot where it blew at him. He hunted the stand for a few days and saw deer several times on the same trail. When they got to the spot where the deer blew at him, they all wheeled around and ran from the area.

He returned to the stand a week later after a hard rain and shot a nice buck.

But remember, even with all the good advice on this site, if we could predict what a deer is going to do there would be a lot more killed each year.

Consider this the challenge of the hunt and see what happens. Then let us know.

First you don't know if it was a buck or a doe that snorted at you, much less if it was THE buck you're after.

Yes, the deer that snorted at you will be wary of that position for a while, but you don't know if it's the deer you're after.

If you think you have a good location, sit that stand a time or two before moving. After the rut, bucks don't move as much mid-day, but if it were me, I'd sit it as morning, mid- day and evening.

That being said, I wouldn't sit the stand unless the wind is right. Since you have a portable, you can check the wind dayly before you go out and choose your stand location appropriately from among that stand location and the other locations you've identified.

Good luck.

Lots of things as stated above. Mostly it depends on the situation and if the deer actually saw you or smelled you. I have snorted back at them if I think they did not detect me and they stop and actually come into where I could get a shot or see what they are. Generally if they snort and are b-lining it out they got you and gig is up.

That’s one reason I ditched the hang ons

"I initially thought a doe busted me but on second thought, it was probably a buck. In my experience, a doe will blow multiple times if she spots me in a tree. This deer only blew once."

Nope, not true. You can't tell what a deer is because of how many times it blows. After deer hunting for 60 years, I can tell you that.

Also what Orion said "First you don't know if it was a buck or a doe that snorted at you, much less if it was THE buck you're after."

He will return but he will certainly look in that tree. Change your tree and see what happens.

What's with all the double posts?

What's with all the double posts?

FWIW - when they stomp their hoof on the ground, they are not just trying to get you to flinch; they are scent marking that spot to let all the other deer know that they perceived a threat in that location.

Interdigital glands

If deer blew at coyotes and avoided the spot they would never be in the same woods long. I’d just backtrack and pick a new tree.

Only you can really know how hard to hunt him. Take a good notes and hit that spot next year for sure him or another one will be there......shoot straight

I'd keep huntin' the area, deer are not that "smart"!

True enough that I can’t know for sure if it was a buck or doe. My hunch is that it was a buck. I’ll leave that particular tree alone for a while but still hunt the general area. I guess I’m discouraged because it’s post rut and I know the Hunting is about to get tough. I can’t afford self inflicted wounds when the opportunity to shoot a good buck is already diminished due to the fact that the rut is basically over. I might hunt the area again Friday or Saturday but will not hunt that same tree. Thanks for the input.

never had an antlered buck blow at me only does and yearlings. Bucks either sneak away quietly after making me out or cut-n-run without being vocal.

Either way I don't get too bothered about getting busted and will hunt the same stand, but usually let it cool off for a few days or longer before going back.

i've had deer that i could see blow if the wind swirled randomly, but then calm down when they couldn't spot me. you still have a chance unless they turn and retrace their steps.

Crookedstix wrote- "I agree that getting snorted at doesn't mean that the hunt is over"

Yes it does. Your hunt is over. Crookedstix is well experienced concerning this phenomena.

Joe

I don’t get too worried about deer blowing at me as I used to I don’t like it but it doesn’t mean it’s over ~ I’ve heard them blow at other things that weren’t me i once had a doe come by me and later a buck came by n started feeding doe #1 winded me 100 yards away n blew the buck never even raised his head ~ I’ve seen them blow at a cat for 10 minutes once ~ had a chipmunk ?? give me the business for 1/2 hour ~ 1/2 hour later shot a doe I agree they’re not that smart just smarter than us

"If a buck blows at you"It means he is gonna blow you off for the rest of the season.

I would give that spot a rest and try it later more than likely.

Gotta be other spots nearby in his home range were you could hunt him.Maybe that same trail in a different spot at an intersection where 2 or more trails converge.

The second breeding phase should be coming upp quickly where the unbred does come into heat.Might be a good chance then.

No the deer won’t abandon the area. He will be back. Deer blow at lots of things in the woods. Last Saturday morning I slipped down the trail to my stand. Just as I came just as I was getting close to the stand a deer blew and ran off. I was surprised as I thought I was being rather quiet. I climbed into the stand and within the next hour and a half I had 2 nice bucks come into my stand and both were within 15 feet of the stand.

hahahaha Frisky

Alot depends on the deer, I have seen some leave and others back the next day. Too many times blowing at you he will leave, but when one buck leaves a area another will move in. Growing up and living on a farm you learn a lot just staying back watching them teaches you a lot about how they react to things.

I used to blow back at them. Had a doe come to me.

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