I didn't want to hijack John's thread so I ask here. What are all the answers of getting busted by being seen? I cannot in the life of me imagine that. I can honestly say that I cannot remember the last time a deer spotted me and bolted. What are you guys wearing as camo? How high are you hunting? What are you doing? Between Enimga, Predator, ASAT and now AP (Realtree Roadtrip suit) I have not been seen by whitetails while in a treestand. (That I know of) I'm not condemning any of you, I'm seriously concerned or curious as I don't get it. PA bucks are some of the most wariest animals on the planet and I don't do anything different than the rest of you unless ya'll don't hunt as high as I do. Question?
Rob, the 1 time I was busted visually last year was because I was sitting along a drainage ditch, and the deer ( a yearling 4 point) came straight out of the ditch facing my tree. Well.......He had to walk uphill to get out of the ditch, and as bad luck would have it that put his eyes staring straight at me. He saw me, and got a little nervous, but didn't bolt.
The problem is movement. Either getting caught drawing on a deer and getting busted by one I didn't realize was there or just moving in the stand at the wrong time. No matter what camo you have on, if they see you move, most of the time you're busted!!
That's a given, that I know of, obviously. We'll just blame that on the beer and Mexican food too. :p There I edited that one for ya too.
I believe from my observations, it's not so much the movement itself, but what type (ie., fast, slow, etc.), as well as where it's coming from. Deer see things moving in the forest all the time. (ie., leaves, birds, squirrells, etc.). They are preyed upon by some animals, and I think if a deer spots something that could possibly resemble or move like a predator, the gig could likely be up. (Unless caution is being thrown to the wind because of the rut.) I have watched deer who actually saw me move before, not figure me out and go off the high alert status just as quickly. ?????? Weird critters for sure.
If I can walk through the woods and pick off guys decked out in camo, I think the deer can as well. Many deer that we do not see probably reroute themselves before we even see/hear them based on our sihouette or jerky movements.
Good point, sometimes we talk about a deer just showing up at 10 yards and we did not hear them, so what will prevent them from seeing us at 45 yards, and simply walking away/around us. Jeff stated earlier that he had a deer in range that only huck could see and he was a fair distance away. Now how many times does that happen to us but we don't have a buddy in a tree to tell us, we simply assume with no visual/blowing that all is well.
I've had deer stop and look at me when I was hunting from a natural ground blind, but after not moving for a minute or two they just continued on their way.
Yup.... Worse yet, if you snap a twig or are walking through the woods like a herd of elephants, every deer within a 10 square mile radius will go, "See ya!" and head for the hills. I've had deer look right up at me in my treestand. Scare the living $&*# outta you too! One tiny movement, even from your pinky, and it's all over. Heck, if I remember right, I even shut my eyes, because I read somewhere that deer can actually see your eyes regardless of what camo you have on. If you make actual eyeball to eyeball contact with a deer, it's all over.
Yeah, but... When I shot that small 6 point buck last season, he looked right at me in me treestand. I closed my eyes, so he wouldn't get another chance to look me directly in the eye (eye to eye contact). I had one eye open just a sliver, so I could watch him. Once he relaxed and went back to eating acorns on the ground, I quickly went to full draw and nailed him with a Magnus Stinger Buzzcut at 25 yards, quartering away shot. If I had moved, or stared at him, when he was looking right at me, he would have bolted and headed for the hills.
3x that stick out of me being busted by sight happened many years ago. Busted by a 2nd buck while drawing on the 1st. 1 time freezing my toes off & wiggling my foot to warm them, one picked me off from very far And there was a mature doe one year that busted me once & then every time she came back looked for me up in the tree. (This was back when I'd hunt 1-2 trees for an entire season) I hunt 18-22 ft mostly, wear any mix of realtree, MO, MO treestand, seclusion, predator, regular woodland camo I've had several deer spot me but not spook. Some I've even gone on to kill. I'm sure I've been spotted without knowing it, that would be an interesting thing to know how many times.
Been busted a few times. I get nervous when a deer approaches and last year I'm sure the buck saw me shaking!LOL
Jeff, after nearly 30 seasons I feel there is merit to Butch's thoughts. I also don't stare a deer down eye to eye. I wouldn't necessarily say they can see your eyes but I never doubt there sixth sense. Like GregH said one time, mature deer particularly bucks don't need a second confirmation of danger. At times, that sixth sense is enough for them to flee. Take my Halloween buck last year. At 8 yards he was staring me down .Not sure if he was looking at my bow shaking, the camera lens, strap, etc...etc.. but I did my best to look like part of the tree and I even closed my left eye so he didn't see me blink, get that sense. Don't know but it worked, he'll be on my wall. :D You know how we can all of a sudden turn to look someone right in the eye because we feel someone looking at us. Could it be any different? Only the Lord knows.
I agree that it is the movement or type of movement that will bust you every time. It is amazing at how much movement you can get away with IF it is very slow and deliberate. You can do all sorts of things with deer all under you IF it is SLOW and DELIBERATE but make 1 quick turn of the head or something similar and it's game over.
As well as talking as long as you don't break your voice. With Ben in a tree with me I showed him how we can hold a conversation with deer right under us as long as it's a whisper and not breaking the voice. Same can be done with turkeys. I think most of us, if not all know and don't know what can be gotten away with. There is never a rule set in stone when it comes to whitetails and like Jeff said, whatever works for ya. What we/I do in a treestand will never affect you/he so, enjoy your/my hunt and hunt on.
exactly what i was going to say John. Times i have been busted was usually due to getting caught moving.
