On saturday morning (opening day bow season) I got busted by a large deer down wind from my stand. I was sitting in my stand for about 10 minutes in the pitch black. I heard him snort at me twice, stomp the ground a couple times, and then haul *** out of there. He sounded like a horse running through the woods, this was no ordinary deer. Yesterday in the stand around 5pm I heard a buck grunt somewhere off in the woods to the right of me, about a half hour later he grunted twice more, but sounded like he was closer. finally at about 6:15 he let out a long, loud grunt that sounded like he was right on the edge of the large clearing I was hunting. I couldn't see him though. If this is the same deer that landowner has been talking about, hes a mature 10 point shooter, or quite possibly another decent buck on the property (I wasnt able to get a trail cam out there, I went by the word of the landowner). My question for you guys is how can i get this guy to show himself. He seems to be patterned somewhere around my stand but for some reason he wont come out to play. would grunting calls work to get him to step out into the clearing? or is it too early in the season to grunt at deer? I should add that i've seen huge, clumped droppings about 15 yards directly in front of my stand, I'm guessing they may be his.
It still isn't too late to put a trail cam out if you have one. Next time you head to your stand go a bit early and hang you a camera somewhere in the area you think he is frequenting and see if you can't get some photo evidence of what you are working with. Also, this will give you times of day he is traveling and direction which may help you be in the right spot at the right time. Best thing to remember here is DO NOT PRESSURE HIM. If he feels like you are disturbing him he will be gone for good and you won't stand a chance of seeing him again. Also, if the wind direction isn't right for your stand set up...DON'T hunt it! It is hard to back off when you know there is a bruiser running around there...but it is best to be safe than sorry in these instances.
How much time should I give him before going back to hunt? my stand is at the far corner of a (somewhat) cone shaped clearing. the clearing funnels out into a wide clearing with sporadic white oaks in the middle (some nice acorn drops) The wind direction blows almost directly at me depending on the day. He seems to either be to the right of my stand about 70 yards away where there is thick bedding area, or directly behind me (thick brush and wetlands)
Well if you're hunting a clearing a mature buck may not come out unless provoked (doe in the clearing or such). Also the wind thing is key, If the wind is blowing directly at you can the buck do what they do naturally? Which is move quartering into the wind? If he's on your west side you thing I'd want to hunt a NE wind. Blow just past the south of him but he'd be able to move infront of you quartering into the wind thinking it's all safe. How low off the ground you hunting?
my ladder stand is about 17 feet off the ground. my stand faces west which is usuall our wind constant in CT. when hes behind me, hes on the east side of the property, and when hes to my right, hes northwest of me
With that wind it's not a surprise he was getting wind of ya. I'd say if you suspect he's to the East you'd wanna hunt a NW and if he's to the NW than I'd wanna hunt an E. I hunt 28+feet so I at times will hunt other winds but if I was hunting low (have one stand at the 19foot mark) I only can hunt it with two kinds of wind. Good luck to ya!
I think stand height is a huge advantage. I very rarely hunt lower than 25 feet. That is one reason I like to use a climber when I can, it's easy to adjust height. The downside to hunting higher though is shot angle. I really try to hunt off a trail a little farther as to give my self a better chance at a double lung and not steep angles into the back.
