OMG!!! went huntin Saturday, cold front came through Thursday night and a re-enforcing one Friday night so N wind was howling pretty good. Bout 30 minutes after good light doe came through downwind checkin me out and left pretty quickly. Bout an hour later doe and big fawn came in from same direction. They could smell something but came on in to eat. Heard blowing toward my truck (downwind) and in a bit another doe came in from that direction with her large fawn. Second doe was so nervous she couldn't settle down long enough to eat. You could count every rib and her sides were sunk in badly. I have cam pics of her eatin so I know she does grab a bite occasionally. She looked up at me a time or two but I had cedar background in my oak tree ladder stand so she didn't know what I was, just something different. She pulled every trick in the book to get me to move but didn't stay in the same spot. She wandered around quite a bit but kept messin with me. I could have drawn on her a time or two but didn't think I could beat her reaction time so didn't shoot her. At one time she started blowin and got the other nanny blowin also. They would jump real high and blow several times. I just sat real still and finally they left about 10 AM. Thank God, they were about to make me a nervous wreck. Is this how deer act when there are a lot of big predators around?, (besides me. LOL) We are starting to have quite a few Mt. Lions around and there are hogs around too. Have a good population of bears in the SE but don't think they've made it up to me yet. I am hunting in East Central Ok bout 30 min. SW of Henryetta. Also had another weird experience. Evening hunt was down in a creek bottom on the creek bank, had three does come to crossing and instead of crossing the easy shallow ford 2 of them jumped in with a loud splash. Maybe our summer drought had an effect on their brain! lol Can't wait to get out next Saturday and see what happens next! Good luck to all!
btw, I'm thinkin bout huntin quite aways downwind from my feeding sites maybe on a trail approaching or leaving them. Probly as far away as I can still see the site. Anyone else doing this?
I've got skinny deer as well. This drought has really affected the size for sure. I hunt the Grand Lake area. I have some corn down and they barely come in during daylight hours, and when they do they will barely eat. Saturday I sat all day, saw 2 deer, a doe, and a little buck trailing her about 5 mins later. I've been busted way more than usual thats for sure, they are jumpier than last year. So I did what you are thinking I moved my stand to about 50 yds behind my corn, and about 30 yards from a well worn trail, and about 40 yards from the lake. They say it's gonna warm up a bunch this week so hopefully they wont be far from the water. A buddy at work told me to screw a peanut butter jar to a tree, and cut the bottom off. They have been hitting that HARD. I'm hoping the combo will allow me a better chance. We will see come friday evening. Good luck to you buddy.
Either the drought and heat kept people out of the woods all summer and the sudden influx of hunters has them spooked or the the increase in predators. Just guessing. Good luck to you to. I used to hunt in the Vinita area, have kin folks there.
High wind makes deer around here on high alert.Plus its the begining of season here and everyone and their mother have walked through the woods
