Ok i worked really hard on a good food plot and getting my 22ft ladder stand up in a good spot. This is my 1st time bowhunting and on opening weekend I had my 1st shooter buck step out I pull back try to take aim and the Buck hears me then spots me. Do I have to move my stand now? I feel like my season is ruined. Does anybody have any advise.
I wouldn't move my stand just yet, I would continue hunting there until you see a reason to move it. Also, try to draw back when he is behind some cover or looking away from you. How did he hear you? Did you bump into something while drawing? I had that happen to me 2 years ago.
This will not be the last time an animal busts you...just part of bowhunting....just keep at it and good luck!
i get busted at times as well....dont get discourage....it happens, ...give your spot a chance to calm down some, and i bet you get another crack at that buck
Couldn't agree with all the posts thus far. It's part of the game. Sometimes you prepare all you can and it comes down to the very moment. Don't ever get discouraged. Just log it down to experience.
You're in his home. He knows when something isn't right. They'll have girls on their mind before long. That's when they make their biggest mistakes. Stick with it.
I swear I have been whistled at more this year than eva longoria parker walking naked down the strip in vegas
I got spotted opening day and my hunt didn't turn out as planned. My stand is still there and I hunt it when the wind is right, stick to it and a bigger buck might move along. On a side note, you might want to practice drawing your bow and holding it at full draw for longer periods of time. Last year I shot a doe from a stand that was 10 feet of the ground and I drew when she started walking my way. I had to hold it until she traveled 45 yards and she wasn't moving fast. Had I waited to draw she would have busted me
I drew back and moved a lil to get a better shot and bumped the stand ever so slightly thats when he looked at the bottom of my stand then look straight at me in my eyes and then took off
If someone tells you they've never been busted they are lying to you! Like the posts above say it's part of hunting and every time it happens you learn something new that you can/can't get away with.
Got a short story for you, When i was out 3 weeks ago i had a nice 9 pointer step out in front of me, he put his head down to feed on some clover and as i brought my bow back and pulled back my arrow came un knocked and went Tink Tink Tink all the way down my latter stand. My heart just sank as i saw the nice buck jump about 30 feet back and walk away. 2 Days after that incident i saw that 9 pointer again walk a little out of range of my bow but it did still come back. EDIT: Just thought of another story that weekend, i guess i smelled when i came in to my stand and i saw 4 doe walking right on my path that i came in on and when they got within 20 yards of my stand they smelled around a little and looked right at me, i didnt make a peep so i knew they smelled me. I could not believe how good their noses were. Regardless they kind of walked off and didnt even touch my food plot but they were back later that night for the night hunt after i went back and showered haha
A couple of years ago I got up in a pine tree that another hunter had cut out at some point in time the previous season. With about 30 minutes left of shooting light, a big P&Y class 10 pointer came out about 75 yards from me into the light line I was on the end of (with a bean field essentially behind me), and looked right at me. I had the wind and good cover behind me so I am confident he didn't smell me or get a silhouette of me. He stood there looking at me for about 5 minutes, then walked back into the woods. Lesson learned from me on that hunt - I don't get up in trees other people have used. Those big boys seem to have those spots memorized and check them carefully.
I agree 100%. I am new on the bowhunting scene, but the success I have had has come from drawing on the animal before they get to where you want them. In a plain sight of view a whitetail will spot you everytime unless they are looking the opposite direction. I wouldn't want to bet on that either, because as we know it they hardly ever do exactly what you want them too. Hope this helps a little. Good luck and stay after it, the rut is coming!!!
here is a quick bit of advice the best I have. I got busted by a nice buck last year about a 150/160 I did'nt even see him till he was right under me im mean touching my ladder. talk about a h@#$ on. so later that day I rotated my stand to the other side of the tree and left it for a week. the next saturday same time same deer same place. I made a bad move and busted myself but he came back and looked for me but he couldnt see my stand and thought it was safe. I hope you get a chance to get him. time in the stand means meat in the hand............
