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Harsh reality

Discussion in 'Bowhunting Talk' started by michaelp, Oct 6, 2009.

  1. michaelp

    michaelp Die Hard Bowhunter

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    As I sat in my stand last weekend, I thought of this website (also HNI) and how much it has helped me to think outside the box over the last couple years. I hear a car door in the pre-dawn darkness and realize Todd (not that one) or his nephew will be hunting the adjoining lease. I then see a light and realize they are going to a loc-on that is about 125 yards from me near the line. No big deal, we have sat these stands together many times, he even offered to move it back a ways when we first got the grounds. About 8:30 a spike is walking directly at me, turns to my right and starts to head up a logging road. He gets about 50 yards from me, 75 from the other stand and goes on full alert. He then turns and walks right back by me and returns the way he came. It hit me like a ton of bricks, my wind was perfect, but the loc on was absolutly wrong for this wind. I have mentioned many times that I hunt an urban area and most of the time I am close to another hunter. If I hunt winds that are right, someone will almost always be hunting a wind that is wrong...for my set up maybe not theirs....TOUGHTS???
     
  2. Rob / PA

    Rob / PA Grizzled Veteran

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    Yes sir, another hunter could kill your hunt but at the same time, there are times you could use them to your favor. Not sure in that instance however.

    Had the same thing one opening morning. The very first deer we see is a 20" 10 point feeding on acorns and coming right at us! At 50 yards he stopped dead and threw his head up. Our (me and cameraman) wind was perfect! However, this particular morning I brought another friend with me and he was upwind of this buck. The buck turned and left.

    1/2 hour later, a 7 x 4 was coming right at us feeding on acorns. Same thing, dead stop at 50 yards, threw his head up, our wind was perfect and away he went. He as again, downwind of my buddy. Two of 3 largest bucks I've ever seen while hunting in PA. We did capture them on film.
     
  3. TJF

    TJF Grizzled Veteran

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    The spike goes by you... winds the other guy .... and turns and goes back by you. What's the problem ?? Had it been a bigger buck... you would have had two oppertunities at it. :)

    Nobody wants unwanted pressure but most have to deal with it. You may have to setup according to how the deer avoid pressure but all put of the game. It has actually helped us quite a bit especially when the other guy hunts his same setup all the time. The deer will avoid him like the plague and are more predictable to pattern on account of it. Hunt smart and plan on the other guy not. Good luck !!

    Tim
     
  4. atlasman

    atlasman Die Hard Bowhunter

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    My thoughts are............. I always wonder why people assume nearly without fail that when a deer does something it is because of something/someone that they smelled.

    That deer could have seen or heard something that he didn't like........maybe your buddy was fidgeting in his stand or clicked his release on the metal or tree........maybe he shifted to see what was coming and his stand squeaked or his boots slid on the platform.........maybe his spot is not good and he sticks out like a sore thumb. Maybe his camo or backdrop makes him very easy to see. Maybe a branch was blown over or cut since the last time that deer came through and he saw the path looked different.

    On and on and on and on we could go with reasons why that deer turned around. Truthfully, no one will ever know but the deer..........maybe he just felt like turning around.

    I have made deer do EXACTLY what I wanted them to enough times to be dumb enough to think I figured out some secret (call, scent, tactic.......) only to try it on another deer and have them walk right by as if I weren't even there.

    You just never know..............but it's so weird how often people blame scent for getting busted as if it's a deer's only defense.

    You could go in the woods and stink like hell and still kill tons of deer............go in the woods and move around in your stand and make noise and you will kill none.
     
  5. Iamyourhuckleberry

    Iamyourhuckleberry Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Yeah, it's sort of like going to band camp. You never really know what you're gonna play until you get there and you soon realize you're just one piece in the drum section. The flutist blows a sour note and messes up the whole melody. Worse yet, that day you just ain't got rhythm.

    The whens, wheres, whys, and hows leave a lot of room for speculation-isn't that cool?
    If it were easy, it would be called easy.
     
  6. pick00l

    pick00l Weekend Warrior

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    Hunting in DE and PA public land. I generally try to account for other hunters in the woods and target places where I think they will be kicked to. I do this in Archery season as well. Although, I would rather setup in a spot I think they will come by undisturbed, I rarely get to enjoy that.

    One day, oh one day.. I will own my own piece of dirt.
     
  7. Germ

    Germ Legendary Woodsman

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    That line deserves another spot. Either way it appears something or one spooked the deer.
     
  8. michaelp

    michaelp Die Hard Bowhunter

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    I guess I should have posed the question hypothetically to avoid this. I watched the deer raise his nose straight in the air and then proceed to back up and come back by. I could care less "why" he did this, sight, smell just for the heck of it...none of this was my point or my question. I will continue to hunt the wind, scent control, and all that comes with it. I was just thinking out loud because of the help I receive here. I got what I needed from the few short replies. If I know they are hunting that stand, they will blow scent right through a big bedding area with a S wind, I can hunt the back side and the wind that is good for me is bad for them. Maybe they chase something out and I get a shot as this bedding are is near impossible to get near.
     
  9. TJF

    TJF Grizzled Veteran

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    That sounds like a good plan. Again good luck !!

    Tim
     
  10. magicman54494

    magicman54494 Weekend Warrior

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    I was hunting public land years ago when I heard a guy coming thru the woods clanking his stand all the way. From his noise I could tell he was just north of me. I was ticked off. Then I thought I have the wind in my favor and he might actually help me. Later on I heard a deer snort between me and the other guy. Soon after a nice 8 pointer walks right by me. He stops twice to look back towards the other guy. I drew my bow and settled the 20 yd pin on him and let down and said under my breath "your lucky I'm waiting for a bigger one".
     

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