This is my first season bow hunting and tonight I took my first shot a doe. Missed her high. Found the arrow, no blood so I don't feel to bad about it. My question is though how spooky are deer when you are about to try and shoot them. A few weeks ago in the morning I had 2 does in range. They knew something was already up bc they were stomping, try to get me to show myself. Well after they walked a few feet 25 yards away I tried to draw my bow and didn't even get close before they blew out of there. Tonight I had a doe come in, that was feeding across the fence. BTW I am sitting in a camo chair when I hunt, usually just like tonight under a tree with limbs/branches hanging down to help cover me in. Well I decided since the first time I saw deer I got busted early, I would draw once she jumped the fence. I did that with no problem, but I sounded like a 200lb squirrel with all the dry leaves underneath me if I made any movement which I was obviously trying not to do. I couldn't shoot once she jumped the fence bc of brush lining the fence, so I had to hold it at full draw for prob 40-60 seconds. She was starting to stomp her foot (here we go again) and take one or two steps towards me. (I'm guessing to see what I was? Any help on that). Eventually she turned more broadside and I let it fly right over her back. I was obviously disappointed I missed her, but was thinking if I could have waited to draw I might have had a better chance. Both times I was hunting into the little wind there was, so I don't think I've been smelled and I am in full matching camo head to toe. So does it just depend I'm guessing on the situation on when to draw? Or can a deer look at you and you can draw quick enough and let it fly, while they stare trying to figure out what you are? Thanks guys for the tips on this, and lots of other info I've read over the year. BTW this is public land I am on, or I would use a stand.
Public land and on the ground. Good Luck ! That is quite the challenge. I would get up a tree or invest in a ground blind.
Even when I'm in a tree I wait until I know they can't see me draw. Sometimes I don't draw at all. What they zero in on is movement. Wait until their head is behind a tree or they are looking in another direction. They have awesome eye sight so it's not easy.
sounds like you may be walking around the woods maybe a bit much or not playing close enough attention to the wind direction be sure to be downwind of the deer and that should eliminate some alertness but you should draw when the deer puts its head down or puts its head behind a tree
Even though you're in camo, they can probably still see your outline and any movement you make since you're on the ground. They're spooked because you just don't look right. Then you move and they know something's wrong, so they get out of there. Be careful with the "when their head is down" because that is a common trick of deer. They'll put their head down as if feeding, but still be looking at you. Best to draw when their head is behind a tree or they're looking the opposite direction. And just because you can't put up a stand on the public land, that doesn't mean you can't climb up into a tree and find a stable branch to sit or stand on. It's been done before, but you need to have a way to tie yourself off to the tree (best if you can use a harness). You might also want to look into a ground blind. Just be sure to put some natural brush around it to aid in concealment. As for your problem of shooting over her, you likely overestimated the distance. Best thing you can do is pace off a few different areas from your set up, so you KNOW the distances long before a deer even approaches.
When you get to your spot kick away the leaves under your feet. Do it slow and quite but it will make your movements less noticeable.
They do zero in on movement, drawing your bow is one of the hardest parts of bowhunting IMO. I got busted not too long ago from about 60 yards out moving my hand about 4 inches, It was a clear line of sight but I thought too far away to get busted, she ran but circled around and came in closer to me. She ended up downwind and not close enough to kill.
ive only been hunting archery for 6 years now and have taken numerous deer from the ground just as you have explained. just like MHS said you need to clear out all of the leaves where you are sitting so there is no noise because the slightest rustle of the leaves and they are on alert. the way i had the most success is go in to your area and try to find a pod of trees in a close proximity like 3 is the perfect number. maybe 3-4 feet apart. then take branches and brush from the foliage around you and build your own ground blind. make it high enough that only your head sticks up out of it so all other movement is concealed. then you wait until the deer is coming past you but is behind one of the big trees you made your blind from, you draw, and let it fly! also if a deer is coming into range try to get half or so of your body behind a tree. as long as you can break up your "human outline" they are less likely even if they do see movement to run off. just stay still and hug a tree until they are comfortable again.. goodluck!
