My buddy and I were in a ground blind Saturday evening trying to get a doe kill on video. There is a specific doe we're targeting, and she's old. She had twins this past year, a buck and doe. We've seen them a few times and have lots of trail cam pictures of them. Late that evening the 2 fawns showed up, and, still sporting spots I decided not to take either one. I wouldn't have shot the button anyway, but in my mind when it comes to managing the herd a doe is a doe is a doe. But something about them having spots I just couldn't do it. Anyway, they fed in front of the blind, staying w/in 20 yards, for nearly an hour. The big doe never stepped out, she's not dumb either. Anyway, with darkness falling, and legal shooting time passed, we wanted to leave but didn't want to educate these 2 deer to the blind. So, we didn't simply want to exit the blind and spook them. We grunted, fawn bleated, doe bleated.......and in the end it was a snort wheeze that did it, but only after about 3 of them. The button finally decided he wanted to get out of town, so he left, taking the doe with him. Thankfully. How do you guys spook deer away w/out ......spooking them? I wished I had a handful of rocks......
Good question, I tried the other day, threw my quiver, water bottle, and turned on my headlamp trying to get the little doe to leave, all she did was look. The best thing I have found is taking an arrow with a field point and shooting it at something like a leaf or a pine cone around 10 to 15 yards away from the deer, they usually run because of not knowing, but Ive never had one blow at me while doing this.
I've found that usually a couple of quick short grunts will do it. But make the first couple really loud to get the job done. Don't start off soft and build volume.
This is one advantaged to my river hunting I can climb down and into my boat with out any issues at all. In northern MI i used to throw stuff at them
I was caught in a similar situation on opening afternoon last year. I was stuck in my stand for over an hour after dark waiting for 2 large bucks in the field to skirt into the woods. Before getting down I blew a snort wheeze several times and heard an army of deer running from the field. Never heard a snort as I skirted out of the area.
Rattling works well (mine are always one the ground attached to my pull-up rope)...only problem is hoping you don't rattle in a buck The other thing that has surprised me is how many times I've just said "screw it" and climbed down quickly and quietly and made a quick exit...all the while the deer remains bedded at under 40 yards...then once I begin make my way farther from them they bolt... ...I hate spooking deer on my way out too. If we're acutally staying at the cabin - I have sent a text message to someone to drive the Gator in to my stand...the ride is nice at least
X2 on what Jeff said. I'm slowly becoming more shy of hunting field edges for this reason. I CANNOT get the dang things to spook when I want to. I've tried barking, shaking things in the leaves from my haul line, bleating, etc. Nothing. I usually just wait until dark and sneak down as quietly as possible. A few times, I had my dad circle the filed in a vehicle, but I would rather not alert them with something they can associate with a human.