From my favorite set I watched a 140ish buck early this morning, out of range, unresponsive to calls and to my right. 10 minutes later I watch a mature doe at 60 yds. to my left. Another hour passes and with nothing else seen I decide to get down and place my stand in another location. What an idiot, I was down 10 minutes and looking for a tree in my soon to be chosen spot and I spot a huge, massive racked buck heading toward what would bring him 15 yards to the left of my current and in years past favorite setup. He spots me about the same time, turns, blows and bounds off up the hill. Outthought myself......keep it simple stupid....though I had other choice words to call myself this morning. Firearm season comes in in 2 days...........................what an idiot!
I always feel like i should change my tree. Always. Ive gotten better at it this year and my buck sightings have been better.
Cougar, the choice you made this morning could have paid off huge for you. Now if you became impatient and moved, that is one thing.....but if you made a calculated decision and moved, then hey buddy thats ok! Keep at it Cougar. At least you are thinking and not just sitting stagnant.
cougar....I know...last night I moved only 25 yds from the tree I sat last Tues....and guess what, a nice big 8 pt walked 50 yds behind me and and turned and walke 18 yds from the tree I sat in last Tues!!!!!!!!!! why do we do it??
Why? Because we are always trying to improve our odds I suppose. Thing is over the years I've killed a lot of deer out of that particular spot, but the biggest bucks seem to always just be a tad out of range and I figured my best bet was to move to another tree. Wish I'd leave well enough alone though.
Greg, dang it, real sorry that didnt work out for you, but you saw two studs this morning though, I think I would go back to my favorite spot and try again.
I feel your pain. I have been thinking a lot lately about relaxing with all my over analyzing of the deer woods I hunt and just trying to hunt smart in the areas I know hold deer. Find some good spots and stick with it, quit second guessing every little thing. That is why I changed my signature, I am pretty much talking to myself there but I imagine there are others that could benefit from that advice as wel.l
I've done that !! I set up on a real good buck. 1st sit he comes out like I figured but instead of turning and coming my way he spots another buck and goes the other way. The next night I setup for him to go the other way only to watch him and 3 other bucks turn go up to the spot I hunted the night before and mill around. It would have been a 7 yard shot. I wanted to sit where they turned after coming out of the bedding area but the wind was never right for it... plus the cover was really skimpy to hide in but was do-able. Tyler was able to hunt the corner one night while I worked but the buck come out and tuned just out of range for him. Then the duck hunters moved in and that was the last we ever saw of him. Tim edited...The spring before we found one of his sheds right at the corner where they would turn.
I hear ya man. Been there... done that. Ended up paying off for me though. Follow your gut and keep at it. Don't do what you're "supposed to do" all the time. Some of those times where you setup because you feel it (with a some logic mixed in:p) really pay off. Good luck bro
