As bow hunters we try not to spook the deer we're after, but it happens sometimes. I'm wondering what gets us busted the most while we're in a tree stand? For me, movement gets me busted more that anything else. Not that I can't sit still, it's just when I do get caught, this is the reason most of the time. I tend to hunt high and with the right wind, so odor only gets me caught every now and then. I don't make noise, so that's not an issue. What tends to get you busted most often?
My timing, I have a bad tendency to get up before I need to, then i get the happy feet by the time it gets game time. Lol.
no matter how much i think my entry/exit path is perfect, the bucks cross it, and smell my scent and POOOOOOF!!!! gone.
I'm generally pretty good at not getting busted once in my stand. This year being my first hunting in the midwest, I learned quickly how important entrance/exit routes are. I don't have it mastered but I've learned a lot and would say that definitely blew a couple of hunts on me this year.
It's snoring for me.... Nothing like sawing logs only to be woken by deer blowing and tails in the air. All seriousness, moment is number one as I suspect it is with most.
I used to think that too, but last season two deer busted me while trying to draw on them. One was an old doe, the other a much nicer buck than the one I killed. I blame my black bow...LOL. Kidding, I just got excited I guess and moved too quickly.
Movement for sure. Trying to film, often with several cameras, creates a lot more movement than you would normally have.
Movement for me about 95% of the time. It's usually when I am trying to get my bow off the hanger and I have to hold it for so long that my arm starts shaking. This happens more often in the late season when there's less cover in the tree.
Movement, after about 4 hours I start to get a bit, well not jumpy, squirmy would be a better word!! And my back starts to hurt as well.
Would also say movement like many have already said. Think alot of it has to do with the tree I also pick for my stands not having much cover. Seeing as half my stands are on field edges it makes it hard to pick a tree with cover while also having good lanes to shoot out into the field. Something I plan on working on in the off season to fix. Along with this being the first full year I tried filming that only added to the movement.
I got busted a few times this year, once was a doe right under me hearing my raincoat SWOOSH when I tried to slowly shift around. She snorted, stomped, looking right past my tree. She never knew I was there, but heard something. Other was movement, just finished texting congrats to my buddy for getting a doe, put my phone in my pocket, look up and a doe is staring at me from 30 yards. Movement is by far my biggest issue. I have deer smell me but they never bust me. They'll stop, sniff the air, give me a head bob, and then continue on their way.
Bumping deer to and from the stand. Some properties are just very difficult to get in and out of undetected.
Get a Millenium tree stand and the back pain will be gone and you won't be squirming either. I have the M25, M50, M100 and M100U! Most Comfortable Tree stands on the market!
