Tom from Ohio asks,
Hi Bill, What would be your advice for the following scenario? Our farm has a high deer density here in central Ohio and the access to my stands is not the best in the world. This is something I will be addressing in the off season. This morning, as I was attempting to reach a stand, I accidentally bumped what I believe to be a mature buck. I contemplated leaving or continuing to the stand. I chose to continue to the stand, and in the process, was also picked off by several does which started blowing. What is your advice on bumping deer while approaching your stand? Do you normally abandon the hunt or continue the pursuit? Thank you, Tom
Bill responds,
Topic: What to do When you Bump Deer:
Tom,
Use low profile entry and exit routes, but you may also have to wait to hunt some stands deep in cover until the wind is blowing enough to cover any noise you make. If you can’t sneak in and out without alerting deer, you should stop hunting that spot no matter how good it looks.
I usually just keep going and hunt the spot. I don’t like it one bit and I may never hunt that spot again, but the damage is already done. You may as well get the hunt in and while you are sitting there either decide whether you will hunt it again or maybe figure out a better route to the stand so you don’t bump deer. Or possibly you can only hunt there when the wind is blowing hard to cover your noise as you try to sneak in.
I avoid hunting deep in the cover when the wind is still in the morning or when it is forecast to drop off to nothing after an evening hunt. The wind really is your friend when deer hunting. It covers a lot of noise.
I don’t hunt a spot if I can’t do it without bumping deer – period (no matter how tempting the spot might be). There is likely someplace nearby where you can hunt the same deer with less intrusion.
It can take a while to fill tags from conservative stand sites so you have to be patient (or have enough time that you don’t feel you have to force things), but the deer keep moving naturally. On the other hand, you might get lucky and kill much quicker from more aggressive stand sites, but you are much more likely to mess up the spot by educating deer.
I almost always go with the conservative approach – hunting only stands that I can get to and from easily.
I know that’s a long answer to a short question, but it is an important concept. Summary: you have to stop hunting spots where you bump deer. Good luck. (11/23/21)
