Epic Busts

[neonomad]

I think I just needed to get this off my chest… last weekend I was down in the home farm river valley, I was about 30 yards from the river primarily looking into the bottoms on our side. Late evening I noticed a young deer crossing the river from the other side which I was happy about, because I have not seen them do this often in person, I know they do it all the time, and the river was pretty high so it was good data to show they cross in conditions I was pretty skeptical about. It was gonna be a neat scene. Then momma doe shows up behind this deer, takes one step into the river, looks right at me, flips tail turns around and hops back into the woods, fawn follows.

I was 100 yards away, downstream and dead down wind, low light, leaning against / partially behind a tree in medium thick timber in an ASAT leafy suit not moving a muscle. She’s looking at and listening to a semi-raging river she’s walking into, still pegs me in 3 seconds. This bust totally blew my mind, was a gut punch to my confidence, and had me questioning everything. This was a sell your bow and take up bass fishing defeat. Hats off to this doe, I’ve always had a lotta respect for them corralling the kids around in a dangerous world, but man she was dialed in.

Anybody got other ridiculous against all
odds busts to share?

 

[CanuckBuck]

That’s a bummer and feel your pain. That happened to me last year but with my target buck. The only thing I could think of was that he knew every detail at the crossing and the tree profile was just a bit too off for him. I think your deer is just that in tune With her surroundings and perhaps historically they have had instances in that area. They’re hyper aware i suppose as they cannot rely on their sense of hearing. Anyways I think you got beat by the best in those woods.

 

[Harleycharlie]

Just a thought, but have u stood where momma doe was at and looked at ur setup??? When this happens to me and I feel like deer have a six sense. I always make it a point to check it out from their point of view. 99% of the time I realize my set up wasn’t as good as I thought. Of course it may be hard for u to do because of the river crossing.

 

[Exhumis]

This is why I hunt whitetails. Their senses are so keen. There’s an old nanny doe that pegs me almost every season, I say almost because I haven’t seen her this season. I know it’s the same doe cuz she’s large bodied for my area and has the same spot on her right ear. First time she busted me I was a greenhorn and she prolly saw and smelled me a mile away and my climber sounded like a creaky log truck. Second time I thought I was a bit wiser but she still got me 100 yards out coming down a trail and high tailed it. Third time I have no clue. I didn’t even eat bfast, took a scent free shower, dressed when I got to the parking lot of my hunting sight, didn’t even wear the same underwear to the stand I wore during the drive. Wore gloves when I dressed. Two layers of Scentlok head to toe. Facecovering, etc. my boots even stayed in a scent free tote and tracked through cow manure on way to the tree. Had a couple smaller does even cross my trail in and walk beneath my tree. Saw her coming across the depression and walking towards the ridge I was on about hundred yards out, slowly making her way wind blowing right at her. Takes almost 30 minutes and still coming, no sign or indication she knows I’m there. Still coming, haven’t had a clear shot so I haven’t moved. Not a twitch. Just admiring the beauty. Walks beneath my tree and keeps going, starts heading up the slight ridge. Again, wind in her favor blowing right in her face. Her butt is still pointing at me and she gets about 20 yards from my tree and stops and swivels her head completely around and looks RIGHT at me. I swear I haven’t moved, haven’t farted, barely breathed. Right at me, like she knew I was there the entire time and was just messing with me. She didn’t even do the head bob or stomp, just locked eyes and stared for prolly a good minute. Then still with her butt pointed right at me walks off leaving me with no shot.
I know people talk about the buck that busts them but man I have respect for this nanny doe. She has supernatural awareness. I’ve replayed that scene a million times, I have no idea how she busted me and I know she saw me. I didn’t come from the ridge, no scent was there. Didn’t drop anything, no movement. The only thing I can think of is that 6th sense of being watched and I just eyeballed her too hard. She’s on top of her game and I got skewled, plain and simple. And to confirm this I was partner hunting at the time and my partner saw it go down and he was floored as well and he’s whitetail hinted a long time. Even he couldn’t figure it. If I see her again I don’t know that I would harvest her, I’d prolly just admire the pinnacle nature at its finest.

 

[MattMan81]

I think some deer are just more in tune than others. I had a pair of yearling does come out. Most of the time they are very clueless. The one picked me up and was nervous. The other one didn't have a clue..

 

[TNbowhunter]

I’ve had deer bust me out of a stand they’ve busted me in before. We had a ladder stand on a field edge, and after getting busted moving a few times that first season, the deer would stare intently at the stand every time they walked into the field. Even saw them stare at it when I wasn’t in it!

 

[boyne bowhunter]

I’ve had deer bust me out of a stand they’ve busted me in before. We had a ladder stand on a field edge, and after getting busted moving a few times that first season, the deer would stare intently at the stand every time they walked into the field. Even saw them stare at it when I wasn’t in it!

This is precisely the reason I rarely repeat trees in season, I hate getting patterned. Back in my tree stand days I witnessed this so many times, not only in a single season but season to season. Not to say I don't get picked now, it happens, but at least they have to be aware of their surroundings to do it. Those old nannies and bucks seem to remember those previous encounters and sometimes I swear pass that knowledge on to others.

 

[SNIPERBBB]

This is why I hunt whitetails. Their senses are so keen. There’s an old nanny doe that pegs me almost every season, I say almost because I haven’t seen her this season. I know it’s the same doe cuz she’s large bodied for my area and has the same spot on her right ear. First time she busted me I was a greenhorn and she prolly saw and smelled me a mile away and my climber sounded like a creaky log truck. Second time I thought I was a bit wiser but she still got me 100 yards out coming down a trail and high tailed it. Third time I have no clue. I didn’t even eat bfast, took a scent free shower, dressed when I got to the parking lot of my hunting sight, didn’t even wear the same underwear to the stand I wore during the drive. Wore gloves when I dressed. Two layers of Scentlok head to toe. Facecovering, etc. my boots even stayed in a scent free tote and tracked through cow manure on way to the tree. Had a couple smaller does even cross my trail in and walk beneath my tree. Saw her coming across the depression and walking towards the ridge I was on about hundred yards out, slowly making her way wind blowing right at her. Takes almost 30 minutes and still coming, no sign or indication she knows I’m there. Still coming, haven’t had a clear shot so I haven’t moved. Not a twitch. Just admiring the beauty. Walks beneath my tree and keeps going, starts heading up the slight ridge. Again, wind in her favor blowing right in her face. Her butt is still pointing at me and she gets about 20 yards from my tree and stops and swivels her head completely around and looks RIGHT at me. I swear I haven’t moved, haven’t farted, barely breathed. Right at me, like she knew I was there the entire time and was just messing with me. She didn’t even do the head bob or stomp, just locked eyes and stared for prolly a good minute. Then still with her butt pointed right at me walks off leaving me with no shot.
I know people talk about the buck that busts them but man I have respect for this nanny doe. She has supernatural awareness. I’ve replayed that scene a million times, I have no idea how she busted me and I know she saw me. I didn’t come from the ridge, no scent was there. Didn’t drop anything, no movement. The only thing I can think of is that 6th sense of being watched and I just eyeballed her too hard. She’s on top of her game and I got skewled, plain and simple. And to confirm this I was partner hunting at the time and my partner saw it go down and he was floored as well and he’s whitetail hinted a long time. Even he couldn’t figure it. If I see her again I don’t know that I would harvest her, I’d prolly just admire the pinnacle nature at its finest.

Sounds like you need to bust that doe in gun season

 

[Allegheny Tom]

...... I hate getting patterned. Back in my tree stand days I witnessed this so many times, not only in a single season but season to season. Not to say I don't get picked now, it happens, but at least they have to be aware of their surroundings to do it. Those old nannies and bucks seem to remember those previous encounters and sometimes I swear pass that knowledge on to others.

Definitely this^^^
Deer remember the trees that they've had encounters with humans before. And I swear they somehow communicate that knowledge to their fawns. I believe does are more savvy in this department than bucks are because bucks often get shot. Does often live into old age and they are the ones that have a lifetime of encounters and education.

I suspect that some deer learn what a treestand is. The are suspicious of new things... neophobic. Some may totally avoid it and some will scent check or visually check to see if a human is present.

I know a guy that got busted in a tree and he knew he need to move to an adjacent tree. But instead of moving the stand he left it in place and set a 2nd stand a few yards away. He killed a deer from that 2nd stand while the deer stood there staring at the empty stand.

When we make presets we should do so with an eye of what it will look like when we are actually hunting it. If we set stands during summer the leaf cover will give us an inaccurate impression of the amount of cover. And it's always nice to have a partner walk around and view us in our preset from different angles. Sometimes we don't realize that we stick out like a sore thumb.

 

[TNbowhunter]

Definitely this^^^
Deer remember the trees that they've had encounters with humans before. And I swear they somehow communicate that knowledge to their fawns. I believe does are more savvy in this department than bucks are because bucks often get shot. Does often live into old age and they are the ones that have a lifetime of encounters and education.

I suspect that some deer learn what a treestand is. The are suspicious of new things... neophobic. Some may totally avoid it and some will scent check or visually check to see if a human is present.

I know a guy that got busted in a tree and he knew he need to move to an adjacent tree. But instead of moving the stand he left it in place and set a 2nd stand a few yards away. He killed a deer from that 2nd stand while the deer stood there staring at the empty stand.

When we make presets we should do so with an eye of what it will look like when we are actually hunting it. If we set stands during summer the leaf cover will give us an inaccurate impression of the amount of cover. And it's always nice to have a partner walk around and view us in our preset from different angles. Sometimes we don't realize that we stick out like a sore thumb.

Bingo! My dad and I have even thought about leaving a scarecrow in some of our stands and lowering it when we sit there just so they’d get used to the stand’s occupation not being a threat. Haha
One of our “tricks” we actually use is to move our stands around every year, even micro-movements of 10 yards. Definitely seems to throw deer off in the early season, at least.

 

[Exhumis]

Sounds like you need to bust that doe in gun season

I wish but this property is archery only.

 

[1simplemann]

Gene Wensel wrote in his book Bowhunting October Whitetails about some deer having a sixth sense. Some deer just KNOW there's danger. After 41 years in the woods, I believe he's right. I've been busted several times over the years. They had no reason to suspect danger but went on high alert anyway. I think older, wiser deer have learned how to use this sixth sense.

 

[will4554]

I think I just needed to get this off my chest… last weekend I was down in the home farm river valley, I was about 30 yards from the river primarily looking into the bottoms on our side. Late evening I noticed a young deer crossing the river from the other side which I was happy about, because I have not seen them do this often in person, I know they do it all the time, and the river was pretty high so it was good data to show they cross in conditions I was pretty skeptical about. It was gonna be a neat scene. Then momma doe shows up behind this deer, takes one step into the river, looks right at me, flips tail turns around and hops back into the woods, fawn follows.

I was 100 yards away, downstream and dead down wind, low light, leaning against / partially behind a tree in medium thick timber in an ASAT leafy suit not moving a muscle. She’s looking at and listening to a semi-raging river she’s walking into, still pegs me in 3 seconds. This bust totally blew my mind, was a gut punch to my confidence, and had me questioning everything. This was a sell your bow and take up bass fishing defeat. Hats off to this doe, I’ve always had a lotta respect for them corralling the kids around in a dangerous world, but man she was dialed in.

Anybody got other ridiculous against all
odds busts to share?

You were downwind of her, yes? But, was she downstream of you?

 

[neonomad]

You were downwind of her, yes? But, was she downstream of you?

I was both downwind and downstream of her in the evening, so both the wind and the thermals were moving air from her to me.

 

[neonomad]

That’s a bummer and feel your pain. That happened to me last year but with my target buck. The only thing I could think of was that he knew every detail at the crossing and the tree profile was just a bit too off for him. I think your deer is just that in tune With her surroundings and perhaps historically they have had instances in that area. They’re hyper aware i suppose as they cannot rely on their sense of hearing. Anyways I think you got beat by the best in those woods.

Yeah I was thinking it’s probably a high anxiety activity for them coming out of cover and crossing 45 yards of river, so maybe the visual details of the landscape are particularly vivid in their deer brains.

 

[will4554]

I was both downwind and downstream of her in the evening, so both the wind and the thermals were moving air from her to me.

Idk how I missed that originally. My fault. Skylit possibly? Previous hunts from that tree? I’m just tossing out ideas, nothing that hasn’t been mentioned.

 

[raisins]

i got busted by a pope and young buck this year

he walked right under my stand and i think he saw my human shadow on the ground because he recoiled in fear at it and immediately ran in the opposite direction and then stared right at me in the tree

i was about 3 seconds away from a 10 yard quartering away shot on the biggest buck i have ever seen in the woods while hunting

anyways, that story and yours shows me that random stuff happens, usually not in our favor

i've been 35 feet up a thick telephone pole tree (straight, no branches) in a climber, back in the day, sitting down and totally motionless and had deer look straight up at me

from the ground, i looked up from their angle, and i just couldn't believe a deer would look up like that if there was no movement, it's amazing that their peripheral vision picked up a little brown seated blob with his back against a wide tree not moving at all

 

[raisins]

Idk how I missed that originally. My fault. Skylit possibly? Previous hunts from that tree? I’m just tossing out ideas, nothing that hasn’t been mentioned.

if it wasn't a pain, i would do more to break up my head/shoulder outline (leafy suit, homemade hat with fringe, etc). i'm convinced that deer key off of that area and our arms coming out of the nearby shoulders

 

[boyne bowhunter]

I believe does are more savvy in this department than bucks are because bucks often get shot. Does often live into old age and they are the ones that have a lifetime of encounters and education.

The other thing to keep in mind is that does/fawns ranges are typically a lot smaller than a bucks so they become a lot more familiar with their surroundings.