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Learning opportunity

Jrain904

Jrain904

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2021
Messages
419
Had a big failure on my end at the end of last season, my first with a saddle. A nice buck was approaching me from my left side. He was on a mission and I just kept very still (as i would in a lock on). Once he got around 15 yards away out of nowhere he halted to a stop and jolted his head straight to me. Although I had not even moved yet I was busted. I stayed still and as soon as he took another step I tried to draw and he looked back up and quickly bounded off. The lesson here for me, I believe, is not to necessarily sit still when I see an approaching deer but to slowly position myself between the tree and the deer. Then slowly poke around the tree for the shot.
 
Jrain904 said:
Had a big failure on my end at the end of last season, my first with a saddle. A nice buck was approaching me from my left side. He was on a mission and I just kept very still (as i would in a lock on). Once he got around 15 yards away out of nowhere he halted to a stop and jolted his head straight to me. Although I had not even moved yet I was busted. I stayed still and as soon as he took another step I tried to draw and he looked back up and quickly bounded off. The lesson here for me, I believe, is not to necessarily sit still when I see an approaching deer but to slowly position myself between the tree and the deer. Then slowly poke around the tree for the shot.
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I’ve been busted like this A LOT! My biggest improvements have been choosing trees with better cover (loves me some double and even triple trunk trees) and then holding my weapon in a ready position so I don’t have to make a big movement to grab it and then position it. I’ll usually use a single point sling or something to take the weight off my hands/arms a little. I’ve tried just “moving slower” and when deer are within 20-30 yards it doesn’t really matter how slow you move they will lock onto you.
 
It's a judgement call that you have to make with each hunt since no two work out the same. Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes mostly from poor judgment, lol. I would say if you saw the deer coming in and have time, move around. If they slip in there on top of you before you know it and are right under you, sit still. Sounds like he just picked you off based on human shape. Like philsachez76 recommended, pick trees that have good cover or multi trunked trees. Also, when one starts staring me down, I try not to make eye contact. They seem to have that AHA! moment a lot when you make eye contact.

Another thing that sometimes works. When they bust you and stare you down you know they will probably run at some point. Wait until they bolt to draw. Your movement will be covered by their movement and often they will stop and turn back to get one last look. Sometimes this is your chance to get an arrow through them. And don't worry, they pick everyone off from time to time if you hunt long enough.
 
Yeah your assessment is correct, I try to move to put the tree b/w me & the deer most of the time depending on cover. Also as others have said , pick a tree in that immediate vicinity that has the best cover. I’d rather be 25yds from “the spot” with good cover than look like a corn dog at 10yds. I never try to draw if the deer is on alert & still may pass by. Once the jig is up anything goes, but drawing when they’re in tight & on alert has never ended successfully for me.
 
Bigterp said:
Yeah your assessment is correct, I try to move to put the tree b/w me & the deer most of the time depending on cover. Also as others have said , pick a tree in that immediate vicinity that has the best cover. I’d rather be 25yds from “the spot” with good cover than look like a corn dog at 10yds. I never try to draw if the deer is on alert & still may pass by. Once the jig is up anything goes, but drawing when they’re in tight & on alert has never ended successfully for me.
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I already find trees with cover and love multi trunks but "dont look like a corn dog" has forever become part of my tree selection process Thanks.:tearsofjoy:
 
NMSbowhunter said:
It's a judgement call that you have to make with each hunt since no two work out the same. Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes mostly from poor judgment, lol. I would say if you saw the deer coming in and have time, move around. If they slip in there on top of you before you know it and are right under you, sit still. Sounds like he just picked you off based on human shape. Like philsachez76 recommended, pick trees that have good cover or multi trunked trees. Also, when one starts staring me down, I try not to make eye contact. They seem to have that AHA! moment a lot when you make eye contact.

Another thing that sometimes works. When they bust you and stare you down you know they will probably run at some point. Wait until they bolt to draw. Your movement will be covered by their movement and often they will stop and turn back to get one last look. Sometimes this is your chance to get an arrow through them. And don't worry, they pick everyone off from time to time if you hunt long enough.
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Great advice! The part about drawing as soon as they bolt is definitely overlooked imo. Many times they stop and give you a nice broadside look before they’re out of there forever.
 
If you think you failed, but learned an important lesson, you didn't fail. If you think you failed, and learned nothing, then you failed.

I always hang my bow or gun on the tree where I can reach it easily without moving much. As soon as I see a deer, I usually do one of two things:

1. If the deer is far off and/or approaching slowly, I hit them with the binos to determine if it's a deer I'm interested in or if I can see more coming behind the lead deer.

2. If they are close or approaching quickly, I smoothly reach for the gun or bow, keeping my eyes on them the whole time, only moving if their eyes are down or directed elsewhere. That way, if it's a deer I'm interested in taking, I'm ready to strike.

This all comes from experience of course, because I had something similar happen to me years ago. I had a doe approaching, and I locked my vision in on her, but didn't get ready to make a shot. At some point, I realized there's a buck following her, and I'm not ready. Now I'm trying to watch her, watch him, and move to get into position. Long story short, I'm watching him and trying to move to shoot. She busts me and blows everything up.

This was back in my climber days, so moving for a shot was a lot more involved. *Facepalm*

Since switching to a saddle, I can only remember getting busted once because of movement. I was new and still figuring everything out. It was drizzling, everything was wet, and it was hard to hear. I was gently swaying back and forth because I was bored and it was comfortable. I had a deer blow behind me and take off. Never even knew it was there because it unexpectedly approached in my blind spot, couldn't hear it because of the drizzle, and it caught me swinging back and forth. But I learned something that day, so it wasn't a complete failure.

You are not a hunter in the tree. You are the tree. "Be the tree" :tearsofjoy:
 
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NMSbowhunter said:
It's a judgement call that you have to make with each hunt since no two work out the same. Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes mostly from poor judgment, lol. I would say if you saw the deer coming in and have time, move around. If they slip in there on top of you before you know it and are right under you, sit still. Sounds like he just picked you off based on human shape. Like philsachez76 recommended, pick trees that have good cover or multi trunked trees. Also, when one starts staring me down, I try not to make eye contact. They seem to have that AHA! moment a lot when you make eye contact.

Another thing that sometimes works. When they bust you and stare you down you know they will probably run at some point. Wait until they bolt to draw. Your movement will be covered by their movement and often they will stop and turn back to get one last look. Sometimes this is your chance to get an arrow through them. And don't worry, they pick everyone off from time to time if you hunt long enough.
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You forgot to to tell him that if you do get that second chance then you better aim low because that alert deer WILL drop at the shot.
 
DroptineKrazy said:
You forgot to to tell him that if you do get that second chance then you better aim low because that alert deer WILL drop at the shot.
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Glad you put that it there. They will be on high alert, and you can expect them to drop.
 
BTaylor said:
And that is precisely when they will stand like a freaking statue so your arrow zips right under the lungs. Ask me how I know. Sure shoot bottom third but dont hold under.
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Yes, I had that happen to me too. He was under 15 yards. I was on the ground. He was staring right at me when I got to full draw. Held just under the heart in the armpit fully expecting him to drop. Nope. stood there and stared at me until the arrow stuck up in the dirt behind him. Better to clean miss them than wound so I just laughed it off.
 
Jrain904 said:
Had a big failure on my end at the end of last season, my first with a saddle. A nice buck was approaching me from my left side. He was on a mission and I just kept very still (as i would in a lock on). Once he got around 15 yards away out of nowhere he halted to a stop and jolted his head straight to me. Although I had not even moved yet I was busted. I stayed still and as soon as he took another step I tried to draw and he looked back up and quickly bounded off. The lesson here for me, I believe, is not to necessarily sit still when I see an approaching deer but to slowly position myself between the tree and the deer. Then slowly poke around the tree for the shot.
Click to expand...
A great lessoned learned
Make sure you note the wind and weather conditions when and where you had that encounter
when you have that again go back after him but be a bit more aggressive because him knowing that you were there he probably will either skirt your location 100 yards around it, go out the backdoor because in buck bedding there is always a backdoor escape route, or he wont come past there til very very dark lol
 
I try for some back cover, like branches behind me. That means that sometimes I'm not very high, 10-12 feet. As @CarolinaDog said, multi trunk trees are great as well.
 
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