Strict Program Working For Me

[Maustypsu]

As many have seen, I have John Eberhart hunting with me this week. (Weather has not cooperated and it is gun season here - don't be surprised if you don't see kill pics).


Since he was coming in I made sure all week to follow his scent control regime. Wow!

I have had old does and a decent buck come in in my trail. Today I had three does between 3 1/2 and 5-6 1/2. They KNEW I was there (in a ladder stand about 20 feet up b/c it was in the right spot.
They caught the scent void from my trail in. I had two within a few feet of my tree. I had one 15 yards down wind from my breathe trail in the cold with her nose trying to bust me. After several minutes of suspicion and trying to wind me while staring at me, they slowly fed away.

Today I had the below buck follow my trail and come in from down wind. He spent more time where I had walked than he did coming in to my scent on stand.

Yesterday I had the absolutely most spooky doe I have ever seen come in. She was dead down wind multiple times between 120 yards and 2 yards. She too found my scent void, realized that there were fresh cut limbs and spent lots of time trying to find the problem that was sitting 38 feet up in a web.

 

[Maustypsu]

 

[Cbigbear]

38' should put your scent in the jet stream!!!

 

[kenn1320]

Interesting, so you have been getting busted all season, but now that you are doing scent control for the last week the deer aren't bothered by your scent? How many deer have you killed from that property this year? Maybe you have conditioned them to know your not a threat?

 

[Maustypsu]

Interesting, so you have been getting busted all season, but now that you are doing scent control for the last week the deer aren't bothered by your scent? How many deer have you killed from that property this year? Maybe you have conditioned them to know your not a threat?

I have practiced scent control as long as I have bow hunted. But I'm following the Eberhart program as laid out in the book with the strictest standards.

I can tell you that in the past I would have been busted at least three times in situations this year that I didn't get busted.
I haven't killed anything on that property this year. But I'm not sure that has trained the deer to avoid predator scent.

 

[g2outdoors]

I have had similar results this season after buying scentlok and upping my scent control regiment. I have been sight busted, but the deer had a very difficult time winding me even after circling down wind and putting her nose in the air for 20 minutes.

 

[kenn1320]

Noticed your up at 38ft, is that to your feet? Why so high? Is John hunting way up also?

 

[Maustypsu]

Noticed your up at 38ft, is that to your feet? Why so high? Is John hunting way up also?

The 38 feet stand was just because that was the right place on that tree to be. I think John would tell you he likes to be around the 30-35 foot mark but one stand we were limited to about 22'. In the 38' tree, John would have been fine at like 33'. But my fat a$$ and Guido's Web needed more room to move in between the split in the tree.

Yes, those numbers are all to the platform.

Why so high? Nothing to do with scent actually. As you know, John is not prepping trees based on scent, wind, etc. The extra height is to enable you to get away with more movement. Above 35' with any decent cover enables you to put that head on a swivel so you can see approaching deer. Then move to the back side of the tree if it is a non-target or get in position for a shot if it is a target deer.

That said, I had three mature does cut my tracks and walk to my tree Monday am. I had one three feet away looking up at me standing in a 20' ladder stand. I had another down wind (I could see my breathe heading right toward her). No site or scent bust (good thing I floss regularly).

I had all three of them trying to bust me for a solid 5+ minutes from 3 feet to 20 yards. They couldn't do it. I had been standing, facing the tree (that's where the am movement had been). As they settled enough to feed on a gas line with nothing between me and them, I was able to completely turn around and sit down in my seat. That took a few minutes of very slow movement. But I got away with it. They finally fed off.

You can get away with a lot more than you think when they are in close. But I also think we get site busted from a distance more than we realize in a 20' stand.

 

[kenn1320]

Noticed your up at 38ft, is that to your feet? Why so high? Is John hunting way up also?

The 38 feet stand was just because that was the right place on that tree to be. I think John would tell you he likes to be around the 30-35 foot mark but one stand we were limited to about 22'. In the 38' tree, John would have been fine at like 33'. But my fat a$$ and Guido's Web needed more room to move in between the split in the tree.

Yes, those numbers are all to the platform.

Why so high? Nothing to do with scent actually. As you know, John is not prepping trees based on scent, wind, etc. The extra height is to enable you to get away with more movement. Above 35' with any decent cover enables you to put that head on a swivel so you can see approaching deer. Then move to the back side of the tree if it is a non-target or get in position for a shot if it is a target deer.

That said, I had three mature does cut my tracks and walk to my tree Monday am. I had one three feet away looking up at me standing in a 20' ladder stand. I had another down wind (I could see my breathe heading right toward her). No site or scent bust (good thing I floss regularly).

I had all three of them trying to bust me for a solid 5+ minutes from 3 feet to 20 yards. They couldn't do it. I had been standing, facing the tree (that's where the am movement had been). As they settled enough to feed on a gas line with nothing between me and them, I was able to completely turn around and sit down in my seat. That took a few minutes of very slow movement. But I got away with it. They finally fed off.

You can get away with a lot more than you think when they are in close. But I also think we get site busted from a distance more than we realize in a 20' stand.

I agree 100%. I was low in my saddle one time on a big tree, but had cedars around me. I thought no way a deer would see me. I had a doe out in a field about 40yds away and I was probably 15yds into the woods. I know I moved and when I saw her head bob and look right at me, I know she saw me move. :shock: I stayed still, but the damage was done and she didn't feel comfy and moved off (busted). Even though the does that had you pinned down didn't blow, I think they know to avoid that tree. They tracked you right to that stand and stared up at you. I call that busted.

 

[Maustypsu]

Even though the does that had you pinned down didn't blow, I think they know to avoid that tree. They tracked you right to that stand and stared up at you. I call that busted.

I certainly don't know for sure, but I really don't think they will avoid that tree. Maybe a day or two. And they make look at that tree a little more closely the next time by. But they didn't get the sense that I was a predator or they would have run off, not fed off.

Also, if a doe avoided every area that she ever suspected something wrong, she would starve to death. It won't be hunted again until my dad comes to visit for Christmas. I will be saddle hunting prepped trees nearby. This stand was already up and we had figured out a buck's pattern was bringing across that gas line in the area.

John now has a tree picked out 8 yards off the exact trail the buck is using regularly. I will prep it and clear lanes this week. Then let it rest and kill him before the new year... at least that's the plan!!!

 

[g2outdoors]

I would hunt the stand the same day I prepped the tree. A mature buck will come through and know you've been there. Depending on the deer's personality, that first chance may be the only one you get.