Hunting advice/Should I hunt this area again?

[bkidd1187]

Just FYI I'm pretty new to seriously deer hunting, I've taken does before but never a buck.

On the last Saturday of Muzzleloader I hunted a new spot on my lease I'd scouted but never hunted before. I remember there being a ground blind there, but when I walked in that morning it was gone. The sun was close to coming up so I decided just to sit with my back against a tree a little ways back of the field (a field on a point, thick pines to my back, hardwood creek Bottoms looking forward). As soon as I sat down I could hear walking in the hardwoods, sure enough a Spike walks into the field and gets within 10 yards in the dark. He can tell something is wrong but doesn't blow or bolt, but bounds a few steps then casually walks off. Once the sun comes up I start doing a doe bleat call, he comes back in the field. Since our club is 8 or better I snort/wheeze at him to scare him off so he doesn't eventually bust me. Then back behind me I hear walking in the leaves and two grunts. I look back and see the rack of a shooter buck as he crosses the logging road and into the thick pines behind me about 60 yards away. It's too thick to confidently shoot at him. He must have smelled me or something he didn't like because I never saw or heard him again. How spooked would a buck be from only smelling a person?

After looking around the area a little more I found a couple treestands about 100 yards off into the hardwoods. I'm wondering if it'd be worth it trying to come across him again Thanksgiving weekend, but this time with the advantage of being in a stand? I've not hunted since that last Muzzleloader weekend.

 

[GnashviLLe]

I'm also new to "seriously deer hunting". I don't think you spooked him too bad. He probably just sensed human scent was closer than he liked or was used to.
I am a firm believer of the saying " Can't shoot/kill 'em if you ain't in the woods"

I say get back in those woods and get you a gooden brother

 

[Sam Davis]

If you are in a club first thing I would do is find out where everyone is hunting because I wouldn't want to be sitting within 100 yards of someone.
As for the deer smelling you . Now since the rut has started bucks mainly have women on their minds.

 

[bkidd1187]

If you are in a club first thing I would do is find out where everyone is hunting because I wouldn't want to be sitting within 100 yards of someone.
As for the deer smelling you . Now since the rut has started bucks mainly have women on their minds.

You tag out the area you're hunting, so you don't ruin someone else's hunt or unsafely hunt on top of each other.

 

[Sam Davis]

You tag out the area you're hunting, so you don't ruin someone else's hunt or unsafely hunt on top of each other.

That's good. Good luck maybe you will get him.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I'd go back in there and hunt....he may have smelled you and moved on....or he may have just went another direction for another reason....this time of year there's no telling what you may see...best piece of advice I could give is to spend as much time as you can in the woods in the days ahead....great time to be hunting.

 

[Snake]

I'd go back in there and hunt....he may have smelled you and moved on....or he may have just went another direction for another reason....this time of year there's no telling what you may see...best piece of advice I could give is to spend as much time as you can in the woods in the days ahead....great time to be hunting.

This^^^^

 

[Bushape]

You tag out the area you're hunting, so you don't ruin someone else's hunt or unsafely hunt on top of each other.

Does this mean every member is assigned an area to hunt before the season starts??

 

[Chief44]

I'd go back in there and hunt....he may have smelled you and moved on....or he may have just went another direction for another reason....this time of year there's no telling what you may see...best piece of advice I could give is to spend as much time as you can in the woods in the days ahead....great time to be hunting.

This again