Thoughts on bumping deer on walk in?

[log72]

Happens occationally. I always go in the dark. I don't think about it much, unless, they are close to my stand location. Some mornings they hang around and minutes later as first light arrives there they are. They never blow, just trot away. Still bugs me. Yall think it makes any difference?

 

[156p&y]

Unless I am bowhunting or hunting a specific area like a bedding area where I need to get there early I always wait til I can shoot and then hunt my way into the woods. It makes no sense to me to tromp around in the dark pushing deer out.

 

[Mike Belt]

I hate bumping deer in the dark but it happens. I really don't know if it makes a difference but anytime I give any deer a head's up on me in the area it tends to bother me. You could wait until light enough to make a shot before stalking your way to your stand site but I still prefer to be settled in my stand prior to shooting light. I like watching the world wake up from an eleveated position and I like the element of surprise by being in place before any other deer possibly move through my area.

 

[BSK]

I worry more about bumping deer the closer it occurs to my stand location.

 

[Phil1979]

I worry more about bumping deer the closer it occurs to my stand location.

X2

 

[BigD_625]

It seems like the more I bump on the way in, the more I see on stand. I take it as a good sign that deer are moving in the area. I've had several right around my stand hang around until it was light enough for me to see what they were. They were usually does or young bucks.

 

[Bone Collector]

We always just went in after light when this happened at certain places. that way we could shot if we wanted to. I prefer to be settled before daylight too though.

 

[bowriter]

I very seldom need a flashlight and I don't really worry about bumping deer. They are not going anywhere. I hunt my way in and out of the woods.

 

[muddyboots]

Unless I am bowhunting or hunting a specific area like a bedding area where I need to get there early I always wait til I can shoot and then hunt my way into the woods. It makes no sense to me to tromp around in the dark pushing deer out.

This

 

[Crosshairy]

If you consistently bump deer going through a certain area, then (outside of the rut) you have a data point to pattern them a bit.

I had a similar situation at the base of one ridge where I kept kicking them up in the dark. I decided to start going in later such that I hit the ridge at shooting light and could hunt my way down.

I understand the folks that like getting in super early (I do that too sometimes), but I love a good still hunt.

 

[Bottom Hunter]

if the "bumping" is random and sparse, I don't worry about it.

If it seems to be a consistent thing, I wonder if maybe I should hunt this area in the afternoon instead.

I have certain open areas I hunt from time to time and never go in there in the morning. Most times I go in around lunch and hunt until dark...

Bumping deer on occasion can be frustrating , but doing it consistently is simply sloppy hunting.

Some areas have limited access points and thusly should only be hunted certain times of the day. Sure, nothing is certain in the deer woods, but feeding and bedding areas should be hunted differently and if you are lucky enough to find a nice travel area where deer go back and forth and can get in there before they come through in the morning and afternoon, you are good.

If you consistently bump deer going in the mornings then maybe move to another location.....aerial pics are great for prediciting why deer are in an area and where they might be headed. You can predict a nice ambush point then.

good luck