Evening Hunt

[teamfinesse]

Ok, so im a novice hunter in college. I started hunting 2 years ago with a bow and have never been rifle hunting. All i have been wanting to do is to go hunting this year, but ive been away and had football most every weekend. Well fall break was this weekend, so i got home thursday around 2 or so. I got all my stuff ready, shot my bow a few times, and headed to my stand around 4:15. The stand was on the edge of a soybean field, facing the field with my back to the woods. Wind, temp, everything was great. I got settled, not really epecting too much since i had no idea if the deer still traveled the same as last year. Well, at about 5:10, a small 4 point buck walked out to my right. My heart was pounding, because it was the first buck i was really close to. I really wasn't ready, so there was no way i could shoot him. He walked a bit, and got wary of me in my stand. After about 5 minutes he turned and ran away. Well, about 6:00 a decent 6 pointer and 3 does walk out. I was ready this time. I draw back only to realize my peep sight had somehow been knocked off my bow! Well, the buck was around 30 yards so i semi aimed and semi guessed and shot. Right over his back. He took off and the does spooked. I was devastated. Could have been my first buck. Well, immediately after another small buck walks out. He grazes, and heads off. So, its right before dark. I can see, but not all that well. Me being the inexperienced hunter i am, I decide i had better get out and find my arrow. I tie my bow, and lower it to the ground. I look up and there is a doe 10 yards from my stand. I feel so stupid. To add injury to insult, i hear a rustling behind me, and a nice 7 pointer walks out to my right, 15 yads from my stand. All the while im sittin there with my bow on the ground and nothing to do but sit and watch and curse. Well, the doe knows something is up and keeps staring me down. She sticks her snout in the air several times in i guess an attempt to smell me. She doesnt, but gets wary and takes off, also scaring the buck off. So, dismayed i get out of the stand, find my arrow, and walk home.

My stand is in a good spot, but it has very little cover and when deer come from certain angles, they seem to spot me easily. They dont immediately spook, but get a little wary. They know something is up but dont immediately take off. My question is, will this affect them coming out the next night? Because i went last night, one day after, and didn't see a thing. Also, how long will this affect them? Anyways, it was a fun hunt to just get out and actually see deer up close and personal. It was my first time seeing a buck i was actually close enough to shoot. But, it was still a good time, and just another learning eperience.

[ScentFree]

If you can move your stand I would. It sounds like you are going to have problems in the set up you have right now. Also, are you sure you are scent free? Maybe use a cover scent, coon urine or earth scent wafers. I also assume that you are showering with a scent free shampoo and soap and brush your teeth with scent free paste. Are you wearing a face net and gloves? Move your stand!!!

[teamfinesse]

yea im pretty sure i was scent free, i mean if there is one thing i understand about hunting its that you cant smell! I take the showers, use all the cover scents, use a baclava and all that stuff. It's just im kinda exposed in my stand, not a lot of cover. But even though i scared them the night before, i expected to see the deer somewhere in the field, maybe not coming out on the paths right by my stand, but somewhere i figured they wouold be out but i didnt see a one. But yea i cant move my stand b/c its one i built, but i will look into being in a different one tonight. anyways thanks!

[BlueGrassVW]

For one it sounds like you should cut some limbs and attach them to your stand so you can break up your outline.

Second get a kisser button put on your string. That way if your peep falls off (which I will add is crazy) then you will still anchor at the same point. Also future reference if you dont have a peep line your string up with your pin that way you are shooting straight. Before I was using a peep I would just line my string up with my pin. It works awesome! I later got convinced to put a peep on and have lost the opportunity at some bucks do to the fact you cant see crap in low light conditions. So on my next bow I may not get a peep but a kisser instead. You should try shooting without the peep and see how you like it. Its 100% better in low light conditions. Have fun.

[deerslayer61]

If your getting busted on this stand on a regular basis, then you might want to change your stand location if possible. The deer might be getting nervous, from being spooked one to many times when in the area of that stand set up. If you can not change your stand location, then try to find some tree limbs to put around your stand.

[Birddog]

Teamfinesse, you should have never shot in the first place with your faulty equipment. Your odds were very slim to get a good kill shot on that deer. Also if you wouldn't have shot the deer may not have known you were there and would have continued there normal activity in that area. Bowhunting is hard enough as you know without a handicap like that.