SuperBucks1

Need some direction from the experts. Out this am - woods pretty quiet. First deer in sneaks in throughthe grass at about 7:20am- first notice of him is behind a thicket - just see horns moving. He comes in to about 20 yards and feeds on some overhead leaves. His body is buried in thicket so was not even a thought of a shot. After getting a good look at the headgear - he is a 140 class 10 pointer - defeinately a shooter in this area.

Anyway - he basically disappears - no alarm and no movement from me. The wind is good as he is upwind of me - so that is not a concern either. My guess was that he bedded down.

So I sit - supposed to be home around 9:00 to take kids. About 8:15, a doe, fawn and fork come through. I am hoping they will spark some activity. But nothing - not a sound or movement. About 9:15, another small 8 pointer comes right under my stand. Hangs around for at least 10 minutes. Still nothing from the thicket for activity.

OK - it's now 10:00 and yes - I am late. I unclip and begin my descent. On the thrid step down, I hear something move in the thicket. It is him. He appears on the trail directly behind meat 20 yards and stops. Does not lookat the tree or up in the branchesor look around much at all, simply slowly starts making his way down the trail away from me. No stomps, snorts or deadlock stares like those mature does are famous for. While hanging from my climbing sticks, I watched him with binocs out to about 75 yards where he disappears into the woods.

Question is - do you think he will return?? Should I leave that area alone or hunt it? Or should I write that stand off (at least for this buck)?

The land owner has not allowed hunting in the past. Last year I took an 8 w/ 2 kickers that scored 134 so there are some good deer here. This thicket is a great bedding area for the big boys as it is off the beaten path, predominent winds blow across the woods to the thicket, then into a big grassy meadow below the thicket.It's a great setup - just hope I see him again.

Thanks for your suggestions.

hammerman

I had this happen a couple of years ago, stayed out of the woods 4-5 days and the buck was there the next time out.

SuperBucks1

Thanks for quick response Hammer. I will let it sit tomorrow as I can only weekend hunt until rut gets going.

MOTOWNHONKEY

Hunt it . He isn't going to leave for one non violent incounter.

one on one

hunt it,sounds like you weren't the problem

Sniper151

I agree with letting things calm down for a couple of day then get in real early and sit it out. That big fellow will be back because he is comfortable in that spot especially with all the doe and young competition in the same area.

mnhotbabe

I agree with the rest. He didnt even knoe you were there hunt it!!!!

iowabob85

Well it sounds like a heck of a spot to hunt. Lets see you saw three bucks in yer morning hunt and one was a very respectable one. Here is how I see it, you don't know why the deer got up. Coulda been a mouse tried to crawl up his arse you just don't know. I wouldn't like to be that close to a bedding area but he was the only one bedded down while you were there. I say you have found a excellent stand location and that you need to hunt that location more but maybe give it a few days. You know that when the rut comes that bruiser may be 4 miles away from there under another hunter's stand. I wouldn't want that to happen. I guess what I am saying is hunt him as much as you can without burning the stand out. That may also be one heck of a rut stand if that really is a bedding area. Good luck and tell us the story and post a picture when you nail this brut.

mahoningbuck

Never knew you were there so hunt it! Unlike myself. . . where the buck walked right under my stand looked dead nuts at me and went crazy for ten minutes. If you did not get that type of response I would hunt it again. I will not hunt that spot or stand location for atleast five days!

dynatec

I feal the same , if he didn't know you wer there , he shouldn't stay away. I had a large doe and two yearlings come out an hour before dusk, I was undetected so I continued to hunt . I was there yesterday and so were they. I watched 1/2 hour before they left. I was hoping a buck was following her but no such luck.