Lefty26

Use what they are doing to your advantage. They are seeing the does and small bucks, the big bucks are probaly giving them the slip, big bucks are smart like that. Find the escape route the big bucks are using and you may be thanking these drivers. One of the biggest bucks I have ever killed was by taking advantage of people driving and not covering the right areas. This buck held tight let the drivers walk right by him, once they passed he got up and left the way they came, unfortunatly for him I was there waiting. Turn your lemons into lemonade Just my .02, something to think about.

rangerstud620

You guys make some interesting points. I used to think that the drivers were actually helping me out by pushing deer that would normally be bedded down. Last year and this year changed my view though. I don't know how many times I've seen the deer run past the drivers, then bed down immediately and not get up until a few minutes before dark. My own personal preference is to watch the deer move on their own in the evenings. Heck, this time of year they are moving all day, they don't need to be pushed. But people think all deer lay down during midday.

If I continue to hunt this area, I will definitely have to find some escape routes. The trouble is, this is a wooded area that is several miles by several miles. Therefore, there are lots and lots of escape routes. Definitely will need some luck on my side to pick the right one. I would like to think that the big bucks use the same escape routes every time since the drivers walk the woods the same way every time also. But the bucks don't get big by being dumb.

badshotbob

Like others have said, use this situation to your advantage. If the area is several miles by several miles, you should be able to capitalize on the sweet spots. Get a topo map or learn the area by foot and look for the buck hide outs - brushy nasty thick as oatmeal areas. The big boys will hang in these hiding spots to escape the hunters. Set up on the edge of one of these break lines downwind and you should have a very nice honey hole.

Gryan

You're right, there won't be much activity after the drive is over but during the drive, you should definately find where the deer will be going to. Become an uninvited stander on their drive!

Several times a year, I'll join deer drives with a bow. Most often we stand until 9:30 or so, drive one or two pieces of property during the mid day and stand some place else from about 2:00 till dark. It is a way to make something happen. We silent drive, almost still hunt, and the deer do not run helter skelter through the woods. They start and stop and try to out manuver the drivers. Often, the standers are not in a line but strategically placed at the escape routes of the deer. It is fun and effective.

That is why I say you should put yourself in the right place and let them help you. We have actually done the same drive about an hour apart and more deer were "pushed" on the second drive.

As someone said, they don't freak out like you wold think. At least here in NJ where they see non-threatening tree-huggers all the time.

Greg

Georgetownboys

I also have trouble with drives and or dogs for Deer hunting. The story I hear after each one is that it is tradition, so it should be continued.

JMO. . .but times have changed, folks used to need to hunt to ensure they had enough food and had alot less play time. So they hunted in groups to drive Deer or used dogs to help them. Well for most hunters today they don't hunt just to feed their families, they hunt as part of a social situation, need to be part of a group, accepted by there piers, etc.

The hunt to me is not a social thing, getting drunk the night before lining up 10 hung over friends and running game for a few folks to make poor shots on. Hunting is a year long passion that culminates with a few well placed shots at the end of the year that might put some meat in the freezer and perhaps mount a trophy to act as a reminder of that great season gone by.

Just another city boy who just is a bit slow to understand some of the old ways of the woods.