JeffB

I went out to shoot a bit Saturday evening off my deck, and when I walked out staring me in the face about 5 yards away was on of the three young bucks that have been hanging around my yard for the past several weeks (2 spikes, and one bigger one that is starting to fork)

So I said “Hello”

He turned around and made a half-hearted attempt to jump and ended up meandering back to the edge of my yard about 10 yards distant from the deck, promptly lowered his head, and started eating again.

My “lane” is parallel to the edge of my yard where he was, so I just started shooting, and figured he’d take off once I did (they often feed about 10-20 yards in the woods behind my house while I’m shooting but usually don’t come in the yard).

Now keep in mind this is the same buck last winter (as a 6 month old fawn) who bedded down directly behind my Morrell bag target to shield himself from the wind/snow and decided not to get up and run until I shot my SECOND arrow into the bag…and then he just kinda trotted away a couple of yards and looked at me. I had no idea he was behind it when I shot the first time as it was early morning and foggy and I just wanted to get in a couple arrows before work. Good thing for him I wasn’t shooting at the part of the target that was worn out

So, back to Saturday evening… I started shooting. Not even a flinch [:-] Oh sure, he’d pop his head up a sec as I walked down the deck steps and into the yard to pull arrows, but he went right back to eating, paying no attention to me whatsoever. I shot for an hour, even just watching him while I pulled the trigger to see what he’d do, and he fed 10 yards away from me nearly the whole hour without a jerk, a head movement, a shake or quake…NOTHING!

I’m not sure whether to be insulted (i.e. he’s seen how well I shoot) [:@] or my bows are just so dang quiet it didn't alarm him

I sure hope he and the others stay that stupid when they grow up

DaveH

At least you know he won't "jump" the string on you!

Howler

Sounds like you're getting your deer "conditioned" for a miss or two this fall. Just think, you'll be able to miss a few shots and the deer will just stand there, knowing that the sound is not any thing to be afraid of

Tomster

He didn't see you as a threat and didn't run not because of the noise or lack of, but rather he did not see you as danger.

Antler Eater

Great new hunting technique there Jeff! Conditioning your prey. I can't wait to read about it in the magazines.

Think of all the money a guy can save. Don't need camo, don't need boots, don't need tree stands, no calls, no need to carry gear for miles or drag the deer for miles, no weather problems....Hmm, of course a guy does need a house in the right location so I guess one would need a minimum of maybe a hundred thousand to get in the game.....Perhaps I will stick with the old way.

Rangeball

How 'bout a scarecrow that you put in your treestand that robotically dry fires a bow over and over and over...

JeffB

Absolutely...he doesn't see me as a threat now..wait 'til he starts carrying a Rack

We are overrun with deer here, but no-one in my immediate area hunts them (the neighbor used to crack one or two with his '06 from his kitchen window every year but he's stopped for some reason or another). Most are killed by cars or winter, and I recognize many of them from year to year.

This particular spike buck is one of twin buck fawns from last year that basically "grew up" in my yard. The Doe would have them in the yard half the day sleeping and eating...I've got pictures of them in spots eating by my target. While hunting last year I could have killed one or both of them nearly every day I was out.

The doe was killed on the road last November, as well as 2 other mature does, and one of the "twins" finally got squashed in late December. So now I've got a bunch of year and a half olds who just didn't learn quite enough from their mommies (In January, I walked out one morning and there was a herd of fawns at the edge of my yard, I counted 11, and one year and a half old Doe)

Also had at least two nice racked bucks (ones a HOSS), 'round ..I've been chasing the HOSS since fall of 2000...he's outsmarted me twice at full draw... I'm starting to get worried though that both got killed in the road or because of the rough winter..I haven't seen them yet, and I should have by now

Arthur P

Two things to keep in mind which have a bearing on the deer's lack of fear. First off, Jeff shoots a BowTech. Second, this deer's seen him shoot before. [8D]

Sorry, Jeff. Just like a relaxed 10-pointer, feeding and standing broadside at 15 yards... The shot was just too good to pass up.

Straightarrow

It's not easy to scare them this time of year. I'm regularly chasing them out of my garden, only to see them back in a couple minutes. Just a couple days ago, I was loading some trash cans into my pickup when I turn around and noticed a doe feeding about 20 yards from me, in the yard. It wasn't even looking my way and I had just dropped the tailgate, tossed in a couple cans and then shut the tailgate with no care to be quiet. I made much more noise than any bow (with the possible exception of JeffB's bow).