uncle matt

SCENE #1. One year I was riding an ATV out to my "spider hole" and came over the rise of the field along an old fence row. There were three does standing there, looking at me. I had been riding as I usually do - little faster than walking pace. I had my shotgun in a zippered case on the front rack. The deer stood there as I unstrapped the case, pulled the gun, dropped a slug in, slowly stepped off and leveled on the biggest one. BOOM - one down. The other two jumped over the fence and weeds and stood on the other side, eventually running off like 20 seconds later. I had reloaded and was ready to shoot again but decisded to save a tag for a buck.

SCENE #2. We had a good number of hunters on the property this year. I had a new ladder stand ( I do mean LADDER stand here - 12' fiberglass A-frame converted into a tree stand) which had been sitting around my pipe fabrication shop for about a year and had been painted green/camo a week earlier, so you would think it reeked a bit. I was going to leave it behind the barn to season a year and "air out" but thought, what the heck, I'll put it out somewhere and it can air out in the woods for a year.

Well I let everyone have their pick of existing stands and when I looked at the spread of stands occupied, it was just obvious that in order to best cover the property, I would use the new ladder. I was last one out in the morning of opening shotgun season here in IL. I parked a new ATV in a weeded and treed fence row between two harvested crop fields, about 50 yards south of the woods which I had set the ladder back in about 50 yards.At first light I had a nice buck come east across the fields and crossed the fence row, right at the ATV without flinching. He proceeded to come straight up into the woods towards my position. He was moving quickly enough into the woods that I had to be quick. BOOM - down like a sack of concrete mix. He certainly did not seem to be even remotely concerned about any ATV or smells associated with the ATV or freshly painted stand.

It kind of helped me think differently. It's weird that he wasn't showing any sign of being disturbed by these paint and ATV smells, but in other cases you know you're BUSTED in the stand by your smell cause they don't look AT you just bolt away from you.

I don't know if color of ATV's is an issue here, but the buck who came in walked past my full camo ATV. I know I can see the red, blue, yellow, white and even black and green ATV's in the fields pretty well. But can't spot the camo ones nearly as easily. What about the deer?

ddejong

I use an ATV as I work on my property but starting in September I stop. My neighbors only use them during the deer season and to me that is giving the deer a great big clue that the hunting season has started. I only use it to retrieve my last deer of the season.

missed_another

i look at it this way. you can ride to your stand and leave no scent trail or walk in and leave the smell of a human everywhere. deer are more afraid of the human scent that the atv. around here deer hear and see atv's everyday.

T-bird

I've never had any trouble spooking deer from an ATV --- unless I tried to run over them with it ... lol

Ozark Sportsman

I think it dose not so much if you park two miles away and then walk in but if you park at your steps I think you are pushing you LUCK

Jono

Once watched two does creep through the woods for two hundred yards just to investigate my parked atv. I was bowhunting a small cut block and had hidden the atv on the other end of the field. That day I regreted not parking it at the base of my tree!

soarkrebel

Are you suggesting that these two does wanted to check out your taste in ATV's??

I have heard this arguement alot on the net. It's funny how most of those that say they do bother deer seem to have bad years. When asked how they did they respond no deer . hummmmmmmmmmm

Deer live with the sound and presence of cars, trucks,18 wheelers, loggers and yep ATV type vehicles . They have become accustom to the presence and smell of them. They don't run miles from them cause they CAN"T run miles to get away from them they are EVERYWHERE!

Now if a person wants to park TWO MILES away from thier stand so be it. They will be walking that two miles out when i am either still on stand getting all of the last light or i am cooking my dinner at my camp.

I am really surprised though some of the anti atv idiots haven't posted to show thier stupidity. They may lurking though.

SHoNUFF

i dont walk in all the time. useually the opening weekend of the season. Also walkin out in the mornings lets me get that much more hunting in. the trail to my stand has many draws and openings where you can see deer everyonce in a while. I wasnt thinking it would be that big of a deal but like some of you are sayin most of the guys around my lease ONLY ride during hunting season.

soarkrebel

Oh shonuff i don't always ride to my stands . i enjoy the walk some times . I ride on my areas year round. i have to if i am going to check the majority of the spreads out. I have 2100 acres in the southern part of arkansas and just got 600 in central arkansas. the 600 is absolutely awesome and i am still learning my way around. the deer seem to be very content with my atv's .

Now turkey season i don't ride it is really hard to hunt turkey from an atv . can't hear them gobble over a engine. but i hunt the whole deer season (i always make sure i have tags . i will let a good one walk just so i do) cause i love being out that time of year (well i love it anytime even now in this extreme heat).

Just enjoy being in the woods either on foot or wheeler.

Jono

I was as surprised as you are! I was hunting a new area and logistically needed the atv. I parked it in a secluded spot away from my stand (but I could just barely see it in the distance). The does came out and began to feed (out of my bow range). Then they seemed alerted by something and snuck back into the woods. Low and behold they appeared again not 10 feet downwind from my atv (which happened to be upwind of their original location - stupid move I admit[:@]).

I've seen these deer act odd in other circumstances as well. They get a lot of atv in that area and very few hunters.
Generally I avoid using atv's when I'm hunting.