HOW LONG TO LAY OFF THIS SPOT.. if at all?

[Zradix]

Hey gang,

Here's the story..

Found a new spot to hunt very close to work.
I've been limited to Sat evening and maaaybe Sun evening hunts.

I've hunted the same spot from the ground for 4 Sat. evenings in a row and last night Sunday.
results..

1st night nothing

2nd night  saw 1 doe. I wasn't very concealed. She saw me investigated and decided to casually leave.

3rd night  Moved my spot and am now well concealed. 3 deer just before dusk. (doe, yearling doe, yearling buck) yearling buck was taken. I don't believe I was seen.

4th night  2 deer came through at dusk same spot. I pulled back but just couldn't see them well enough do to darkness. Relaxed the bow....they never saw me a meandered through.

5th night  some deer came through just before dusk. They changed their route slightly and instead of walking in front of me they walked behind me where I have no shot. They got VERY close.
I actually never saw them. I thought they were going to walk down the same trail they had the previous nights. I never moved from a ready position while they got VERY close behind me.
The wind was blowing from me to them. They eventually had enough and blew once and jumped outta there. I could hear they didn't go far so I stayed put. At this point it was dark..but I didn't want to spook em too much so I didn't move.

About 10 mins later I hear a deer "marching" back towards me.
Loudly stepping with an occasional "blow". I think she was trying to get "that weird lump over there" to move.

I stayed fast and she eventually did a couple hops and walked away.

I waited 20 mins after I could hear no more steps before I walked out.

While slowly walking out I grunted a few times with my call and kept my flashlight OFF.

I didn't hear any sounds from the deer as I walked out slowly.


This is really my only option for an area to hunt.
I work till 4pm on Sat's and I can get to the blind in 10 mins.
with the time change it's a rush now.

The lay of the land has me pretty limited to spots..pretty open woods.

The area/path they've been using is a bit of a bottle neck...that's why I chose it. They seem to come from multiple trails and converge on this spot.

...just last time they decided to walk behind me.
The spot I'm sitting in is a "ditch" from an old uprooted tree.
There is dead fall behind me that can't be shot through.
The ditch is deep. When shooting from a kneeling position my arrow is only about 3" above the ground.


So my question is...will I be wasting my time to go back to the same place this Sat night?
Are they on to me?
Or just got skittish a bit but will return to normal after a week?

Thanks guys!  

[Hud]

I believe whitetails will pattern a hunter,like hunters do. 1. avoid parking in the same spot at the same time. They see or hear you and the noise made around the vehicle. 2. enter from another direction if possible.  3. pay attention to wind 4. if leaves have not fallen, use low power binoculars like 6 x 30.  5. hunt slower when on the ground. 6. closer you get to the Rut, try rattling 7. set a trail camera if you think it can help

[Zradix]

Thank you.

I appreciate the comments.

Still wondering if it's smart to try the spot again...or maybe the jig is up permanently.

[Mint]

That spot is fine if you are giving it 5 days rest before hunting it again. I would build up some brush that looks like your profile while you aren't there hunting so it always looks the same whether you are there or not.

[Overspined]

I would not hunt a spot consecutively ever until nov 5-9 in Michigan when bucks are seeking.  If it's does you are after change it up where you sit if AT ALL POSSIBLE.  We have deer with a crazy ability to locate hunters.

[Zradix]

Originally posted by Mint:
That spot is fine if you are giving it 5 days rest before hunting it again. I would build up some brush that looks like your profile while you aren't there hunting so it always looks the same whether you are there or not.

LOL...wonder where that old blow up doll went...paint it all camoed up...ohh lala...


I'm just having some fun.

I really do think it's a fine idea.
thanks!