So.. Your out sneaking around and jump a buck.

[RedShaft]

Me and a friend at work was talking about this today. Your out sneaking around right now and jump a bedded buck. You have no specific plan. What do you do?

 I'm going to watch in general direction deer went and try and see how spooked it was. Did it see me ior did I just startle it. I know that buck is there for a reason he  picked that spot for its location and wind direction. He wants to be back in there because he obviously feels safe.  I take a step back look around at the cover and land topography. I then  take advantage of his natural circling instictive to want to get back there to lay,  and use the wind to my advantage. And pick a spot down wind on that bed. And pick a route I think he will walk. More than Likely he didn't run but 300 yards max.

Pick my vantage point and wait for the return and possible shot opportunity. You can use this time of year to take full advantage of deer this way. They want to lay/ bed and conserve energy. You have gone through the seasons. Bow, rifle and now it's  muzzy/ bow again. Not many guys out, deer are gear to survive and conserve and laying in a strategic feel safe comfort spot. So use it to take advantage of there weakness.  

Go out sneak around intending to jump deer then set up accordingly in a few hrs they will be back. Circling down wind using the cover available to get back in there and lay down.

Buck/doe it works. My old smoke pole buddy taught me this years ago. That how he hunted late season. You stay warm, can get a shot walking and only have to set for 1/2-3 hrs.

This just happened on a deer. It only took that buck about 45 min to circle back it but got busted.

How many of you ever tried this? I encourage you to starting right now, it's the season for this tactic.

[Butchie]

[Brianlocal3]

I can honestly say I've never tried it, but I will now. Thanks

I think it depends on the terrain and cover.

[Knawbone]

Iv' taken advantage of this tactic more than once. If the deer is bedded near the top of a ridge, they often start their circle by running over the other side of the ridge. You can sometimes beat them to the other side if they pause or move slow. There are different scenario's depending on topography and wind strength and direction. I call it pushing or driving deer to myself. Iv' killed more than one deer this way, but not yet with a bow. Your right about this tactic working on late, cold seasons. It can work even better with one or two other hunters as well. I always use this method in late season.

[ChiefStingingArrow]

Will those deer come back to the same bed? or just the same general area?

[RedShaft]

I have personally never seen one come back and lay down in the same spot. They either got shot or spooked comming back. But I bet they was going in same spot or darn close to it.

[RedShaft]

Also another point. My good hunting partner just had this happen few days ago. His was another buck. And the buck was already on his way back -15-20 min later and he was not ready or set up and spooked it. So maybe getting set up quickly sometimes it important.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Play the wind.... the buck is going to. Back out and circle about 30 yards out one way or the other and look for another trail they have been using. I know blactail circle back a lot on you a lot of time in no time at all.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I jumped a nice buck this year. It was rainy and crummy.  I took the wind direction, built 2 blinds real fast and Backed out.  3 days later when the wind was right I was back inand saw him right at last light.  I am certain I would have seen him earlier if the wind wasnt so strong but it was my last day in Missouri.

[Fattony77]

I'm going to re-read this over and over again & try it soon (hopefully). This happens to me fairly often & I have never come up with the right plan to make it work. Thank you for the great tip, and I promise to post up if/when this works for me.

[Steve Jr]

I'm going to have to give this one a try myself. Thanks for the tip.

[Bjorn]

Good idea developing here………………..I would add if you jumped the buck outside of shooting range you were moving a little too fast and he may have winded you too, in which case he won't be back.
If you jumped him in bow range use binoculars more at close range you may be surprised at what all you might see.  

[jsweka]

I think that's a good strategy.  Two years ago I was heading into my stand and jumped a bunch of deer.  They went in all directions.  I thought I was screwed for the evening, but I didn't want to go anywhere else because I was hunting with my teenage nephew and didn't want to go to far away from him.  So I just climbed the tree I was heading for anyway.  About an hour and a half later, all the deer were coming back to the same spot from all directions.  Kind of like a busted up turkey flock.  I could have shot the smaller of the two bucks in the group, but he didn't have enough points to be legal and I could have shot a couple fawns, but passed.

I never really thought about this as a real hunting strategy, but I'm gonna give it a try when the season opens back up.

[KSdan]

Got me thinking. . . always something to learn.  However, I am not quite convinced on a mature deer.  Jump a mature deer off his bed and I am not sure you will EVER see him again there.  Could be wrong- I have sure watched mature deer disappear once they pick up that a human has been around.

In fact, had a fascinating education this fall when I hunted a stand site a couple of times (which I rarely ever do).  The second time in that set I had a group of does come in up wind of me.  I was in great shape.  However, one stopped and began to pick her way VERY cautiously downwind of the tree I was in.  The wind and thermals must have been perfect for me, though she did a 360 within 20yds all around the cedar I was in she did not bust me.  The other does watched her until she went back to meet up with them and they left. I then returned a week later to the same set.  Those does showed up again, and that same doe did the same exact thing.  This time she busted me though.  Now think about this. . .   Why was she circling my specific tree upon the 2nd and 3rd time I was in that set?  I had never saw her before that 2nd set experience.  ??  Only one answer:  After my first time on that stand I had left crossing the way those does came in.  That doe must have picked up my exit trail and followed it back to the tree after I had left that first sit.  I was NOT EVEN THERE yet she figured me out!  

Now figure a mature buck!  He knows you have been there and you may NEVER see him again.  I could be wrong.  Virtually every mature deer (buck or doe) that I have had an encounter with was the first time on any particular stand.  

Will a buck circle back to his bed after actually seeing and busting you?  Maybe.  It will take a lot to convince me on a deer 3 years and older.          

Just my 2C cold night discussion around the fire.

Dan

[PUDDLE JUMPER]

Mature deer tend to bed in areas that offer them advantage. At some point I feel he is likely to be back when the conditions are right.

You bump him, he runs, he lives, it worked. Coyote or hunter shouldn't matter.

A mature deer just will not tolerate much human pressure. Like Dan mentioned, he knows when you have been in there.

[LCH]

That won't work where I hunt here in NC it would be best to back out and come back a few days later and set up in a tree on a travel route.

If it is minimal pressure it might work, but for the most part here in NC you will never see a mature buck again that day in that spot. Walking through the woods just decreases your chances of killing something. LCH