Hunting yesterday in a fresh snow fall, I found I had run a deer accros the creek bottom and up the hill on the other side of the hollow. I waited about 30 minutes and still hunted the fresh tracks I had just found. 1/2 of the way up the hill they skirted to the left along a flat bench on the hillside. You could tell it slowed to a walk and at one point stopped and milled a bit, then continued on. I still hunted another 50 to 75 yrds keeping my eyes peeled ahead for the deer. I became complacent,,, i looked up and the ten point buck was coming right for me 30 yards away. We saw each other at the same time and he had the advantage,,, gone. Straight down the hill and right up the other side of the hollow. I cursed myself for not being ready. I went ahead and followed the first set of tracks to insure his tracks were the tracks I was originaly following. They were the same, he went about 200 yards, milled around a bit and came straight back to me they way he had come.
It had been probably 45 minutes since our head on encounter and I thought what the heck I'll trail him again. Down the hill across the hollow and to the top of the hill. He made the hill climb look easy but it took alot out of me. When I got to the top I found where he had gone 50yrds or so down the otherside of the hill, back tracked himself back to the top again and then skirted off on up the ridgeline. It appeared that he was trying to get something of his trail (me) by backtracking himself and slipping on up the ridge. I thought I would not know this unless the snow hadn't showed me. I can see how his tactic would confuse a dog or coyote and keep them busy for quit some time.
Anyway, I was not fooled and followed him on up the ridge, The ridge ends at a large feild edge. He skirted the edge of the feild just inside the woodline over to the next ridge and went out that ridgeline and over to the side of the hill.
The funny thing is,,, is this is where we had the head on encounter with him at 30 yards. In about 3 hours of me still hunting these tracks that buck had circled right back to almost where I had originally jumped him. Within sight of the area anyway! I should have just saved my energy and stayed put. I'm sure it did not take him as long as it did me to cover that ground. It was almost like jumping a rabbit that circle back to its hole.
The 1st jumping he went maybe 200 yrds max and was coming back within and hour. That's where we had the head on encounter. The second time and knowing something was after him, he did the big circle with a little back track for confusing the chaser (or he just changed his mind about where he wanted to go).
I came home that evening and used google earth to plot mine (2.28 from jeep and back)and the bucks path through this ordeal. It was approx. 0.76 miles in all but, I don't think it accounts for the up's and downs of the goegraphy, I think it is as the crow flys, so to speak.
I liked Rickshots thought that their first priority is to break all rules! But, it does go along with a couple other examples provided above.
Topic: Jumping deer while still hunting .... (Read 599 times)
