WAYS TO LEAVE AN AREA WITHOUT PERMANENTLY SCARING DEER

There’s not much worse than having a full bladder without the ability to relieve yourself. Not because you can’t physically. More of a stubborn refusal to move and risk damaging your favorite deer hunting spot. Because on the flip side there’s nothing better than those golden days when you see deer from dark to dark. And why allow those already leery animals know that there’s a dangerous creature lurking in the area?

Deer decoys are meant to do two things: attract deer and make them feel comfortable about remaining in the area. This latter facet can be troublesome at times when you’re ready to get down at dark and head home, but the deer refuse to leave. Does especially have a tendency to linger longer than bucks. And when it’s the rut, you hunt where there are does.

There are a few ways to leave an area without permanently scaring deer. It still means shooing them out, but in a way that doesn’t give clear credence to the fact that there’s a human around, hence turning a jam-up stand into a “danger zone.” Connecting your stand to a deer’s alarm is the last thing you want to happen.

Natural Predator Calls

Carry the call of the predator most prevalent to your locale. For most of us, that’s going to be the coyote. Deer are used to living among the four-legged critters that prey on their young and weak. A few loud howls or even barking works almost every time. Just be sure to cup your hands and angle the sound in another direction so they don’t pinpoint your stand.

Blow

Bucks and does will “blow” at the slightest hint of danger. Does more so than bucks will stand in the field stomping and carrying on whereas a mature buck will typically blow once and haul tail. Listen to how a deer sounds when it blows and try to mimic that sound.

Get a Ride

Text someone to come pick you up. A pickup slowly approaching the field will direct the animals’ attention to the truck rather than your stand. This is not the most ideal scenario, but it’s better than tainting the area altogether.