Last day of the season

[Appalachiannative]

Went and sat in the blind one last time after having traditional new years day supper at lunch time to make time for it. The herd showed up as expected just before dark and also as expected, based on game camera footage, without any bucks. Watched the does hoping a buck would show up only for something, not sure what, to spook them suddenly. Oh well at least they got bumped without seeing me. only antlered deer were in season today. Just curious though any thoughts on what spooked em? They took off without looking up at anything rather all of a sudden. Never looked in my direction

 

[Hugger-4641]

There's no telling what spooked them. I've seen them spook at a house cat, and I've had to wait for them to get out of the way of targets at the range. Most of the time if a scent spooks them one will blow or snort.

 

[Appalachiannative]

There's no telling what spooked them. I've seen them spook at a house cat, and I've had to wait for them to get out of the way of targets at the range. Most of the time if a scent spooks them one will blow or snort.

I could have sworn I heard snorting right after they where out of sight. I assumed it was not noise because I been hunting a 3 acre wooded lot with residences and agriculture near by an I watched them basically ignore the sound of neighbors blasting music and shooting handguns only to run off in a moment of relative silence except that a sudden gust of wind did come up shortly before their departure so maybe I got scent busted

 

[courtgreene]

They trust their noses more than any other scent. My ten year old is extremely loud, but loves to hunt. I’ve noticed that when the wind is perfect, he gets shots at deer. When the wind is not right, if he sees anything it doesn’t last long. You can make noise and get away with it (but don’t push it) if the wind carries your scent away from them consistently. You can also be ninja-like-stealthy and if the wind takes your scent to them, still get busted. It sounds like that’s what happened to you.
Ground scent is also a thing so mind approaches to your hunting area.

 

[JDeere]

Wind and scent will get you busted every time. I will not hunt a certain blind if the wind is not right. A windy day is useless as well as they will bolt at the slightest sound and the older deer will stay in the woods...

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Wind and scent will get you busted every time. I will not hunt a certain blind if the wind is not right. A windy day is useless as well as they will bolt at the slightest sound and the older deer will stay in the woods...

This. My ground blind is in the NW corner of my place so it's pretty useless if there's a SE wind.

 

[Show Me]

In the middle of my 50. Get busted. More than several times they have stood smelling me looking past me at the barn. That's what I call yard deer. Three shacks ,three ladder stands. Some where the wind is good or at least better. Bucks don't tolerate me at all when they get a whiff!!!

 

[drobs]

Today is the last day of Missouri's Alternate Methods Season - Black Powder and center fire Pistol (AR15 pistol). I've had no luck. Went out yesterday and saw nothing.
Too cold out there for me today but I will go out later this afternoon.

I might look into a side of beef.

 

[Show Me]

Wind and scent will get you busted every time. I will not hunt a certain blind if the wind is not right. A windy day is useless as well as they will bolt at the slightest sound and the older deer will stay in the woods...

Decades of hunting the same place. If you go out a lot each year you'll see the uncommon things deer do. One morning it was so windy some of the turkey around me didn't leave roost. A line of 7 doe came through the bottoms. I shot the last one in line. It ran up to and circled the big leader, fell over, kicked and died. She never looked down just started walking again. She couldn't have cared less. Never let wind stop me again but I bet you must be in the timber with them. You never know.

 

[buck460XVR]

I could have sworn I heard snorting right after they where out of sight.

Could have been one of those deer or another deer that was spooked. Could be the source of what spooked them or a result of being spooked. From my experience, deer that are not already alarmed need two sources of verification of danger before they run off. Kinda why a grunt or a whistle will stop a deer for a shot when they are not already alarmed, but will immediately make them run, if they are already alerted. Deer alerted by sound or scent, will generally look it that direction for a sight or other verification. There are exceptions, like deer that have been heavily pressured. Could be by hunters, predators or even the neighbors dog that runs loose all the time. Does that are trying to avoid a rutting buck or a danger signal from other deer like a snort or a tail. Other exceptions are when they are alerted at a very close range, by any of their senses. You claimed the deer were not alerted by the neighbors noise, yet took off immediately by something else. There may have another subtle noise in there you missed. I know with my hearing, I miss a lot of subtle woods noise. Deer are good about picking those subtle differences out.

Thing about hunting is the amount of variables one experiences in the woods. I have had the same experience with deer and turkeys. Sometimes it's obvious right away what spooks them. Sometimes you see/hear something after they leave that makes sense and sometimes you never figure it out. For me, even after hunting for over half a century, it's a learning experience everytime I go afield. One thing I have learned over the years is the more eyes/ears/noses, the more likelihood to get busted. Many times when there is more than one animal, it's hard to see every animal's reactions. Sometimes a deer at the edge of a field or just in the woods will react and their actions influences every deer out in the open. Deer that are used to being alerted from a specific direction or cause, do not always need that second verification.