#1 Way NOT to Spook Deer
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- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
- There are 3 ingredients for spooking deer: Scent, sound and site. However, although so many hunters rely on the latest camo pattern or scent contraption to keep from spooking deer by site or scent, letting a deer hear you is the most overlooked sensory spooking factor of them all. I have experienced that many hunts are over before they even begin, because deer hear hunters, before hunters even realize a deer is in the area. Do you want to get the most out of your hunting efforts? Then controlling the amount of noise that you make is the best way to keep from spooking deer.
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Been hunting for over 60 years in rural Maine and needless to say have learned a lot and have debunked many myths along the way. What I can take away from my personal experience is that most deer are like most people to some extent . They are curious, unpredictable and never fail to surprise me. Like most vintage hunters we all have a story or two.
I never use sent cover, camo or any calls or lures. I hunt 5 feet off the ground in my stationary stand but most of the time I use an open 3 sided ground blind 4 feet high made of burlap and hang year old discarded balsam wreaths around the blind.
I have walked behind deer on a woods road as close as 20 yards without detection, walked up to a deer head on in the dark down wind and have had deer walk up to me while sitting on the ground until they got my sent. There is nothing that surprise me any more . Your videos are very informative keep up the good work.
Yea its crazy what happens the more you are in the woods. Ive literally without even meaning to, walked right up 10 yards away from a big buck a week before bow season. I stood there and watched it and then i even put on rifle on my shoulder and looked at it through my scope, but I resisted temptation and didn’t shoot it😂 i put my gun down watched it for a while longer and then it just trotted off and never even knew i was there
Yah my dad has always told me "Just when you've figured them out, one of them comes along and teaches you how little you know every single time", so now I walk into the woods with no specific tactic and I've killed at least one deer every season I've went and all of them felt unique.
Right on
Wow thats very interesting lol
I still feel like for the most part the basics still strand true. There are outlier deers that may behave differently but I dont think that changes the basics of deer hunting
Wash with used motor oil and hang a new car scent real tree around your neck. They will run out in front of you constantly.
Richard Mills penzoil or Quäker?
The mad mechanic penzoil is specialized for bucks, for a doe any motor oil works
I thought it was WD-40 & Cedar sawdust. Lol maybe little Fresh Grass smell. Hahaha
Don't forget to have a bright light--after all they don't jump out into the road until they have enough light to see.
Oh hello! I am a mills too
Thank you for the simple and easy to understand lesson. Everything you said matches my father (of 70 years) and his hunting style. He sits on the ground and knows where the wind is, doesn't get into a camo fad, and only uses scent-free soap for his clothing. He's taken more deer in two years than I did when I would purchase every (fad) product. I went back to his approach where sound is more important than anything else, and I've had deer walk under my treestand.
That's great to hear Jason...very cool to hear about the experiences of your father! We have as a hunting society gotten away from just basic predatory hunting tactics...in favor of gels, sprays, scent contraptions, giant packs, calls, camo patterns and a whole lot of other gearisms that in the end don't really help us get back to our predatory roots. I think a lot of older hunters are just shaking their heads.
Anyways good comments and I really appreciate them! Have a Merry Christmas!
This info is very true. But I have hunted for a long time now and I can say just because you make a loud noise does not mean your hunt is over. Some bucks ( even mature ) are constantly cruising around. Especially during the rut and when weather conditions like wind and rain are not ideal , it can mess their senses up enough where they literally don’t care about noises like that. I say keep sitting. I was peeing off the stand making a lot of noise when the biggest buck I’ve shot walked 15 yards in front of me
So true, but the more deer you clear with sound the lower your chances if shooting a mature buck with every sound. I hunt...and most do...either high pressure small parcels or public land. I also hunt a lot of areas that a doe bedding area or buck bedding area is within 100-200 yards of my stand. Just can't afford to make a noise. I also hunt on the backside of bedding for an afternoon hunt, waiting for deer to exit that bedding from 75-100 yards away. 1 bad noise and those deer are gone. Because it's afternoon and nearly all deer...including bucks...are heading to food, if I make that noise I often head to another spot.
There is always the occasional cruiser to shoot...but that is a very small portion of the season.
I say remain noise free and pee away 🙂
Very true. Completely agree. I hunt a larger portion of land than most.
@@addison5101 Makes a lot if sense and you can certainly get away with more. Hinting small parcels is stressful at times! Lol. I hunt lands with 8 to 50 acres of cover, or public land.
Thanks for the comments Addison!
Yea i shot a bobcat while huntin one time, went and looked for it and then went back to my blind and 30 min later i killed a deer
Look at what sneaked up on me just as i sat down at my watch two mornings ago. ua-cam.com/video/OGu3VOJT2qI/v-deo.html
Great video. I subscribed to your channel. Keep it up.
Its incredible to me how much deerhunting has changed since i began hunting 50 years ago. The amount of information and equipment improvement is staggering. And yet, its this kind of "common-sense", basic old school training that helps so much.
I've ruined sits with a loud unanticipated sneeze and at other times played with bedded deer to see how quickly they can pick me off as I bleat.
Sound control is critical, thanks for the reminder.
Any new hunter that just listen to that man he's 100% telling you the truth. Listen to his video over and over you'll learn something
Ammo...man, I really appreciate that! My whole goal is to teach and help hunters, and u hope the message gets out. Thank you very much for the feedback
Thanks for the reminder to be quiet to, in and from the stand. I often overlook this.
As for camo, I hunt from the ground a lot and I have found that ASAT works really well. ASAT doesn't keep the deer from seeing you, it just fools the deer into thinking you aren't a threat. Once deer stare at you for a minute and decide you aren't a threat, you can get away with movement. I use the ASAT leafy suit and use a millennium tree seat when ground hunting. There is nothing that will check the quality of my quadruple bypass surgery like a stare down with a deer at 7 yards.
I just did that my dude
As a Southern Tier NY state hunter for many years i can confirm this to be 10000% facts. Spooked way too many bucks over the years 😢. Being absolutely quiet is not easy esp when youre 20 feet up in a stand in November freezing your balls off. Non hunters just dont understand how hard of a game this actually is and thats what makes us love it.
I agree with your opinion on noise. I get kidded a lot because I access my stands on property by going in months prior and cutting a path to them. I can sneak in with out a noise almost in the dark. Stealth is the key
Extremely educational
Myself as a hunter, I am very diligent in taking every possible step to make it to my stand knowing that I've not been acknowledged. This is surely the most important way to accomplish a successful hunt. Often you will hear hunters saying that the deer were not moving. Often they were...but not in your direction!
Ha, really good points! Too much sound definitely makes deer move AWAY from hunters in all directions. Compare that to scent...deer only move from hunters downwind, in a 45-90 degree cone that should be easily managed.
Thanks for the comments!
As usual, spot on.. I had the oppurtunity to see how noise effects movement this year. Sitting in my stand, watching a small buck, 2 does and a fawn coming across ridge top on a primary trail, a chainsaw fired up at 6:28 am. Now mind you, the cutters were right around 1/2 mile a way down the ridge and on the other side of the next ridge. The moment that saw fired up all 4 deer looked back over shoulder and stood still for approx 30 seconds. The buck was first to change direction, head up, nosed the wind and then headed off trail to thick cover on the downhill side of the trail. Within seconds, all the does and fawns followed suit although they stayed on the trail, ending up into the same thicket. They followed the buck and headed in basically a straight line directly away from the saw noise. Ive always paid close attention to noise but had not seen reaction by multiple animals from noise that far from their position before. It was quite the eye opener. I saw how deer react to a quad running down a road as well, seeing a young buck watching the quad, just duck down and freeze, the quad guy went by twice and never had a clue the buck watched him from just 60 yards away the whole time... noise is the root of all evil in the woods...;)
Really appreciate the observations...great comments! I like that too...noise is the root of all evil. I also have found that noise is a non factor in the majority of today's deer hunting product marketing.
@@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751 thank you and yes, that is true on the product market. Some have gotten on board with attention to noise but most are still way behind the 8 ball...lol
If you hunt where running chainsaws and atvs is common I don’t think deer even give them a second thought. I have been cutting wood and stood up to have deer standing 40 yards away watching me cut. The deer always seem to show up to eat the buds off the tops of the trees when you leave.
@@toddbunnett640 one road in, ends where it drops into the fearher river, plumas national forest. elevation 5380 ft. Dont see many hunters, maybe 1 or 2 the whole season and they are always on the back of a quad. Just happened to have some wood cutter roll in on a sunday morning on the 4th weekend of archery season. One of my tree stands has a clear view of the road down at the bottom of a ridge.
@@toddbunnett640 I think you are right at times...but boy where there is heavy hunting pressure those deer can't stand the noise. At all. My neighbors have been using an ATV to rid up the hill this season and we have been thoroughly enjoying it ☺️ Another night or another land was chainsawing in October...it was awesome! For us.
Of course just talking the bulk of the herd and especially mature bucks...not the random subordinate doe family groups and young bucks.
Growing up, hunting with Grandfather was an experience for me. He taught me everything I k LS about the great outdoors. We would go squirrel hunting, and Grandpa would have a cigarette lit. That used to confuse me pretty good. My impression was by him smoking we would never see or harvest deer. It never failed though, he would be filling his cup with coffee from his thermos, and smoking a cigarette, and big bucks would come through. I couldn’t tell you how many mature bucks he harvested hunting that way, as for me I could be quiet and still, not smoking or messing with a thermos and it would always be his lever action 30/30 that goes off. Maybe he’s just got the touch. Lol. I’ve never understood that, and probably never will.
@Art Vandelay Well, that’s your opinion which you are entitled to. Not one bit of it is bullshit, there’s absolutely no reason for me to bullshit anyone. I literally gain nothing from that.
@@sectech221 i believe you...one of our hunting group sees a buck every opening weekend (state land) and he smokes like a chimney the entire time
Smoking wont spook deer unless they smell human scent with it. Only non smokers think that way. In face smoking might even help cover human scent.
Totally agree with this, the more quite I can be entering my stand, the deer sightings go up dramatically! It’s great Jeff the information you have shared over the years! Hope all is well! Thanks Jeff!
Thanks a lot for the comments Brian...always look forward to hearing from you! Amazing tho...being quiet just isn't pushed that much, although it likely the most important aspect of hunting tactics for deer...
Thanks again Brian!
Doesn't take MLB UA-cam hunting star to know that. Just good old commen sense.
Followed your advice with entrance and exit and thermals to kill a 12 point off our lease 2 weeks ago. Even though the wind was blowing right at the deer. I was uphill with a rising thermals and my scent went right over him. Being very patient with stands now. Only hunting stands 2-3 times a year and only when I have an advantage. Keep up the videos. Thanks
Greg that is outstanding to hear, I really appreciate your feedback and letting me know - CONGRATS!! Sounds like you had a great plan...love the strategy...and it paid off!
Heel toe or something called a fox walk. Side of the foot rolling it over either way a critical aspect is to not full out weight on the lead foot I walk with all my weight in the rear foot until I know where my from foot isn't going to snap a stick. Love your information you give out definitely has helped me fine tune my skills and develop new skills
Being silent and using the wind to your advantage are two huge keys. But for us climbing stand hunters, it's still tough to get setup without making a small amount of noise. I plan to try the walking technique next time I am out - crunchy leaves are awful this time of year.
I use a climber .. it has its drawbacks
Wear converse all stars to get wear your going and do the heal side of foot toe thing. Then change into some warm socks 🧦 and boots 🥾 works every time.
Absolutely great advice. Thanks for taking the time to post that. I needed to be reminded
That's awesome to hear Phil and that k you very much for the feedback!
Me too. I am a very hyper person and it seems like im always in a hurry to get to my stand. Then, its is hard for me to set still once im in the stand. I try to hunt at least 20ft high to help keep deer frome seeing me.
When we hunted in PA we would walk almost 30-40 minutes into our stands overlooking the Tuscarora tunnel on the turnpike. Cold as it was I had to strip down because of sweating so much from the trek and put on all dry clothes.
This makes for more packing in.
I couldn't agree more Jeff. I'm always trying to master my ninja skills when going to the tree stand. Great advice!
Thank you Joseph, I like that...Ninja skills...ha, so true!
During muzzleloader season in Missouri, I was adjusting chairs in my blind. I was standing and while I was, a deer creeped up, about 10 yards. Nailed him as soon as I sat down.
I have noticed that men and deer walking make 2 different sounds, I can tell the difference most of the time. Deer only make a single sound for each footstep but a man makes a double crunch sound. It comes from how a man walks-ie heel to toe verses just a single hoof. It takes some practice but if you learn to walk stepping on the ball of your foot 1st you can mimic the deer sound a good part of the time. Next time you are in the woods listen to how you walk and you will hear the difference. As a side note I was watching a couple of does and noticed when they alerted to some noise and after what I estimated to be about 75 footsteps for the 2 guys walking I could then hear them but they were not trying to stay quiet.
It's been at least 15 years...but many times I have run in the woods, or single track walked to mimic deer.
Now I just walk slow heal to toe to make one constant sound and then try to never access a stand when I think deer will be around. I've learned no matter what you do you can't fool a mature whitetails ears...you just can limit the distance the sound covers.
The worst are hard stomping hunters. You can hear a hunter across the hollow walking hard, from 200 yards on a crispy quiet day. Imagine what that human step does to whitetails when they hear it!?
Great points...thanks for the comments Michael!
I hear men walking like klomp- klomp- klomp. I hear deer 🦌 walking like deer. psch psch psch psch
I hunt from the ground/still hunt most of the time. I almost exclusively wear wool sweaters and if I stay downwind of deer I rarely have problems. Quiet and light gear is a must for me, whether I’m hunting public land or my own land, I stay quiet and stay downwind and it’s brought me luck. I hunt NE PA, and I hunt in sandals so it keeps me quiet. Jeff, you have a wealth of knowledge and I’m glad that you’re willing to share it; best of luck
An older post, but good info. Foam pipe insulation and duct tape on gun rails is cheap insurance. Also, a word about camo: sometimes it's the other critters (squirrels and turkeys, mostly) that you need to avoid spooking so they don't in turn alert nearby deer.
Just had that happen to me Thanksgiving morning. Rained a little that morning. Made it easy access, but the rain stopped and the wind picked up. Had 2 doe an a 10 pointer come through. Hung out for a few seconds. THE WIND CHANGED DIRECTION.... With an intense gusts. The buck smelled me, snorted an they all took off..
Awe yeah, i have a small 13 acre spot about 14 miles from Eastfork state park. Great spot, with lots of deer, but very hard to hunt. I've started some of your entry an exit stands and isolating the feed plot in the middle. Thanks for your knowledge. I'm 50 an haven't hunted since i was a teenager....
Great video! Anyone else watching old videos?
Thanks a lot Isaac!!
@@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751 Can't get enough!
I really like this guys videos, very well spoken
Thank you very much...that really means a lot to me! Will do my best to keep them coming
Love your videos! I've started following your weather pattern tips. Last Monday I hit a bad shot on a good 8 point, and once I realized he was still moving I pulled out and went back the next morning. Ended up having to put my dog on his trail, crossed 5 different properties and spent hours tracking and found him! Had to dispatch him, but from the distance he traveled I have no doubt that I would've lost him had I pushed him. Thanks again!
That is a great story! I of course wish he would have died immediately, but really happy for you and your patience certainly paid off! Great job with the recovery and congrats!
Sound advice brother!! You have helped my bow hunting(recurve) whitetail in NC skyrocket with success. Thank you! Just order one of your books. Shoot them straight
Not saying he’s wrong but I’ve killed deer after making all kinds of noise walking in haha
Oh for sure! These tips are for those seeing consistent success at the highest level, instead of the random luck ☺️
These applications I'm guessing will also increase your chances of killing a mature buck as well :) good luck to everyone this fall
I’ve walked in. Upwind of deer. Before sunrise, but I made too much noise, and when they came back by me, they weren’t wasting no time, they weren’t like obviously there’s something here, but they were sus and we’re trotting pretty fast
Yes but he is more into taking older deer Mature bucks
True story 👌 I see more animals when I'm moving casually or not even out for the purpose of hunting (not even trying to be quiet).
INCLUDING BIG BUCKS. My experience has been that of me coming in range of thirty or forty yards and the deer seeing me moving in and freezing up. It's like Ive accidentally snuck up on him while he was grazing and then it seems they are contemplating whether or not I am aware of his presence- opting to remain completely motionless eyes locked rather than trying to flee; perhaps that I will just pass on by. The bucks I've encountered are most difficult to hunt when 1) I come in real close completely oblivious of each other (15 yards or less) while they are bedded down, and then I get a squirrel wind or make the tiniest sound and it's bye Felicia! 50 yards. Or if we nearly walk mutually right up on each other and then I stop suddenly because "whoa! he is RIGHT THERE! It seems that my sudden stop is the blacktail buck's biggest trigger to check out fast. It seems that more often than not, after you've been in the field all flippin' day and haven't seen much, when you're tired, maybe hungry, a little discouraged and dead heading back to the truck...that's when
🎉 surprise!🎉 ...and there it went!
Also, I've had two cougar encounters in the field. The first time I saw a cougar I was expecting to see a deer or elk, it made so much noise coming up the dry creek bed that I heard his approach for a good 3-5 minutes.
Finding a position to access a prime hunting spot in the woods quietly is difficult. After hunting big bucks for 5 straight years over a variety of properties, in which I killed 2 specific bucks, it is crazy the lengths you have to go to. Only hunt when the wind is as you need it, sent free as much as possible, try to find a route in that doesn't cross major deer runways, soft cover everything that makes noise, use a facial mask, carry a piece of fine netting to stake up in front of you, and practice sitting still/quiet. Take your shot when the deer is in its first viable killing position and get that shot off in 6 seconds once you precisely grip your weapon: there is just so much that can go wrong to rat you out.
Go in 2 weeks early with a leaf blower or take and pull the leaves away it's easy also alot easier to walk out in the dark
That is my experience too. I figure out the best way to reduce sound in the stand is don't move. I used to always be moving worrying about things, now I mostly worry about moving.
Great points Carnivore!
Allot my friends wonder how I constantly kill mature bucks in michigan,and I have hunted with them and bieng still is my advantage I think michigan deer key in on sounds that they know ate danger !
I agree with you, all the fancy high dollar camo clothes aren’t going to help that much. Sight is the least important. Scent and sound is more important. The only time sight comes important is stand placement. Doesn’t mater what type of clothes you have on, if you silhouetted they will see you. It amazing how many hunters skip all the little steps that lead to success. 75-90% of hunters nationwide don’t realize how smart the elusive Whitetail is and they blow there hunt before they are even in the stand or before they even see any deer. And I too still have troubles with my scent control and sometime screw up. You just gotta really pay attention to scent control. It’s the most important part of deer hunting, and not many realize it!
After 33 years of hunting and more deer than I can remember...I learned quite a while ago that scent control is highly, highly overrated. For example where I'm at right now and my stands tomorrow morning and evening...scent is a non factor. I can smell however. Also, because each stand tomorrow I have only hunted once the entire season...deer won't see me or pay attention. However I'd they hear me coming, hear me on the stand or hear my gear wlof I go to take a shot..the hunt will be over. Sounds is grossly underestinated and I can easily say it is by far the #1 hinderance of hunters consistently shooting mature bucks. I hope that makes sense!
That makes sense, I do agree that sound is very underestimated. Because if you are not walking slowly and quietly on a calm day you can be herd probably 200+ yards away. Sound is definitely a factor on shooting mature bucks especially when hunting close to bedding. Thanks for the reply
@@Dougarrowhead scent is easy to eliminate, but sound ruins more hunts than anything else. Also, unless hunters over pressure their land, deer bed and move on the same lines every day. Bucks are the exception...but even they have predictable, football shaped movements from bedding to feeding. Scent is easy...way too many people make way to big if a deal about it. It sells products, but often dumbs down the hunter because they think they are "covered". Sounds kills a lot if hunts before they even begin.
Yesterday I shot another mature buck for the season and I did it with a camera man and a lot of gear. We could have smelled like pigs...wouldn't have mattered because our scent was covered by a good stand position. However, we were hunting the back side of a doe bedding area just on the opposite side of the ridge, only 80 yards away. The does always bed high in that spot...the bucks down in the ravine. No matter what the wind. One small unnatural noise while we were setting up in he dark and our hunt would have been over before daylight. However, our 1/2 hour walk in created a lot of sweat...but our scent was taken care of by properly positioning the stand during scouting rhat spot last Winter. Sound kills hunts and is an immediate threat at all times to a quality hunt. Scent should be taken care of long before the season even begins, and with just keeping your clothes clean and access and departure routes clean during the season. Scent control is probably the most over exaturated myth of hunting strategy that I see used most heavily by the least experienced of hunters. Of course you have to control your scent...but that is fortunately and easy part about hunting and consistently shooting mature bucks.
I use a tree seat, I used to just sit on the ground against a tree, but I have moments where my clothes almost sound like velcro when moving against a tree trunk. Happens on hardwood trees and also pines.
Here’s a good one for ya. I have always practiced noise control. One day was perfect and my phone rings on vibrate. It was the school calling to tell me my daughter was sick. I got down, stood in the middle of the crp field and called the nurse back. While standing there talking normal , I had a doe bolt through with a small 9 on her. They stopped , looked at me and kept on their way. 45 seconds later, a 160 came through the field with his head down on the trail. I had the bow in the sling and my ear listening to the nurse say “are you still there I think our phones are messed up” lol the rut is a funny thing. Now that buck is on his toes every time I see him.
Turn the phone off or better yet don't take it hunting.
So right on again Jeff especially on this subject of making as little noise as possible to our stand(s). I'm in Ontario and the snow crunching under my boots is SO freaking loud no matter how slow I walk! I usually have about a 300 yard walk all along prime deer bush to my stand. So now I try to walk in only when the temp are above freezing to reduce the sound of crunchy snow, it's my only quite strategy way to get to my stand(s).
Thank for the comments PZ! The good thing is, it seems like those soft snow days are some of the best anyways!
Welcome Jeff, my name is Pat and I always enjoy listening to your vid's, very informative!
@@pz1688 thank you Pat, I will try to remember that! Really appreciate it and I will do my best to keep them coming
P Z maybe use snow shoes?
On frozen snow up here it doesn't work cause it's still pretty loud and my walk in and out is a good distance. I just wait for fresh snow which muffles the sound of the older harder snow, it's work b4 and seems to still work now.
Ever researched the fox walk from the Indians? Deer mocassins, walking toe to heal, as to feel with the toes to avoid twigs, before putting weight on the heal, while keeping eyes up.
I love the cougar analogy. Great tips!
Thank you very much Steve, I really hope that it helps!
I really hope it helps too
I also would like to add since I have made entry and exit with out bumping deer a priority and coming from the outside in on a 90 degree angle from the perimeter my success has sky rocketed. That being said it many times means I decide to put a stand not as far in as I would like to go. It's a leap of faith to get yourself to say ok it's counter productive to go further. Don't bump the does and and you should get your chance.
Slow and steady will win the race !! Love the info 👍keep up the awesome videos
Amen to that Adrian!! Really appreciate your feedback and I will do my best to keep the info coming 👍
An old hunter taught me to walk through dry leaves by using the cadence of a deer walking. Traveling down a recently cut survey line through thick brush, I had a buck growl, thrash brush and walk out into the cut line at 10yards, apparently to challenge me. Too close to focus through my 2 3/4 X scope. Looked astonished when the
.35 Rem knocked him down.
Old guys in Pennsylvania used to make Turkey purrs while moving in the day time.
I hunt the edges of the property's I hunt alot and I rake out my paths in spring and plant rye grass and mow em right before season starts and my walks are always quiet. Only problem is the deer use my paths to travel and eat as well. I try to keep all my paths free of anything you can touch as well. Your bare hand touching anything on your walk in is leaving scent right at a deer's nose height so I always keep glove's on and avoid touching as much as possible.
Great points Gregory, really good tactics...
We have 323 acres leased that we hunt on, we’ve had it for 9 years now. Half of it is in Pines and Hardwoods and the other half was clear cut about 12 or 13 years ago and was never replanted. Now it’s grown up in all natural growth trees, Pines, Oak trees etc... But it’s really thick and there’s trails all through it, the Deer can move around all over it and never be seen. We’ve got 4 food plots on that half of the property but it’s hard to hunt because they can move around so much without ever being seen and the bigger Bucks are just now getting to where they will come to the food plots during daylight hours but for years it was night time only for Big Bucks.
I rarely hunt the plots, and it is amazing how quickly the deer herd adjusts to coming in during the daylight! I believe that has as much to do with sound as it does site or scent...when it comes to hunting plots. I bet there are some great opportunities in the thick brush around the plots..or the clearcut/mature canopy edge. That's a large parcel...I bet pretty nice!
Whitetail Habitat Solutions It is nice, I’ve got to move some stands around and add some new stands, the road going into our property runs right through the middle of it and dead ends at the very back. I watched your video about ATV’s scaring the Deer and I was like CRAP LOL, that’s how we get in and out because the road is washed out in a couple of places. From our gate to the dead end it’s nearly 2 miles lol. But when we first few years we had it we had 5 food plots but the cover around them was only about chest high and you get a Buck to come out in a field at all, but the last couple of years the cover has got really tall and really thick and now the Bucks are using the fields.
@@copedipper7654 man that sounds perfect...hope that you can enjoy it some more this year of you still have a tag or two! That's the only bad thing about having a great land to hunt and filling your tags early! You can always work in the office season but I really like enjoying the land all hunting season too.
In my neck of the woods there is nothing remote to quiet. Everyone is out all fall cutting firewood, logging something, field work. I have bucks and does all sizes come to the tractor when doing food plots. The only thing that really spooks them a little is a atv. We strive to keep the the woods we own as quite as possible at least from labor day to end of season.
If it is practical, raking a trail and making a silent passage to your stand is a huge advantage.
First deer hunt yesterday. Nothing in the am hunt. Went back about 3pm for evening . Sat there until 5;30 and bam....there he was. Came out of nowhere. He was staring a hole in me about 30 yards away to my left. Had my rifle on my lap. I was in a tree stand that covered me to my shoulders. I moved to face him and the SECOND I starting raising my rifle to my shoulder. He bleeted ( is that the term??) and bolted. It was like a shreeking grunt. Deer showed up at 0200 on the trailer cam that had the area covered and it was 8 points. No way I could have not spooked him. He had me locked in 100%
Hit the nail on the head... I’ve learned how good a deer’s ears are from my attempts at stillhunting and from walking through bedding areas but never seeing deer, or finding fresh beds and never seeing the deer leave them.
Sent control is everything, you can't always put your stand down wind....facts
Not pre rut and rut......When they go pre rut and bucks separate use buck urine. Pre rut to end of rut they get very angry when another buck comes into their zone......they will ignore your human scent. I've had my phone go off and they got quiet.....2 hours later he snuck in on me.
Buck urine!
The tract of land I hunt a lot is 43 acres. I’ve killed some big racked bucks on that small place. Great video brother. I knew a guy that used to take a yard rake and clean a trail to his stand. I’m serious talk bout OCD now he had it lolllllll. Looked like a road goin to his stand lollllllllllll.
Ha, that's a lot of work and noise! Lol
Great info. I have an unrelated question. How long does it take another dominant buck to take over another bucks territory if that but is removed ie harvest or natural death?
A long time ago I used red fox urine for a cover scent and rubbed dirt lightly on my camo coveralls as well as arm&hammer shower . Got very close to deer sometimes within a couple of feet, once a deer snuck in on us a smelled my son's arm then it fed around us . A few years ago my boys got me to try some spray on dirt cover scent ( works ) too . If they smell you , you'll never see deer .
Oh for sure. Scent control all boils down to stand location. Unfortunately many hunters never get to that point. Always remember scent should only kill a hunt dowwind in a 45-90 degree window that you can plan for ahead of time...sound kills a hunt in 360 degrees, often before the hunt even begins. Sounds is so critical...
I guess I should explain where we hunt , little wood lots you can see end from end less than 5 acres . The deer can come through these woods from any direction at any time . Some days you see nothing , some days 15 deer .
Great video and so true. There is one technique probably everyone has tried when the leaves or snow are super crunchy. Would love your opinion on trying to sound like something other than a 2 legged human. I use a cane hunting for two reasons. Arthritic knees and ankles, and a tool to add "an extra leg". The property I hunt has lots of turkey, and in theory if you go slow, but break up your walking cadence with a cane or stick, you can be "passed off" as non human. I don't think this would work walking in before dawn as turkeys are still on the roost and deer are not dumb, but maybe if you are heading in for the afternoon to dusk hunt? My hunting buddy and I do blow off the paths to our stands, but that path doesn't last long. Heel to toe is great, but hard especially in the uneven mountain terrain that we hunt.
I like the cane idea and thanks for the comments! The heal to toe, or using a toe uphill isn't quite as descriptive as a I should be. When stalking my treestand, or a spot to view when still hunting...I try to walk so that it is one continuos love volume noise. Even walking up steep inclines you can walk on your toes so that one step blends with the next. The heal to toe idea...or toe stepping, is important for blending steps. Blending steps is the most important...do that deer don't hear the traditional stomp stomp stomp of the typical hunter. Basically erasing steps...
I hope that makes sense! But it does work on crunchy snow. You still make noise...but it is a blended noise.
Thank u thank u thank u....i am forwarding this to the people i hunt with who think im a lunatic because i insist on the slowly push the car door shut and hear 2 slight double clicks instead of shutting it harder....and the walking i think is a lost art that got lost in translation in this immediate gratification spray down gadget world...im amazed at how many people dont know how to walk in the woods. I think ol bob folkrod told me a hungry yote doesnt wear a watch and doesn't know time if he needs to take an hour to get where he needs to be so as not to spook his quarry he will and thats what needs to be done as u get closer to your stand. I actually stalk to my stand as much as possible trying not to worry about time. But it is hard to reprogram your brain to slow down in this hustle and bustle world.
Ha, the struggle is real isn't it John? So many pieces of just plain old hard hunting has gone by the wayside walking in the woods, being quiet...the actual step of a hunter in the woods. Quite gear, stealthy hunting, quiet treestands...all replaced by scent contraptions, camping sized "day packs" and scent attraction.
Appreciate the feedback John!
Closing the door on truck slow, with the jam almost shut, then lean into it to close the rest of the way helps. As long as it isn't 20 below and your dam interior light won't shut off!
Yep. Lean into that truck door and put all that scent right back on you lol.
Been there a lot my life
Thanks again for another great video. I would say that even moving around in your stand can ruin a hunt as well no matter how quiet you are being. I had a nice deer see me moving in my stand this season from over 100 yards away before I saw him because I was adjusting in my stand. Deer have incredible peripheral vision... he blew and the morning was over. Sit still in your tree.
Man so true John! Hunting smart, quiet and blending into the habitat I believe is often a lost art nowadays. And thank you very much!
Whitetail Habitat Solutions - I hunt not too far away from you in Gays Mills. We have 260 acres in the Kickapoo valley. I really enjoy listening to your advise and have benefited from your experience, especially hunting in the same area.Thanks again I look forward to the next one as always.
@@johnlauer4389 that's great John...very close for sure! There is so much great hunting land around here and that's a great chunk...hope you can get out during the late season and thanks a lot for the feedback!
I rake a path to my stand. Helps tremendously. Have got in my stand and see deer bedded nearby when it gets light.
I clear sticks...but there are some that take a leafblower to their access the end of October. Not something I advise, lol
Being quiet is so critical! On the way into out, in stand, hear, stands, etc. That certainly works very well...I just have close to 30 stands or blinds on 3 hunting parcels so not really possible for me time wise. Appreciate the feedback!
Yeah don't do to much work you may get fit and actually look like you climb hills and workout.
At the very least, you can rake out a trail for the final 50-60 yards to your stand. It doesn’t have to be long, but it will help to conceal your entry. You can usually slip right up to your stand without making much sound. Sometimes if you do this deer can be within 50 yards and they are completely unaware of your presence. I like to re-clear my trail every time I walk out of the stand. It’s worth spending 5 minutes on your walk out to brush leaves off the trail with your feet or a cedar branch.
Every group has one more of those guys.. light sensitivity!! Don't go in, in the dark if ya need a light. Also the door chimes hahaha. "Can't help myself, gotta say something" 👍👍 secure that gear, and leave the frog suits at home! Happy hunting, hope everyone reading this has a safe and successful hunt.
If you hunt a property that has active owners, you can get away with more noise & smells than on a quiet property.
With does, fawns and small bucks...mature bucks won't put up with that unless you are talking suburban settings. Even some doe family groups don't care for it too much. Mature bucks can't stand active owners...let's put it that way 😉
I'd say in my area sight is more important. One year my family and I were getting tired of not getting a deer, we parked out truck in the middle of a field, doors open, radio blasting, orange hey on the antenna, rifle on the ground (bipod setup) and 7 deer walked infront of up bout 100 yards away, one of Wich was an 8 point. As soon as we get setup to take a shot all the deer looked at us and almost spooked, they didn't care about the sound, it was the sight.
Spent a few days in a forest. Bumped one doe the one time I sped up just a little bit between locations because it was a fire break path. Never saw another deer.
Except... on the way home, a good buck was standing on the side of the highway looking to cross. Classic...
You remember the old tree bark camo I’m sure to. That was the big thang when it came out.
Still use it
Randle Richardson
I love that stuff too.
Works great for ground hunting leaning against a big tree.
You know your camo is awesome when a mature coyote blissfully walk 10 yards from you foraging.
Also as far as noisy clothing goes, I wear wool. For still hunting and tracking it’s the quietest clothing for me.
I used to wear all wool... but now there are clothes just as quiet, washable, lighter, fit for hunting and warmer. There is some great stuff out there to check out!
What kind of noise is also important . Deer hear other deer ,squirrels and other animals all the time But bang something on your metal stand and every animal not just deer go on alert. Funny fact, when my youngest son wanted to go see deer I told him to walk when I walked. We went to my grandparents farm where I had hunted since I was 12 so had a good idea where the deer were. Walking together we could walk right up over finger ridges into deer . while we didn't talk or make unnecessary noise we weren't quiet either. By walking together we didn't sound like a human. Most deer didn't run until they saw us. Some even then stood and watched first almost like they couldn't believe their eyes.
About scent: you don’t even know what you affected because you never see them. Pre dawn is difficult to sneak in. Metal clanging is a no no.
Fantastic information for any hunter, old or young.
This is my favorite channel true and helpful info and is free love it
Take 5 steps randomly, stop for a minute and scratch in the leaves a couple times and call on a turkey call a with a feeding sound. I have walked right up on deer doing this, even wearing full blaze orange head to toe. The sound of feeding turkeys put the deer at ease.
Another great video very informative brother. Thank you for sharing your time. A lot of people won’t do it. Thanks again brother good luck and GOD BLESS.
Thanks a lot Randle!
Whitetail Habitat Solutions no prob brother GOD BLESS.
Movement, once in the stand is critical as well. Deer see well, but they can pick up on movement like no body's business. I remember many years ago when I first started bow hunting, I was frustrated because I was never seeing any deer while my brother-in-law was constantly seeing and bagging deer. Finally, sitting on the front porch of his house talking about the day's hunt, the light came on. We hunt in north Louisiana in late Oct--so it's still warm and mosquitoes are sometimes rampant. We have to wear bug netting just to stay sane from the buzzing around our faces. My brother-in-law was agreeing with me on how bad they were, and he described how he had a long twig, and would use it to keep the bugs off his eyes without moving his hands and while the rest of his body was perfectly still. I, on the other hand probably looked like I was trying to direct a jet onto an aircraft carrier. After that, I started really paying attention to movement in the stand and have been very successful ever sense.
Being quiet is important but.... I'm here to tell you I've shot deer doe buck it did not matter and had been talking pretty loud after lunch time and no spooking. That was November time but in October barely made a noise and deer bolted no questions asked.
If you make a loud noise, stay still because the deer are looking for movement in the direction of the noise. Just stay still,look and listen.
Deer don't see red or green light. Just a suggestion to use while walking in.
All good info but I hunting South Carolina all public land and it's hot as hell sometimes through December I would like to see some vids on hunting that kind of stuff
I hunt alot of farmland so imo sight is my biggest killer, they're used to tractors, people walking or driving around and stuff. Of course I take all into consideration but I also allow ample ammount of time to get in before the deer move in case I make any noise
Did an acorn fall and hit a log so you had to sell your property since no deer will come back after they spooked?
I know they sell lures amd attractant i don't know if i am a goober not knowing the correct way to use it but i never seems to work so i quit buying it is there a good attractant and how correctly use the best thing i have found is nature using corn which brings in does which brings in bucks
Most lures and attractants are more gimmicky than anything, unfortunately. As a whole the hunting industry has really migrated away from just plain old hunting smart.
Nice see you still got some old school Camo nice tree bark back pack 👌
I have walked right up on a doe setting grass on wooded line that met fields on way to my deer run did not know I was there I took my time walking threw fields get my run but it was Nov rifle season in my state in Vermont not allowed shoot does.so I try seek around it doe was 30 yards away from me my dad was going his deer run.light up a cig doe got diff of it took off for woods.but it true when it raining or snowing there snow on ground some bucks or does do not care for that noise because they make them on move as well.just got go slow scout area walking threw never know u see buck before he see u.i wear camo to.
I hunt about 100 yards behind my camper at my deer lease. Literally i can hear conversations between camp mates. The deer are use to hearing us. Last year i had 2 buttons and a mature doe milling around when someone started playing hank jr at full volume. They never even looked up. Guess they like country, lol. I could see my trail camera flash with big bucks on it. You could see our camp fire in back ground. Sound isn't as importat you may think
I sneezed by a dried up river bed thought I spooked all the deer just when I was about to move to a different spot I had two mature bucks come down and check out the noise I believe scent takes place if my truck makes a bell noise or I shut my truck off and the exhaust rattles I really don't think its a big deal I understand what your saying but I've had luck making mistakes tripping over logs and slippery rocks.
They thought you snort weezed at em
I e been hunting for 30 years self taught.
Yes I can sneak up on deer by walking quietly and only moving when they put their heads down.
I’ve snuck up on mature doe groups with fawns and batchelor groups.
I’ve had them walk right up to me and not even notice me.
Usually I wear arcturus leafy camo gillie suit.
Being stealthy and quiet is great but deer are curious creatures and I like to experiment with them in my hunting endeavors.
Sometimes I will run to my stand through the woods making as much noise as possible.....then immediately sneak up my ladder quietly only to have deer come running towards me to see what deer was making all that noise.
I’ve killed several unsuspecting deer this way.
That’s just one of the self taught tricks I have in my arsenal of deer secrets.
So yeah.....sometimes making a crap ton of noise will get them running your way especially during the rut but I’ve had them chase me in september as well.
I've run a chainsaw to put a new stand up and not 15 min after I sat groups of does come out to check what I was cutting down.
A Canuck
Same here.
I’ve got a buddy that lets his tractor idle in his field next to a thicket.
He usually brings them in every time .
I agree 100 %. I cringe also when I make a noise. I usually tell myself I sound like the third armor division!! I was up by Ely, MN last week and the snow in the cold was crunching and making drum noises so loud. The last 100yds. I did short scampers on my toes to sound like deer. Hunting out of a ground blind, I scared deer away from 15 yds. several times by trying to get in a position to shoot. They would hear the ground crunching! Finally I was able to connect. One deer at 7yds and one at 20yds. The one at 20 I didn't have to move to shoot. Super fun hunting though.
I have a question. How do you have an effective hunt white hunting with other people. It might lower your chances. can you please make a video on what to do. Especially for people hunting others properties. How to be more efficient and effective. And still have deer come your way. Even with whatever factors may occur from the people you hunt with
From my hunting experience the senses rank smell, sight, hearing. You never know exactly what direction a deer will walk in on you from until you learn their pattern by either watching them in the stand or you may have a beat down path but if there are multiple paths it would kind of be difficult. Eliminate your smell the best you can and your chances automatically increase by 50%. I believe their sight is the strongest sense but they are limited compared to smell. A deer can watch you while it is almost completely facing away from you while feeding if it feels uneasy about the blob in the tree. They hardly every look directly at you at first when they do spot you so it makes it tricky. Hearing comes last for me because with birds, squirrels, sometimes rustling leaves in the wind, and maybe a highway can drowned out your sound when shifting in the stand. Even on dead quiet hunts some sounds dont alert the deer. They perk up but usually go back to feeding.
LOL You have it backwards my friend !!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hunt on the farm I live on generally less than 200 yards from my house so scent is a non issue. My scent is all over the place here anyway.
What are your thoughts on people saying walk in to your stand like a hiker. Walk fast make normal noise and deers will just wait for you to walk pass them. Get to your stand and only then, start hunting.
I tell new hunters to practice sitting motionless for hours. Deer can be ten yards from you and looking straight at you and will not spook unless they detect movement. I also tell them to make sounds like a carrot. They question this as they know that a carrot does not make any noise. I tell them they are right.
just wondering here but. Very hard to avoid making any type of noise. Especially when dry leafs are covering the ground. Dry maple leaves makes it almost impossible. Now other animals walk the woods and make a little noise. Alway thought not to walk like a predator which is walking slowly, stopping then go then stop and so on. That the best way was to of course make the least noise possible but since it was impossible not to make any noise to be slow but consistent and not stopping. And of course the wind.
Bullshit! I am disabled now. I drive my atv through thickets to get to my stand now. I see more deer than I have ever seen in all my years of doing what this guy is talking about!
Just imagine if you had electric 👍 Never let yourself be be duped into thinking that an ATV is a good thing for deer hunting 😉 Unless you are my neighbor 😁 I highly recommend an electric golf cart for you over a gas ATV. If you do well with a gas ATV for hunting deer...you can only do better by switching to electric. If you want to up your game...
I hunted in the old woodland camo pattern for years.
Brings back memories, eh Randle!?
Whitetail Habitat Solutions yes it does brother. Great memories. If these young hunters had to deal with what we did starting out they’d quit I’m sure. Great times I know that much. My first bow was the 6 wheel Bear whitetail hunter. Killed several deer with it. Great times I miss them times brother bad to. GOD BLESS
I understand what you are saying. But I swear, I have been on my cell phone talking (had too ) and a deer just walked right under my stand. Never ran, never freaked…..probably not the norm.
I would say your scent is the biggest problem. If a deer hears you it will wait or try to get in position to see you to confirm what you are . It takes two senses to spook a deer with the exception of scent. Once it smells you its game over they know what you are and they dont need anything else to confirm what you are. Any metallic noise is a dead giveaway to a deer and so is a flashlight. I dont even start to move to my stand until it is legal shooting time and I walk in like a deer two or three steps then stop and listen and look for at least 5 seconds. I have shot a few bucks walking in before I even got to my stand and Im a bow hunter. Once you get to your stand you have the advantage because a lot of deer have heard you but not seen you or caught your scent and they quite often show up in the first 10 minutes because they think you are a deer and if the rut is on they will be there even sooner but some may take an hour or even longer because its not like they have to be at work in an hour . In my tree stand I use a log tied to a line to pull it up a couple feet and then drop it into a brush pile that I have made and I try to imitate the sound of a deer walking . Rattling works well in an area no one else is hunting but I am not convinced grunt calls work as well as most people think and I know how to use it properly. The big bucks know better than that and they are not as eager as a two year old buck. Maybe what those old bucks need to show them selves is Viagra on a stick. LOL I have shot a lot of big bucks by setting up a stand 10 yards from the edge of a creek or a river and use a flat bottom boat or a belly boat to get to my stand and if I get one it is easy to get them out if it is downstream. If you think about it you will realize you will make no noise going in that way and you hunt when the wind is in your favor and no deer will even know you are there unless they try to go between your stand and the water and 99% of the time they are dead before that happens. If you want to hunt all day thats the way to do it. If you are not sure what to do THINK LIKE A DEER and you will figure it out. I actually started to write a book about my methods years ago but I didnt want to give away my secrets so I didnt do it. Actually I think I just wrote a small book! LOL I gave up deer hunting a few years ago and I MISS IT. Deer hunting is the ultimate challenge but it is hard work. I prefer venison to cow but you dont have to hunt a cow.
I cringe walking through some of the swampy muck here in FL seems like a 400 yrd walk takes an hr
Man on now the feeling...but on frozen snow, lol. Little different but same thing. I have a buddy in South GA that talks about how incredibly thick it is! He just shot a buck yesterday that was tangled in vines and couldn't move. He thought it was tending a doe...it was actually stuck! Same problems just different habitat other conditions for sure. As a northerner of worry more about snakes
Yep I'll hunt up in Brunswick GA every now and then, unless I clear an area pre season it's a mess trying to navigate the property I hunt
I know what ya mean man. My furthest blind is about 900 yards away, gotta wake up about 3 am or so to make it out there before sunlight. The way my stands are set up are along the trails, first is 100 or so yards into the trail, then 400 yards, then 600, then 800, then our 900 yard blind. So if a buddy is hunting at the 100, or even 600 yard stands you have to walk with their in mind as well. It’s the worst
All you guys with loud pipes on your truck they know your on your way before you get there.
It's all dependent on your specific circumstances. Many hunters don't hunt deer on such defined patterns to the point where all you need to do is play the wind. On heavily hunted public land, you have to get to wherever the deer are, and rarely have opportunities for perfect set-ups. If you have to play the wind to hunt these areas, or avoid them altogether because of ground scent, you'll have few to no chances to hunt. Oftentimes, deer could be anywhere around you. A deer's best defense is their sense of smell. Noise is not uncommon in the woods; wind rustles leaves, acorns fall to the ground, squirrels break twigs, turkeys, racoons, possums, and other deer move through. That isn't going to scare deer away, but your human odor surely will. That being said, obviously, you need to be mindful of all their senses, but scent is the most difficult for many of us.
I have found that in the rut, trying to walk with quick steps more like a deer walking brings in curios bucks.
Real solid still hunting strategy!
Shot 2 bucks in the rut by tipping a can doe bleed as I walked in the woods. Both deer killed before even reaching the blind
Also helps to bring a walking stick to tap on the ground as you go. Makes it sound like 4 feet instead of 2
@@jlantz79 LOL Play the Lottery............... very LUCKY PERIOD !!!
@@jlantz79 LOL Play the LOTTERY............... Very very LUCKY PERIOD !!!!
What about climbing stands? Really no way to keep it quiet but they do allow quick access to areas on the fly. And what about height of climb? We hunt completely flat topo and normally try to climb or put stands at 25 to 30 ft. Any input would be appreciated.
I hunt public with a lone wolf climber. In my opinion, you have to practice setting it up, even in the dark. Know what makes the most noise & fix it. You'll be able to do it blind folded & silent if you practice enough.
The height depends on the area & back drop you have to break up your silhouette. I stay around 15-20 ft generally. I've also hunted at 10 ft because of a tree limb & Mr big came by that day at 15 yards. I learned that day to be ready at any time.
Great lesson. Call me crazy but I have a 3ft x 2ft piece of grey burger or polar fleece that I stick behind my back to the tree. It stays by catching the bark. When I move to catch sight of deer coming, I never make noise against the bark. Also, I tried gluing 5 inches of bed foam to an old pair of boots. On the dry leaves I'm as quiet as ever. Just thought some of you might have your own goofy tricks to get into the stand quiet. Keep knockin them down. John
I meant burger not burger
Berber
Awesome video! I have a old backpack just like yours.
Thank you and that's a classic for sure, lol! I use it often and actually hoping SITKA makes one in a similar design
I like my military backpack well used and it was free.
Every year this doe blows us and we are in a ground blind. She doesn’t walk up to the corn pile, her baby will come eat and she will stay back and somehow know that we are there. She does it every year and idk how. I’m going for this big 8 point for my first huge buck but she keeps blowing us which will ruin my chances. Hopefully she’ll come out and possibly let the 8 point know it’s safe