Not lever gun related but I did hunt last night

[bigbore442001]

I was in my treestand for Connecticut archery season for a late afternoon hunt. The spot has some promise as deer had been seen on my trail camera.

So I went there and sat for some time. The wind was somewhat erratic and I was unsure of the direction. According to Weather Underground the wind would be from SSE which meant it would blow up the property I was hunting. Deer will come from either the north or the west on this land. I was unsure of what direction since the conditions for the most part have been dry and the sign very hard to distinguish.

We had light rain showers. I did not have any rain gear but I was more or less bone dry since a canopy of leaves covered up my spot.

It was at 541 PM when I heard the WHOOSH WHOOSH of a doe blowing the alarm call. I peered to the north and saw her running waving her flag for all to see. She was about 60 yards away or so. Bear in mind the woods are still filled with foliage just starting to turn color.

I wondered if she had somehow seen me. My stands tend to be lower than most. I put this one up at around 12 feet or so. I did check the wind with a puff bottle.

Sure enough the plume of baking soda and talc drifted right to her.

I am not sure if there is a way to defeat the nose of a deer other than to be downwind or cross wind to where they are expected to come from.

Bowhunting can be tough.

Gun season opens in about five weeks. I will be in the same stand but most likely with Dad's M29 that has been reconditioned by Mr. Gary Reeder.

[Griff]

There are some pretty good cover-up scents you can use, and washing your clothes in non-allergenic soap helps.

[EdinCT]

I gave it a try yesterday morning and saw not a deer but I was on the ground and the wind swirled several times. I should of brought a 22 I could of put a hundred pounds of squirrel in the freezer
I have to admit the desire isn't has strong has it once was.

[GunnyMack]

Bigbore442001,
Couple years ago I picked up scent blocking pants & jacket, head cover. Saw a big difference in how the deer acted.
Last year I ran across a product called HECS. It is a very simple suit that blocks your electrical signals. I was skeptical until I watched some videos on their website!
First time I tried it I got into my stand and had a small bear walk in before I got settled. While watching the bear a doe snuck in behind me. When the bear left I turned around to sit down and the doe just walked a few steps. She never showed any signs of panic! She hung around awhile before walking off.
I have had deer walk right up to my tree down wind and not show any concern, between scent control and the HECS I'm SOLD!
HECSllc.com I believe.

[Pete44ru]

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Deer have been coming to me for over 40 years because I always drench a shooting spot on a deer run (hopefully in a scrape or on an antler rub) on a deer run, plus a little on my own self, with pure (NOT artificial/cooking stuff) vanilla extract.

Even though the area (and I) smell like a chocolate chip cookie, the scent is very attractive to a deer's sense of curiosity.



.

[Grizz]

my kids and I have had lots of deer run from us. we have also had lotsa deer walk toward us and in some cases right up to us. we have laid on tundra above timber in superdense fog and had deer walk past, a few feet away. we've walked up on feeding deer that barely noticed us shoot it, say 10 feet away. other times I couldn't see any deer but could hear them in the woods. I've seen whole clatters of deer skiing to get away from me on a quiet stalk. I've seen deer run to a deer call, and run away from a deer call. I've had deer walk right up to the beached bow of my dory and sniff inside while I was sitting in it.

we wore blue jeans, flannel shirts, extratuff sneakers, and probably smelled like dead salmon and halibut stirred, not shaken.

my sense is that deer behavior is erratic and unpredictable, just like ours is.

not saying that gadgets and gizmos don't or can't affect behavior, but there are a LOT of variables out there. I know a guy who limited in ID every year by wearing a cow bell. the deer he hunted mixed into cattle herds. there are lots of angles.

I was priviledged to have a 7 month hunting season and spent lots of time in places where there are herds of deer. and I am a subsistance meat hunter. I normally pass up big rutty bucks with big racks because they taste crappy and I don't like packing meat uphill to get over the two ridges between me and the skiff .... ..

and the postscript: I couldn't walk a quarter mile up those hills any more.