GUT PILE

[BullFighter]

If you shoot a deer, leave the gut pile where you shot the deer, will the gut pile

discourage other deer from coming that way?

[Islandlaker]

I have never noticed that problem. On a friday my cusin shot a doe out of my stand, and left the gut pile. The next morning I shot a nice 8 pointer.

[ac777]

No, I read in a mag where they did an experiment on that. Actually one of the first animals to come check it out was a doe. They used a trail cam to see results, and the deer was like licking it.

[paceman]

I have shot numerous deer checking out gut piles. We have one great spot on our farm where most of our deer get shot. Two years ago there were 7 gut piles within 150 yards of the stand.

[MinDak Hunter]

I think the human smell from standing around and field dressing the animals would affect them more that the "pile" smell. We try to minimize the amount of time that we spend on the ground near our big buck stands. We have stands that produce does or small buck almost every day even with human scent around but the BIG boys won't tolerate it.

[Musky Buck]

My only thing is a few years back I gutted a buck and my dad was hoping to use the same stand and on the walk to it I can only guess but sounded like a coyote or 2 on that gutpile, we saw no deer that morning, but yes it doesn't seem to bother them but I've had minimal luck for some reason after there is a fresh one, maybe it's leaving a mature bucks privates parts behind and leaving too much human scent in the area, might depend some on what kind of cover or what kind of hunting area you hunt a bit but I wouldn't worry about it and boy am I choking down this breakfast with a grimace now lol.

[BobT]

I think the human smell from standing around and field dressing the animals would affect them more that the "pile" smell. We try to minimize the amount of time that we spend on the ground near our big buck stands. We have stands that produce does or small buck almost every day even with human scent around but the BIG boys won't tolerate it.

Interesting that you should point this out. Kind of reinforces my opinion that human smell alone doesn't bother deer too much. Considering the amount of odor left behind by the process of gutting out a deer, if human smell created such a negative reaction to deer, they wouldn't come anywhere near a pile of entrails left behind from a kill. Truth is, as I have stated before, the odor only gets them aware of our presence either past or present but odor alone does not bother them. Chances are if they heard someone approaching or saw movement along with the odor, they'll definitely get their hair on edge and make a choice whether to flee or stay.

Edit: I should mention that we have taken many deer where we actually have had to move the carcass so we could gut it out without standing in the last deer's entrails. These kills have been as far apart as 30 minutes or less. If smell was truly so negative, I find it hard to believe we would have these opportunities.

[Musky Buck]

I agree on the mature buck piece, but think it is still the human odor that spooks them. I guarantee in my area after the opening day is done they walk by our stands, sniffing carefully much of the way trying to figure out where no one has been, some don't have any choice because the entire section is full of deer stands and they have to live among them, going nocturnal so of course they'll have to go by gutpiles and stay on the land they feel safest on and know there way around the best. Human odor in my area has a major affect on the deer and their travel because once opening day is done, everyone is making drives because no one is seeing much from their stands. Hit the right weather and you can get some before dark deer movement. Hope the rut can move em but often the doe is smart enough to wait until dark to let the buck chase her. Years ago with less pressure in my area we would see big numbers of deer in shooting light, when the woods and swamps got more stands, divided up, and pressured more we see a 1/10 of what we used to and we had only 2 days to hunt instead of nine.

[Musky Buck]

It really depends on the area, size of quality terrain, and the amount of pressure placed on them. Where I hunt there are stands on every 10 acres and every field has a stand or 2 on it's edges. Also, where the deer like to bed there are now stands in many of those places, they are really seeking out that little bit of undisturbed cover they can find and moving at last light if at all on many of those 9 days. I guess I've never worried much or thought much about a gutpile because I hunt alone and once I've made a gutpile I'm done anyway. I guess since 1983 our group of 20 have taken very few if any mature bucks when we've had gutpiles on the ground that I'm aware of anyway. But, I would guess hunting mature bucks just gets tougher as the season goes along so who knows.

[Musky Buck]

I should've reread the ?, no I don't think a gutpile will discourage them from coming your way, some might go for a look and sniff to see what is out of the ordinary on there travels. I think there are so many variables that deer movement relies upon.

[crothmeier]

I've never noticed them to stay away, and i've had 3 or 4 at times near my stand.

[colonel42]

I shot an eight pointer at 9:00am opening morning. After gutting it I had deer walk the same trail right past the gut pile. Another eight pointer three hours after I shot passed by. It seemed a little bit skidish when in the area but sure didn't stop it. Even the next day deer were walking past it. The following weekend the pile was gone. Deer were still on the move.

[mrklean]

i have heard some say they will sniff the pile to see what it is, makes them curious

[picksbigwagon]

I wonder if the scent of coyotes cleaning up a gut pile scare them off some, but I have had deer walk right next to gut piles and remnants of gut piles with out giving them a second look.

[Jackpine Rob]

In my experience the gut piles don't seem to spook deer, but I have noticed deer spook badly when they reach the spot where the dead deer was standing when shot. My thought is that there must be some sort of "panic" gland that is triggered by loud noises and an ounce of copperplated lead hitting the boiler room.

I have also seen deer duck and run when they reach the trail where another deer was dragged.

[Musky Buck]

Agreed JPineRob.Especially sentence 1 and 2.

[Bear55]

In my experience the gut piles don't seem to spook deer, but I have noticed deer spook badly when they reach the spot where the dead deer was standing when shot. My thought is that there must be some sort of "panic" gland that is triggered by loud noises and an ounce of copperplated lead hitting the boiler room.

I have also seen deer duck and run when they reach the trail where another deer was dragged.

Good info JackPineRob, I have had some similar experiences. Back in my early bow hunting days I would often get busted before I could get a shot off. I either drew at the wrong time, moved at the wrong time, had bad camo or one of a hundred other noob mistakes. If the deer didn't bolt right away they would stomp their hoofs and do the old head-bob and cautiously move along without giving me a shot opportunity. On a few occasions another deer or two would come along from another direction, they were totally calm and oblivious to my presence. Then BAM they cross the path where a deer ran off or they froze in the exact same location as another deer had stomped at me. I want to say I've read about some kind of gland in their feet but I will have to do a little more research before I can confirm that.

[Musky Buck]

No doubt I walk through shin deep water trying to be scent free as possible, doesn't matter, shot at a nice 8pointer, missed, walked back to the stand, 1/2 hour later lone doe, hit my tracks where I looked for blood where the buck stood and she was all on red alert, sniffing the ground, pegged me without any problems and would not cross my boot path on this popple island highground, she turned and went back the way she came, very frightened. Dad said you missed, dad showed me my scope was done, loose recticle or something, no wonder I fired a full box and couldn't get that thing zoomed in, bought a scope that night and used the old 303 british the rest of that season, young and dumb back then.