To go, or not to go, ............to my deer stand

[ironranger420]

What do you guys think/do? It has always been our deer camp's "unwritten law" that you don't go out into the woods that last weekend before deer hunting. whether it be to look for sign, or to finish up with some last minute repairs. We have always said that the woods need to "calm down" before deer hunting. What are your thoughts? I would think that if we are at our deer stands every weekend for the past 4 weeks to get work done, and all of a sudden we aren't there anymore, that the deer would think something is up! Not so much even that, but if we have been to our stands so much lately, aren't the deer getting kind of used to our smell and even accepting of it? I have a little more work to do at my stand, but some of the guys at camp don't want anybody walking around the woods so close to hunting season. Keep in mind that where we hunt, there are no people around, it is deep in the forest, and the only human activity the deer experience are most likely ours. Anyway, I need to get to my stand and will have to persuade the "elders" to let me go. Oh yeah, by the way, the last 3 years at camp I have won the "big buck pot", so I kind of know what I'm doing. Try telling that to the "old guys" though

[mudman]

check the forcast, if it going to rain again after you go to make repairs and before hunting I say go ahead. I would make an attempt to do the repairs just hours before it rains. wouldn't hurt to spray down with some scent away and use some cover scent (fox, coon urine) and wear some camo in case they walk in on you.

[Gus]

We had one of our best deer hunting years when we had to put up three new stands the day before the opener. Timing hadn't worked out with the group and it was our only choice. Since then I have never worried about being in the woods early. I'd still take precautions such as covering as much human scent as possible, but I wouldn't worry about it. It's your call though! Do what you are comfortable with.

[bigbucks]

I think it will be fine, just go during the middle of the day if possible. I'm in the same boat, although it's in farm country so they're more used to human scent, but not so much back by my stand. However I hunt close to the property line, so who knows how much the neighbors are back near there anyway.

I got my tractor stuck Sunday afternoon near one of our stands, I got it out last night, but I got stuck again & it's still there, pretty frustrating. Does it have to rain all fall?

[BDR]

Not taking the wishes of your group into considerations, I would say go for it. However unwritten camp rules are rules(for me). If you can't persuade them I would respect the groups wishes. My group has several unwritten rules and I don't agree with some. My deer camp conists of around 20 guys and if we all started picking the rules we wanted to follow or not someone would always be beefing with others.

[Perch Jerker]

It's a good thing that you don't go near your deer stands because the bird hunters, trappers, bough cutters, and other deer hunters are walking by it already .

PJ

[ironranger420]

Those people are tresspassing then! LOL

we own 80 acres in Superior Nat'l Forest, with no road access. We have to ride ATV's into our shack for a few miles. If there are people back there, the'y're lost! The trail only leads to our shack, nothing else. We have the trail "posted" about half way down, at our property line. So PJ, I get your point, there is always somebody wondering the woods, but not where we hunt. Our 80 acres is surronded completely by state land, and there is no way to access that state land. Unless somebody wants to hike in for about 5 miles, and cross some huge swamps to get to our "island" of woods. But hey, never say never, right? I'm sure someday we'll have visitors to our neck of the woods, hopefully not soon though!

[Harmonica Bear]

Our camp had the exact same rule for years. A few years ago we never had a chance to get up there before the season and the day before the opener that year we decided we had to get in there to check the stands, set up portables etc. The next day was just like any other opener. Plenty of deer were shot and seen and nobody noticed a difference. Now, for the most part, we still try to adhere to the rule, but if somebody has to get into their stand or something it is not as frowned upon as it used to be.

HB