how soon to return after a missed shot

[mrjigger]

i know deer are creatures of habit, they typically travel many of the same routes each day. However, what happens to the deer behavior after they have been shot at and missed upon. How long should a guy wait to return to a hunting location after a missed shot?

[harvey lee]

I will almost always only hunt a stand once a weekend or every other day if the wind is right wether I had a shot or not.I do have the luxury of hunting many stands so this does make it very easy for me.

If the deer knew you were there,then I myself would stay out of the area for a day or two if it was a buck.If it was a flattop,and she only ran from the sound then I might hunt it again the next day.

If the deer winded you or saw you then it would be a few days before I returned again.

[troutmaster]

Thats a very good question, Last night i shot at a big doe and shot high and missed, and was thinking about going to get my arrow right away when two more big doe walked out infront of my stand although these deer were out of my shooting distance. i was wondering about this same question anyone got any input?

[Stratosman]

Like Harv said it depends on the situation. I am assumming that there are more deer in your area than the one you missed? The deers reaction can give you alot of information. If it was just the sound, it will have a very short term memory, if it was human association, it might be a few days and she will be very cautious.

[mrjigger]

what happened to me was, I hunt out of a climber stand since most of the time I hunt public land. My climber has a bar in front of where you sit. When I released the arrow the bottom cam slammed against the bar and the arrow did not fly true. so my circumstance was just noise. there were three does out in front of me. the back two which I did not shoot at got the heck out of there. the deer I was shooting at ran a few steps and stopped. she was actually in range but behind a row of trees so I was unable to get another shot off. then the two deer that bolted called to the deer I shot at and it then ran off. it has been almost a week. Oh ya, since then I have cut the bar off my stand which the cam slammed into.

[slimngrizzly]

If you see a big buck, you better kill him because you will probably never see him again if you miss! Thats been my experience..... actually.... all of them!

[bigbucks]

I would agree if it's just a noise don't worry much. I missed a doe once, she moved on her own as I shot, & she spooked a little from the noise. She got behind a clump of brush so I grunted a couple times & she came right back in. I drilled her with the second shot.

I've had older does blow on me in a spot. I mean blow a lot, that field was worthless the rest of the year. They would only enter right at dark & never on that trail, it was really frustrating.

[Rotwieler]

depends on whether your hunting urban bucks or backwoods buck. the more urban the earlier i would go back. if you hunt way out in the sticks id hunt another stand until the rut gets full swing and he has one thing on his mind. i hunt a some what urban area and as long as you arent repeatedly jumping/spooking the stand can be hunted in a couple of days.

just throwing thoughts out there.

[KOTTKE]

Deer are some interesting creatres, one of the first does I shot w/ a bow I missed on the first shot she ran about 30 yrds and then came back to smell my arrow didn't miss the second time. I had a buck the following year do the same thing, only problem was I was shaking so bad couldn't knock another arrow. I've also had deer that I missed come back to a stand 2 weeks later and stand 70 yrds out and just blow at you, I know they coulldn't smell me but knew the spot, some time you just have to move your set up. The best advice I can give is learn to practice from an elevated stand. Learn the angles at different distances and that missing probles goes away.

[Noonaford]

Well, last weekend I missed a doe at 30 yrds, it and another doe ran into a slough and not 10 minutes later they came back into the same open area and I had a second chance at 20 yrds and got her. Early in the archery season, I will see the same deer same stand every weekend. Remember fish have a 30 second memory. I'm not sure about deer but I think you are okay hunting the same stand right after a miss.

[FarByondDrivn]

I agree that this is a good question. I like to hunt my stands sparingly and only with the right wind. Also, if you think the deer busts you, then stay out for awhile. But, sometimes when you jump a deer, they don't necessarliy know that they are running from a human (like if the wind is in your face). In this situation, if I'm not right by or in my stand, I will still hunt that stand. I think when deer start getting keyed up to rut they are really jumpy. Sometimes they spook at sounds that they don't equate with being hunted.