Need Help

[bigsandynorth1]

My problem is I built this stand 4 years ago i I thought was a sweet spot. I always see scrapes and deer droppings so I figure build one here. Again, this year there is a ton of sign, lots of oak trees so the deer have been in there thick eating acorns and there is plenty of scrapes. The problem I have is when walking to the stand in the early morning, I always jump deer and I think I am walking across their bedding area to get to my stand. I could take another way to avoid thier bedding area, but it would be a far walk and I hate to walk through the heart of the woods that early in the morning thinking I might jump other deer as well and mess up the hunt for others in my group. Secondly, I have only seen a few deer out of this stand and I am wondering why, because I know they are there.

They don't smell me in the stand, I use plenty of scent killer and the 2 deer I have seen have no idea I am there.

Should I just do what I have been doing and give it time, or should I consider different routes to the stand, am I wrecking my hunt by walking this route? Thanks and good luck to everyone, 1 more week of work!

[Jameson]

...The problem I have is when walking to the stand in the early morning, I always jump deer...

my 2 cents. Get to the stand earlier, or only hunt days/evenings in that stand making sure to be very observant on your walk in.

Or...

Figure out which way the deer are running when you jump them. Build a new stand there. Than have a "friend" hunt the old stand while you hunt the new one.

[Deitz Dittrich]

If you are jumping deer to get to your stand, you need to either get there earlier(which may not be possible as those deer may or may not have been there for a really long time. The other option is to get to your stand from another way. I have a friend who has to walk 3 times longer than it would be as the crow flies for this exact same reason.

Might have to do a little extra walking but it could pay off.

[hhguide]

I agree with what everyone says I would look at taking another path. Or go super early but who knows how long they have been there. If its a comfy stand have a sleep over. There long but they can pay off.

[sticknstring]

Not all stands are morning stands... if you're jumping deer upon entry - you're also educating them. Hunt the stand long enough and the deer will move out of the area. I'd hunt that spot strictly in the evenings. Maybe hang a portable a few 100 yds away that you sneak into in the AM without bumping them off.

[mrklean]

If its their bedding you might want to move the stand, dont want to keep jumping them, sooner or later there gonna stay away.

[Meaney]

Are you using the stand for Gun(rifle or shotgun) or Bow?

Because if you like that spot and use it for gun (rifle) then it wouldnt hurt to move it further away from where it is and to still have a clear shot to the bedding area. We ran into that same problem with my stand 2 years ago and then we figured that I would always wait for the rest of the guys to get to their stands first before I would go to mine. Atleast that way when im spooking the deer, my group is well in place.

[bigsandynorth1]

Thanks for the input, I am leaning towards taking a different route to the stand, I better bring the GPS or just use it as an evening spot.

Thanks again and good luck

[archerystud]

Try a different route first.

Otherwise you could setup what I term a "calling" stand. I have one in a similar situation to yours. I can't get to where I want to with out spooking the deer. So I setup a stand before I spook them and call to the deer to draw them in. I don't expect any natural deer movement through that area. I only use it in late Oct early Nov but the second time I used it I called in a very large 10 pointer (a 140 class). Ironically I had never seen him before that.