There is a good run 20 yards away from my stand... but for some reason they are choosing to use a hill side 40 yards away. Do you think if i use some Tinks Doe in Heat and make a scent trail from the 40 yard run to the 20 yard run... they would use the 20 yard trail so i can get a shot with my bow? I dont smell either... i have a scent blocker suit and use scent away spray! I dont think they see me either... there are however, Bird hunters in the lower fields 1000 or so yards through the woods... Maybe thats the reason for their spookyness... IDK... I would sure like to figure this out though... cuz theres some nice deer in this particular State Land area!
Update:Cant bait... only on private land... this is in Connecticut... Both evening and morning hunts i see them... might place a climber on the 40 yard trail... then again... as i was leaving my stand last night i jumped a doe heading up my scent trail! Didnt see me... didnt get a shot either!
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
Whitetail bucks get very wary this time of year and tend to choose the best cover to travel through. The trail may be a bit more exposed than they like.
Not sure how effective the "Doe in Heat" will be but the rut is getting closer so it's worth a shot.
If their travel rout is pretty consistent, try moving your stand to bow shot range of their route.
a couple of thoughts come to mind, the deer your seeing on the 40 yard trail, is this in the morning, evening or both. The 20 yard trail your next to; do the deer use it when theres a change in wind direction? In the state your hunting, do they allow attractants or feeders? I've hunted in a similar area where I had set up on a trail that showed some use. After getting set up before season I found another trail about 60 yards from my setup. As the season started and the winds started coming in from the north the deer moved to the farther trail. I tried using corn, peanut butter, and molasses licks. Some of the does and younger bucks came in but the more mature bucks and does stayed off the close trail until late in the season when we had the southerly winds start in again. Just a few thoughts from another hunter.
I think you stand a better chance of getting him to follow your scent trail once he is in full rut. Older bucks are smart and they get older because they are.I once sat in a ground blind photographing deer during the rut and one buck went all along checking his scrapes, nose to the ground, totally consumed by the scent .He heard the camera snapping, glanced up at me, put his head right back down and went on about his business. He came to within 8 feet of me. No one could believe the photos I got.
you can actually re route the deer. by brushing out the trail you don`t want them to use they will walk around the blocked trail. set it up so they pass in shooting range. lay the brush across and down to about 20 yards away from your stand place brush about 3 ft. high. it doesn`t have to be thick brush just dead brush. enough to make them think they have to jump it . They won`t. they will go around.
Important tip: place brush on a rainy windy day toppled trees ar natural on those days.
Try the 40 yard shot:)