Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    Are you spooking deer out of the area ? Are other humans passing
    through there ? 
    
    You might want to observe the usual scent-minimizing precautions,
    maybe squirt a little doe urine (*not* estrus scent) or fox
    urine on your boots. Try not to touch too many branches, your
    hands leave scent, and deer are constantly checking for 'licking'
    branches. When does hunting start ? A week, a month ? I'd locate
    a few good trees, try my portable stand in them, clear lanes,
    then get out and leave the area alone for a few weeks immediately
    before season. ( When I used to build permanent stands I liked
    to have them in place a month or more before season.)
    
    Dana (who checked out stands etc. on Labor Day weekend for the
    October bow season in Vt.)

    
    		Walt,
    
    	That is a very good question!  I have often wondered about this
    myself, especially since I did disrupt some deer movement in an area
    where I hunt.  I had done some heavy scouting in a strip-cut area
    and ended up bumping a band of deer on more than one occasion in
    a bedding area.  The place was being used an incredible amount prior
    to my bumping the deer, but afterward, they abandoned the area.
    When I say area, this was a particularly hot ridge of perhaps only
    50-70 acres.  I'm sure they were around, but they sure didn't spend 
    much time there on that ridge..  
    	This was also in an area where the deer densities are lower than
    probably much of the rest of VT, with a few wallhangers thrown in.
    It's big woods stuff so they were not restricted of bound in any
    way.  I don't think you'd have too much problem scouting feeding areas
    in places with high deer densities.
    
    	As far as trying to find a place for a treestand, that's exactly
    what I was doing when I bumped the deer!  With so much sign around,
    I was actually having a hard time trying to figure which way they'd
    be coming!!  This is not the normal case in an area with a low
    deer density so I though I had a bonanza....
    
    -Rob
    

    
    I think it all depends on where you bump them out of.  I'd try to stay
    away from bedding areas, as they will abandon these after a couple 
    of unwanted intrusions.  A good friend of mine always makes alot of
    noise when scouting, this way he dosn't "alarm" the deer.  They spook
    much easier if you are in there stalking around while your scouting.
    
    I try and do the same thing as Jeff, get into my areas in late august
    or early september to put up any permanent treestands, and take care of 
    my scouting.  This gives the deer 4-5 weeks to get back to their usual
    routines before the bow opener in early Oct.
    
    Course, then again, every other Tom Dick or Harry could be in there 
    poking around the day before the season...  
    
    I'd say if you kick em outa a known bedding area, try to avoid doing it 
    again, they will abandon it, we've seen it happen a couple of times in
    MA.
    
    Fra

    This is interesting. I have five deer that come into my back yard 
    periodically, especially during hunting season. They calmly feed
    about 30 yards from the end of my dogs run, will she goes crazy
    barking at them. My wife got some good pictures of them. Then they
    don't show up for about three months. My guess is that they change 
    their movement patterns based on feed and activity in the woods.
    The thing that seems to screw them up more than anything is logging.
    While they were logging out in the woods, the deer were really jumpy.
    The logging stopped about a year and a half ago and now they seem more
    calm.


    Jim

    
    Thanks for the replies. The reason I asked is that last weekend
    I jumped a real nice buck in this area. Naturally I want him to
    stick around there till opening day. My stand is on a ridge that
    runs pararell to a swamp that I know the deer bed down in cause
    I found their beds on the edge of the swamp the weekend before.
    
    This area is real nice it is bordered by a swamp on one side, about
    6 miles of nothing but woods on another and a very steep ridge infront.
    The only so called easy way is a long walk in that most people would'nt
    want to do anyway. The only sign of any one else being there was
    one old shotgun shell left over from last year. But the best part
    is that there are trails and deer droppings all over the place.
    There is a heavy mast of acorns on top of the ridge and I beleive
    that they are bedding in the swamp, feeding on the ridge and my
    stand is inbetween both places.....Hopefully this year will work
    out.
    
    I think I will go there again this sat. to finish my stand and then
    stay away until about 2 weeks before the season to make sure they
    have'nt left the area. Meanwhile I can look for some other spots....      
    
                                      
                                         Walt
                                             

    
    Walt,
    
    I agree with what Bob stated in 3 & 6.  If you jump a deer, don't
    chase. Just walk the other way, the deer will only go 25 to 30 yds and
    most likely will stop, turn and watch as you poke around in a
    non-threatening way.
    
    Rick

I set up a rifle/pistol range on my farm. When I hunt I just go another 50
yards further into the woods and sit downwind from the main trail that the deer
use. I also hunt small game in the same area. 
Have taken a deer every year so all the shooting and hunting did not seem
to make a difference. I don't use the range or hunt the area near my stand
during the week prior to opening day.