How do you climb down without spooking...

....deer out in front of you?!


I sat-a-stand last night (12 foot-ladder) to do reconisance (scouting for bucks) for some hunters coming in this week and had four does out in front about forty yards on the plot. The wind was perfect and I didn't want to shoot them or blowout of there when I climbed down.

I sat there and thought about it as the darkness enveloped me, and then tried some tricks to see what worked.

Tried the grunt tube couple times...Nothing but a cursory glance in my direction then returned to feed.

Tried the doe bleat...Nothing.

Decided to try the snort-wheeze (my own version of it)...again, Nothing more than a couple head rises then back to feeding, . Though it must've been a convincing version else, they'd of blown out for sure.

Then it hit me, I'm in a tree, my movement will startle them I'm sure, so I decided to try an owl-call (something I'm quite good at, or so I've been told). While doing this I flapped my baseball hat, like when mimicking a fly-down, (turkey-trick) and that did it.
They just eased off another forty yards and never blew or detected my human presence as I made my escape.


What tricks or tactics do you use to avoid being busted on the climb down?

Wait 'em out. They browse for awhile, then move on.

I usually howl like a yote if I can't wait them out.

Has always worked until this past weekend. Howled like a yote, hooted like an owl and neither worked. Could not wait any longer (had to get home) so unloading the rifle worked. Was so dark the little buck did not know where it came from and trotted off in the woods.

Simple, hunt where there are no deer.
That's what I do!

Bust out the rattle bag if you really got to get out of there deer hate those things!

Climb down head first.....

Cward said:

Simple, hunt where there are no deer.
That's what I do!

Click to expand...

same here!

dont hunt in the food