Advice Please - Wary, Mature Coues Bucks

[CouesPursuit]

Hunting partner and myself have been patterning and getting good bucks to come in on a fairly regular basis. Took a couple weeks to get them on camera the first time. then it went to every 5 days, to every few. We set up 2 different stands, only having them coming into one consistently.

 

Anytime we have visited the stand we are very conscious about our scent, especially on hunt days. No stinky foods, no alcohol drinking, lots of scent spray, etc.

 

Prior to the hunt, we are getting the bucks on camera between 2:30-6:00PM.

 

 

Here is the personal experience after opening weekend.

 

Friday = Sat in tree stand for entire day, saw not a single deer or even a squirrel.

 

Saturday = Sat in tree stand for entire day, saw not a single deer or even a squirrel.

 

Sunday =

Bucks come in at 12PM and stop at 35 yards, just outside of the stand, outside of plain sight in thick cover. The trail the bucks used to come in is the same trail that my partner used to get in the stand that day, the bucks traveled on it for at least the 50 or so yards that are visible from the stand, before they stopped.

Of course, the trail the deer came in on was directly downwind of the tree stand. This tree stand is about 28 feet up so height shouldn't be the issue.

After observing the area for several minutes, from 35 yards away, without any movement and without making a single noise, the bucks gently flag and trot out of the area. NOTE: 1 Hour later, a doe came in and stood underneath the tree and all throughout the stand without any hesitation.

 

Monday =

Bucks came in at 9AM, somewhat loud this time and stopped on a different trail into the stand, circled around a little bit and quietly vanished out of sight. No idea if they flagged or winded or busted or what, everything went silent.

 

_________________________________________________________________________________

 

My hunting partner and I have a limited amount of time we can get back up and hunt, couple days here and there that we will split in the stand.

 

What to do now?

 

Since we left on Monday, we have set up an additional trail camera on the trail they came in on the first day. My first idea is to set up a second tree stand that sits about 30-40 yards from where the buck initially stood for several mintues on that trail for when the wind is bad and take one right there before they go into the stand. If the wind isn't bad for the initial stand, we aren't even sure they will go in this way, so we would need to jump back and forth between stand if the wind kept changing.

 

Oh the fun of Coues deer hunting, especially the big ones with a bow!

 

 

Any other ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to all.

[Guest 300ultramag.]

blind

[parrita58]

Loose the tree stand and setup a blind.....spray it, spray yourself, hang tight and wait for the shot. Would take the angle shot away and would most likely give you better coverage......good luck and make it happen. Don't forget to post some pictures.

 

By the way that is a great looking buck.

[CouesPursuit]

Thanks Parrita-

 

The main reason we haven't considered the ground blind is time, I can't imagine bucks of this caliber will just go walking in on such short notice, having a new pop up ground blind in a confined space..

 

I am wrong??

Any thoughts on how long it takes for mature coues bucks to be active near a brand new ground blind?

[JLW]

setting up a blind and brushing it in to take away the horizontal lines, ie, roof line and blend it into the surroundings should work. sounds like they are definitely winding you. 2 treestand idea is a good idea as well, pick the 1 that is right for that wind. are they coming to your spot for water,salt? or are they on their way to food or water, or?

looks like plenty of brush to blend in your blind.

 

James

[CouesPursuit]

setting up a blind and brushing it in to take away the horizontal lines, ie, roof line and blend it into the surroundings should work. sounds like they are definitely winding you. 2 treestand idea is a good idea as well, pick the 1 that is right for that wind. are they coming to your spot for water,salt? or are they on their way to food or water, or?

looks like plenty of brush to blend in your blind.

 

James

 

Thanks, James. Appreciate your feedback.

 

We have salt there and that's it. It is thick, quality habitat but it is almost too thick for a ground blind if we want to stay within 50-60 yards. We aren't going to rule out any possibilities though.

 

I agree its winding. It all goes back to the number one rule, wind is everything, I just didn't know it would still play such a role when you were almost 30 feet up in a thick tree.

 

I understand anything can happen, but based from experience, would anyone suggest just sticking to the existing tree stand and when the wind is right it will happen? Or, is an alternative stand/blind almost a must at this point? Thanks.

[Becker]

Not trying to insult but wind just doesn't blow one way. Air rises and falls with changes in temp. There are those wind indicator things you can get. Not the bottle of powder but small tuff of stuff like a feather. They give you more info on exactly what the air is doing. I am drawing a blank on the name of it but that might help you out.

[bowhunter4life]

I have found a big buck will only have tolerance for a short amount of time. At some point while you visited your site the bucks came through and smelled ya or were coming in while you you there setting up stands or checking cams. They now have a fear of that specific location. During your hunt you saw them at a distance due to their fear and expecting an issue. I would set up a ground blind about 30 yards on the on other side of were you saw them. Good things to come.

[CouesPursuit]

I have found a big buck will only have tolerance for a short amount of time. At some point while you visited your site the bucks came through and smelled ya or were coming in while you you there setting up stands or checking cams. They now have a fear of that specific location. During your hunt you saw them at a distance due to their fear and expecting an issue. I would set up a ground blind about 30 yards on the on other side of were you saw them. Good things to come.

This is exactly how I feel, I didn't do such a great job of wording it the first time but this is what I was thinking of doing with the second tree stand. I figure that the bucks ARE going to come back to check things out, they may or may not want the salt at the stand, but if anything, they will be coming on by and may want to take a look as curious as they are.. That curious look upwards toward the stand may be the perfect opportunity..

[CouesPursuit]

Not trying to insult but wind just doesn't blow one way. Air rises and falls with changes in temp. There are those wind indicator things you can get. Not the bottle of powder but small tuff of stuff like a feather. They give you more info on exactly what the air is doing. I am drawing a blank on the name of it but that might help you out.

I take no insult whatsoever, I understand wind doesn't travel in a straight line and I appreciate your recommendation on that product I will be doing some investigation on!

[dieselroe]

Can you get up high and watch them bed? I think bigger deer are more leery, I would hunt the trail or spot and stalk the area.

[CouesPursuit]

Can you get up high and watch them bed? I think bigger deer are more leery, I would hunt the trail or spot and stalk the area.

Too thick, glassing and spot and stalk not an option. Thanks, though.

[CouesPursuit]

In tight spots, the bucks know you are in the area, I would go with two tree stand set-up to play the wind better...

Enter your hunting area from a different path, your boots hold scent, have a pair that is ONLY put on when you are leaving your truck and ready to hunt...

Back track to intercept BEFORE they get around the salt, maybe back off altogether and glass from long range to find where they are traveling...

Hand a few feathers from ground brush also, not just your upper bow limb, it lets you know what the wind is doing at ground level and you can use them as yardage tags...

Good Luck and enjoy the hunt no matter how hard it gets, way sweeter when you do get your hands on him...

Sound advice, thanks oneshot! Your part about intercepting before they reach the salt is key at this point (or so I believe/agree).

 

To reiterate, scent control for us has been top priority. I would have a hard time thinking we weren't doing everything we could for scent control, especially compared to others who I personally know harvest coues in tree stands. Boots only for in the field, seperate clothes scent washed and in seperate bags for each day of hunting, almost a bottle of scent spray a day, the works. After the first day they winded, there wasn't even a pack brought in, just a bottle of water and what can quietly fit in some cargo pants..

[yotebuster]

I have found a big buck will only have tolerance for a short amount of time. At some point while you visited your site the bucks came through and smelled ya or were coming in while you you there setting up stands or checking cams. They now have a fear of that specific location. During your hunt you saw them at a distance due to their fear and expecting an issue. I would set up a ground blind about 30 yards on the on other side of were you saw them. Good things to come.

This is exactly how I feel, I didn't do such a great job of wording it the first time but this is what I was thinking of doing with the second tree stand. I figure that the bucks ARE going to come back to check things out, they may or may not want the salt at the stand, but if anything, they will be coming on by and may want to take a look as curious as they are.. That curious look upwards toward the stand may be the perfect opportunity..

 

I would put up a blind where you have a easy shot on the salt and stay the heck out of there for a few days. I haven't hunted out of a treestand for 10+ years and probably won't for the rest of my life, wind has considerably less effect when in a blind with the windows closed. That's the other thing, leave a window or two open with shooting lanes but that's it, you'll have time for watching nature after you fill your tag. I don't think the bucks are coming back because they are curious to see if you are in your stand, or because they are passing through, they are coming there to eat the salt, plain and simple, and will come in and eat it if they don't smell you.

[JLW]

what say standman?

 

james