Road hunters killed my buck.

[LongBowDerek]

Yesterday I was hunting up in an area by a small lake I'd been scouting and hunting since early September. Tons of does in the area and I found sign of a single buck, so Yesterday I decided to focus on calling him in with a few bleats and a grunt every now and then. I was hunkered down in a blind I made out of small branches and bows I found near the area. Right around dusk (after sitting in my blind for 9 hours) I heard a shot from a vehicle 200 yards down the road... Turns out road hunters just drove up and shot the buck I was trying to call.

My question is: Will the gut pile and shot scare off all the other does and future bucks in the area? It's my first season hunting deer... not sure if I should find another spot or commit to where I know there's tons of does.

Thanks.

[Rayne]

Stick with the does. Honestly I don’t know if calling will work this early in the season. I’ve never had any luck.
There’s probably more than one buck in the area. The deer are just starting to rut but if your seeing does with small fawns dont expect to see bucks with them your looking for full grown does that small bucks are trying to breed already.
I shot one Saturday (might write up a story later) and he was with a doe and another buck and both were showing signs of being in rut mode.

[LongBowDerek]

Thanks. The does I've seen are all mature. I've still got till the end of October to harvest a doe if I don't find another buck there. I think I'll try and find a highway/funnel deeper into the thick stuff and away from the road, perhaps let the road hunters drive thenm towards me.

[northof49]

If you are able and comfortable to do so, try getting further away from roads if calling to avoid that happening. Try around edges of 5-8 yr old cutblocks where recent tracks/sign. Preferably areas with broken terrain and draws that funnel game up into cutblock in eve. Broken terrain and benches midway up and bigger fir vets up above along ridges. Those ridge lines with bigger fir and cut blocks and benches below can be good places to call. Try to get away from the roads and easy access places. Get a good vantage and sit and watch those funnel draws last hour of light as the deer come out of the timber. Dress warm. Good luck.

[LongBowDerek]

Thanks. Theres an old creek bed thats very marshy that leads from the lake into mature timber funnels. Ive found lots of tracks passing through there, but haven't seen any deer there. I'll try hunting it a little deeper and see what happens. It's loud to still hunt in, so I guess it's best to get there early and just hunker down for the day.

[northof49]

Thanks. Theres an old creek bed thats very marshy that leads from the lake into mature timber funnels. Ive found lots of tracks passing through there, but haven't seen any deer there. I'll try hunting it a little deeper and see what happens. It's loud to still hunt in, so I guess it's best to get there early and just hunker down for the day.

Glass blocks first light. After that cover new ground and scout for fresh sign. Still hunt the timber but not an area you plan to sit and watch for last light. Get back to and sneak (stay concealed) into your chosen spot (based on scouting/recent sign) to sit/watch for last few hours of light. Watch and glass edges. The doe’s will come in hour before dark….bigger bucks typically last 15-30mins of light or in the dark if pressured. Exception being the rut when the brain goes to mush. If nothing shows…on to new location for the next time out.

[LongBowDerek]

Solid advice. Thank you. It's a tough hunt, still hunting, but very fun. Just been bumping does for the most part haha.

[blacklab]

How about change the title to "Hunters Kill My Buck". It might sound a little less sanctimonious.

[knighthunter]

The gut pile and gunshot won't scare off other deer in the area. The gut pile is likely gone already.

[LongBowDerek]

Thanks, good to know. Wasn't sure how sensitive deer are to gut piles. Figured the smell would keep em away.