buck sounds and scents

[twoSevenO]

So i was out hunting for the day yesterday and heard a buck doing some really weird sounds. Sounded like he was exhaling air really quickly, and it was really loud. I couldn't see him. I waited another 10 minutes, motionless, and he showed himself and continued to do the sound, but also trash some small bushes with his antlers and stomp his hoof on the ground.

Was he doing this because he noticed i was there?? Or was this a territorial thing between him and another buck? This was in 8-05, and not sure how it ties into the 'rut game' ... seems a little early, but i would like to know what that behavior was most likely caused by or in response to.

When he showed himself, he was about 70-80 yards uphill and as far as i could tell, i don't think he knew i was there.

There were lots of branches between me and him and it was getting dark fast, so i chose not to shoot since i was by myself. I figured if he didn't drop on the spot, i would be screwed trying to find him in the dark, alone.

However, the whole area is fairly thick, so if i was to "coax" him out, would a deer scent (like the buck scent gels they sell) work, or are those things a gimmick? I have never used something like that, but would be interested in giving it a try. Any advice on what to try?

Thanks :)

[Jelvis]

He smelled you or couldn't smell you but knew you were there and was letting other deer know there was danger, the deer pick up vibrations from the stomping, and he was all jacked up cuz of rut activity.
.. Deer have glands between the cloven hoof, the tarsals and by there eyes which they rub on bushes to leave their mark like dogs do or cats for instance.
You can buy scent for deer and elk etc and put it on your boots.
It's better to smell like an elk then a dentist lol ..
Jel .. Ooooooo ooo that smell can you smell that smell .. Lynard Skynard

[winbuckhunter]

typically. this full moon gets the deer excited.. most often just the mature bucks get excited but you'll start to see them chasing does really soon if not already. muleys before whitetails.

[Chuck]

I believe he was responding to and trying to elicit a response because he wasn't exactly certain if you were a boy or a guul. However, he seemed to think you were another deer, and probably a buck, as he would have probably snuck off if he thought you were an immediate threat, rather than hung around teasing you. This would have been a great time to remain hidden and thrash some antlers on a bush.

[twoSevenO]

hmmm interesting. See i thought if deer sensed danger, they would just run away.

The reason i didn't think he knew i was there was because he never once looked my way. I find if deer sense i'm around they'll at least look in the direction, and maybe even come a little closer until they are sure ... they they take off in the other direction.

so he knew i was there, cool.

As for the scent ... is there a better brand then the rest one should try out? I'm not looking to put this on myself anywhere, probably drip some onto a stump or something. Would that work? The thought of putting it on my boots does not appeal.

[hotload]

The snorting and the foot stomping is a sure indication that he knows something is wrong around him, probably got a whiff of you. As soon as your scent leaves you it starts to spread wider and wider and by the time it got to the buck it probably was so wide that he probably couldn't pinpoint you but non the less he knew something smelled and he didn't like it. That is maybe why he didn't look right at you, he couldn't quite figure out where exactly it was coming from.

[nomad]

I've had the same thing happen with blacktails. In a tree stand not quite high enough or you get winded on changing cycles around the hills. Cool experience when they start snorting and wheesing. They're pushing the scent through their nasal cavity to pick up even the slightest scent to figure out what that strange smell is! Spooked a buck about two weeks ago trying to get to my stand hours before first light, he stomped off due to the noise I was making, then later circled back (after I'd settled in my stand) to check what had spooked him, that's when he started snorting to try and pick up my scent! He never came out for a look so I had no shot at him, sure gets the blood pumping!

[twoSevenO]

yeah, definitely. Very cool. The forest was deathly silent and i walked through like a ninja. No sounds. Then he started his thing. I swear, if i didn't have my gun i would have shat my pants. He showed himself at 70-80 yards, but when i first heard, it was so loud you'd think he was 10 yards away LOL :)

Good point on the scent spreading wider and wider. If you think about it that way, definitely he couldn't pinpoint where i was, as long as i sat motionless as i did.

Even though i didn't have a clear shot to put him on the ground, it was a lot of fun. Great experience.

Maybe next time there wont be so many branches between him and I :)