Bobble head deer hunter?

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  • aray

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 6, 2010
    5,294
    MD -> KY
    I have a question for those of you with many more years of experience deer hunting than I have. I wonder about this each time I'm up in a tree, but always forget to post-up after the hunt. So here it is:

    How do you balance remaining motionless with the need to scan all areas around you?

    Obviously you want to remain as still as possible, but too much of that restricts your ability to pick up deer beyond your peripheral vision. I just posted a thread on my last hunt where I picked up a deer on my 5:30 position. And while I didn't rotate my body I did rotate my head. But by how much? What speed? At what frequency do you scan? Do you have a set rule, or is it ad hoc?

    I've done OK in my deer hunting, but I know there's always more to learn, and not asking this one has been bugging me for some time. So what say you?
     

    1time

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 26, 2009
    2,258
    Baltimore, Md
    Just turn slowly. If the wind is whipping you can move more but you don’t want to do anything to make yourself stand out from the rest of the wilderness.
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    Like he said slow, I rotate my head all the time, but slow. Rotate your head 180° slow and deer will not notice that. quick motion they key on very quick. I can keep my rifle between my legs and lift it up and get into positions slow if the deer are 30 yards out. Closer they are the better they detect motion and you have to go even slower or move based on where their eyes are.

    The farther they are the quicker you can move and the closer the slower you need to move or only move when their eyes can't detect you. You'll start noticing what you can do, once they are around. If you don;t move your head you can't shoot what you can't see. Turning your shoulders to look behind you makes a lot of motion. If you hear rustle, rustle you have a squirrel or bird behind you. You hear small step, small step, small step. its a deer. Turn too quick to look and they'll bust you.
     

    willtill

    The Dude Abides
    MDS Supporter
    May 15, 2007
    24,337
    And don't look deer in the eye when they are close. Squint and/or use a face veil. They'll key in on your eyes when they are real close. Trust me; I've seen it happen.

    .
     

    Czechnologist

    Concerned Citizen
    Mar 9, 2016
    6,522
    biDGuMR.gif
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,819
    I have a question for those of you with many more years of experience deer hunting than I have. I wonder about this each time I'm up in a tree, but always forget to post-up after the hunt. So here it is:

    How do you balance remaining motionless with the need to scan all areas around you?

    Obviously you want to remain as still as possible, but too much of that restricts your ability to pick up deer beyond your peripheral vision. I just posted a thread on my last hunt where I picked up a deer on my 5:30 position. And while I didn't rotate my body I did rotate my head. But by how much? What speed? At what frequency do you scan? Do you have a set rule, or is it ad hoc?

    I've done OK in my deer hunting, but I know there's always more to learn, and not asking this one has been bugging me for some time. So what say you?

    At prime times, I'm standing and slowly rotating constantly. If its calm, you can mostly rely on your hearing. In windier conditions, you can get away with a little more movement. The rest of the day, I sit and slowly oscillate.
     

    engineerbrian

    JMB fan club
    Sep 3, 2010
    10,148
    Fredneck
    Makes me think of something i’ve beat into my kids head over the years of hunting. He’s finally getting it and doing well hunting
     

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    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,667
    Not Far Enough from the City
    Makes me think of something i’ve beat into my kids head over the years of hunting. He’s finally getting it and doing well hunting

    Yep! And trust your eyes. No way to overstate this. If you THINK you may have seen movement, you likely did. You’ll most definitely notice motion, long before you’ll be able to give clear definition to just exactly what moved.

    Best way I know to describe woods deer hunting, be attuned to horizontal movement in a vertical world.
     

    geda

    Active Member
    Dec 24, 2017
    550
    cowcounty
    I have a bow hunting background and have been busted too many times moving . Even if they dont run, they will stay out of archery range after seeing some movement. Less important during firearms season, but not moving in general good practice. When you have eyes on a deer, wait until they put their head down or look away before moving, and be prepared to freeze mid movement if they look back. Amplified earmuffs are a great replacement for turning your neck. They let you hear every tree rat for 100m, and with time you can learn to distinguish between animals.

    For all seasons when outside a blind I usually keep my head pointed in the direction I expect to take a shot and keep motionless, even if i hear something. If one does sneak up behind you and you can hear it, i would wait until they are as close as they are going to get. Then turn around slowly over about 3 seconds, nothing rapid, expecting to spook the deer a little. They are going to be fully alert and either going to snort at you or run hopefully under 50m and look back. So while you are turning you want to maintain your shooting position because there will be a very short window to take a shot.
     

    wilcam47

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 4, 2008
    25,979
    Changed zip code
    sometimes wait for them to feed, or go behind a tree to move quick. Sometimes they catch you off guard and bam there they are! Like forest ninja's...then other times squirrels sound like deer coming through the woods. Definitely no quick movements...and yes you can stare them down, it seems like forever but it can be done...
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,680
    sometimes wait for them to feed, or go behind a tree to move quick. Sometimes they catch you off guard and bam there they are! Like forest ninja's...then other times squirrels sound like deer coming through the woods. Definitely no quick movements...and yes you can stare them down, it seems like forever but it can be done...

    Yeah. I haven’t been doing it too many season now (4th) and working on stuff. Like screwed up shots on two deer a few days ago. But I think I am getting down how to find deer and how to identify them. A lot less heart in the mouth moments thinking a squirrel is a deer coming in. Also a lot more success seeing deer (and connecting, usually) and slightly less self guessing that locations I am picking are good deer corridors.

    Key off motion. Sure sometimes it’s a leaf falling between two trees 100yds out that catches your attention in your peripheral vision. Other times it’s a deer. If you think you see motion try moving your eyes first. Can’t see well enough slowly turn your head. Still can’t, listen. If it sounds like a deer, turn your body very slowly a little bit at a time. If it sounds like a squirrel, maybe do the same because maybe it isn’t.

    My head in windy weather is on a swivel...but a VERY slow swivel. Usually I am sweeping my sorroundings about once a minute probably taking 30-40s to turn my head stopping the turn every 10 or so degrees so that I can key on motion better.

    In calm weather I spend about half my time with my eyes closed listening. I can concentrate on my hearing a little better that way and a little light day dreaming helps me be able to concentrate better when I am looking. By half my time I mean I’ll have my eyes closed for 5 minutes then look around for 5. Of the maybe dozen deer I’ve had walk in on me during a sit (counting multiples) about half I’ve heard before I saw them and only one set of two busted me...and I blew the shot as one ducked as it walked out from around a tree and I shit overs it’s back. But they knew something was there. I called them in and they kept walking back and forth in front of my tree stand 20yds away looking up at me as the other moved around and then they’d switch off.

    During THE time from a couple minutes before first shooting light till about half an hour past dawn and the same at the end of the day I am eyes open sweeping periodically all the time.

    Still hunting is a bit easier for me as I am not the most patient. But even then I can spend 30 minutes covering 100yds and usually only do it during the middle of the day and try not to do it near where I’d plan to do an evening sit. I broke that rule on Saturday and likely bumped a pair of deer that might have walked in on the hillside I was going to be spending my evening sit around 2:30pm. They might not have headed my way, but maybe.

    Lesson reinforced.
     

    jhcrab

    Active Member
    Jun 28, 2012
    499
    Howard Co.
    Many years ago my deer mentor told me to "keep your head on a swivel". I've never forgotten it. BTW, the 2 deer that busted you, why did you "shit overs it's back." Couldn't hold it?
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,819
    Many years ago my deer mentor told me to "keep your head on a swivel". I've never forgotten it. BTW, the 2 deer that busted you, why did you "shit overs it's back." Couldn't hold it?

    If he was that close, how could he miss?

    :lol:
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    Move your eyes before you move your head. Keep your chin pointed down and tilt your head opposite the way you want to look while turning slowly.
    Pick up your feet and point them the way you want to shoot if you have to stand up while seated, well before they’re in range.
    Move real slow when there heads down, when the ears begin to fold back is when they’re getting ready to bolt.
     

    rgramjet

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 25, 2009
    2,962
    Howard County
    Someone was looking for a million dollar gadget not long ago.

    How about, The Deer Rear View Mirror?

    Cant tell you how many white tails I've seen when I just can't take it anymore, turn and look.

    I can picture the infomercials now!
     

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