For those of you that have to ride your machine to your stand....how far away do you park it (if wind direction can’t be determined). I have some ass busting terrain I have to navigate so walking in isn’t an option from camp.
Taking your ATV into the field.
- Thread starter Smawgunner
- Start date
Spencie
Senior Member
At our Athens county property I would ride to the top and then walk out the ridge for deer hunting. I did this for scent/sweat control reasons. Sometimes I would hear deer snorting at it but sometimes they (older bucks) would walk within feet of it. For turkeys I would walk up Mt Athens.
I haven't decided what I'm going to do on the new place. Probably just walk in.
I haven't decided what I'm going to do on the new place. Probably just walk in.
Sgt Fury
Sgt. Spellchecker
Good advise from Spence. I’d drive to the top then walk to the stand. The farther you can park it from your stand, the better.
I have know of folks to park theirs up the woods or down in a crossing location to act as a “deterrent” in hopes of bumping the deer closer to their stand. It’s has marginal results as deer smell cars, trucks, lawn mowers and 4 wheelers all the time.
How often do you or buddies ride ATVs at this property? Fairly often, or only during hunting season? If you don't ride there often, I'd recommend parking as far away as possible. Parking it uphill is a good suggestion. If the deer are used to ATV traffic at the property, and if it's possible, I think it's best to have someone drop you off at your stand. There's a big difference between deer hearing a quad shut off in a strange location and deer hearing a quad simply ride away. In the morning it can be risky but for afternoon hunts I think it can be very effective. Deer get conditioned to things like regular ATV traffic, or farm equipment, etc. Deer will let you drive right past them at less than 100 yds if you're in a tractor... But stop for a few seconds and open the door, they gone.
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I don’t think I’ve ever ridden a quad close to where I was deer hunting. I have on numerous occasions drive it to 100 yards of gobbling turkeys with no ill effects. Roosted turkeys, not yet on the ground.
If you plan to only ride to hunt, you will teach the deer to pattern you. So you should make sure to hunt that location only if conditions are perfect. Odds are, it’ll only work once in a mature deer.
If you plan to only ride to hunt, you will teach the deer to pattern you. So you should make sure to hunt that location only if conditions are perfect. Odds are, it’ll only work once in a mature deer.
triple_duece
Ragin Cajun.
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Hmmm, I think to a point it could mess them up. I’ve done about every scenario you can think of w no effects to minimal disturbance.
I’ve shot many bucks w my quad next to my stand out of site. I’ve also seen does get uneasy cause they seen it. Hunted 1 year in bama. Had a big buck patterned, parked atv 400 yards away. 8 am and a deer is blowing at it. Next morning 700 yards away same result. Next morning 180 degree wind and I shot and wounded the buck. 133”10pt.
In ms I could see my atv on a trail entering the crp next to ag. Watched many deer just walked right next to it entering field.
All of this, makes nothing conclusive. I believe we give deer too much credit. You can clear cut a wood lot and it’s loaded w deer tracks. See them standing next to a skidder or dozer. In all I think our smell is the end all for deer.
Y’all don’t have pressured deer. We down south definitely do. Our bow season is from October to end of January. Rifle is second weekend of November to almost end of January. Rut is around Christmas and later.
Now bow hunting I won’t drive up too close to where I’m hunting. Don’t need a deer on edge trying to get a shot. Deer are different as are people. There are no absolutes. Do what you feel is best for your situation as all of them are different.
I’ve shot many bucks w my quad next to my stand out of site. I’ve also seen does get uneasy cause they seen it. Hunted 1 year in bama. Had a big buck patterned, parked atv 400 yards away. 8 am and a deer is blowing at it. Next morning 700 yards away same result. Next morning 180 degree wind and I shot and wounded the buck. 133”10pt.
In ms I could see my atv on a trail entering the crp next to ag. Watched many deer just walked right next to it entering field.
All of this, makes nothing conclusive. I believe we give deer too much credit. You can clear cut a wood lot and it’s loaded w deer tracks. See them standing next to a skidder or dozer. In all I think our smell is the end all for deer.
Y’all don’t have pressured deer. We down south definitely do. Our bow season is from October to end of January. Rifle is second weekend of November to almost end of January. Rut is around Christmas and later.
Now bow hunting I won’t drive up too close to where I’m hunting. Don’t need a deer on edge trying to get a shot. Deer are different as are people. There are no absolutes. Do what you feel is best for your situation as all of them are different.
I can agree with all of that if we are talking about younger deer. Mature deer (buck or doe) are different animals. I could see, with the pressure you say, you guys not having many mature animals to hunt. But trust me, once they hit 4.5...they change and continue to change every year after that.
triple_duece
Ragin Cajun.
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Big_Holla
Senior Member
I have mixed opinions on this. For years my dad always said it never bothered them and would park it right next to where he hunted, bow or gun it didn't matter to him. He often would see real good bucks and sometimes get a shot at one, with the 4 wheeler right there nearby. On the other hand on several occasions I have ran some of the good bucks past trail cameras that I had no idea they were even nearby until I pulled the SD card. On several occasions I have seen bucks get up and take off when they were on the next ridge over a couple hundred yards away as I went by. Then there are the times when you drive right next to them and they don't even bat an eye. My son's biggest buck we had the 4 wheeler parked right next to the shack when he shot it during muzzleloader season one year. We drove in before daylight and he shot it late that afternoon which probably helped since it was quiet all day by then. IMO when it comes to the big boys it matters. Does and younger bucks I think it doesn't matter as much. I think the longer it sets there the better your chances are of having deer walk past. In for a couple hours I'd say the sneak in without it is the best choice. Just depends on you, how you deal with walks in/out, terrain and how long you plan to hunt.
After reading everyone’s posts, I guess I’m limited in my experience here. My deer hear and see me year round. My 4 wheeler is all over the property, starting and stopping , doing various tasks on the compound. I slow down when I see em in the woods and putt on by. The fawns can get a little spooked but mom is use to me and usually just watch’s me go by.
It’s a nice arrangement when I take the grandkids for a ride to look for wildlife.
It’s a nice arrangement when I take the grandkids for a ride to look for wildlife.
That is how it was here when I had a quad as well. That’s also why I stated about using it only when hunting. An every day quad is a different story. There’s also ways to train them around one. Half buckets of food being delivered does wonders. They know they have to stay close if they plan to get any of the apples or golden nuggets...
triple_duece
Ragin Cajun.
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We drop more scent walking in. And run the risk at sweating. Bow hunting is much more difficult to get them close than rifle hunting.
Now I will throw this out there. If your place never gets any atv/tractor/any motorized action, I believe it effects them more.
My buddy has 800 acres. He feeds August through February throwing corn out of a atv mounted spin hopper. He drives to all his stands. Leaves and comes back at noon and feeds his lanes and can look back and deer come out feeding when he’s still on it. This is high pressure hunting in Louisiana. Down here the deer are never “hungry” like Texas nor up by y’all during hard winters. He consistently killed hammers on his place. There are other places just the same. I also believe numbers are a factor where it might bother some but not others so the effects go unnoticed. Properties w just a few deer will probably see a more negative effect.
I also believe the most alert deer is a old doe. A mature buck is difficult to kill because the older they get, the more nocturnal they get. His weakness is poohnanny and without that he’s most likely gonna die of old age.
Let a mature doe bust you one time in the stand and she will blow at you every time in the stand even when the wind is right and she can’t be seen. There is no off time with that bitch as she probably blows at that spot even when your not in it.
Now I will throw this out there. If your place never gets any atv/tractor/any motorized action, I believe it effects them more.
My buddy has 800 acres. He feeds August through February throwing corn out of a atv mounted spin hopper. He drives to all his stands. Leaves and comes back at noon and feeds his lanes and can look back and deer come out feeding when he’s still on it. This is high pressure hunting in Louisiana. Down here the deer are never “hungry” like Texas nor up by y’all during hard winters. He consistently killed hammers on his place. There are other places just the same. I also believe numbers are a factor where it might bother some but not others so the effects go unnoticed. Properties w just a few deer will probably see a more negative effect.
I also believe the most alert deer is a old doe. A mature buck is difficult to kill because the older they get, the more nocturnal they get. His weakness is poohnanny and without that he’s most likely gonna die of old age.
Let a mature doe bust you one time in the stand and she will blow at you every time in the stand even when the wind is right and she can’t be seen. There is no off time with that bitch as she probably blows at that spot even when your not in it.
Big_Holla
Senior Member
I agree, the more you run it the more they tend to accept it as an every so often occurrence. Years when my dad did a lot of work out and about it never seemed to bother them. The last several years he didn't go out much other than to hunt or when we were down and that seems to correlate with them being less tolerant of it now.
I've tried it on places it's about a mile to get to the stand. Each time I've done it, I dont see a single deer and I am sure to park it way out of the way and it's out of sight. I just walk now, they dont care at all if you're just driving by but they seem to be able to pinpoint the location where its went and realize it's been shut off and something is going on in the area. Same thing with checking cards and what not. They will be there within the half hour after I leave. Just not worth it to me. If you can make the walk, do it, do it slow.
Big_Holla
Senior Member
Watched this video this morning. Some good perspectives on the subject.