Hunting Stand after harvesting a Deer

[Crossbow]

How long is it recommended to let a stand "cool down" after harvesting a deer from it? The deer did leave blood following up to its demise. Not a tremendous amount, but still a quantity.

 

[KSQ2]

How long is it recommended to let a stand "cool down" after harvesting a deer from it? The deer did leave blood following up to its demise. Not a tremendous amount, but still a quantity.

During the rut I don’t wait any time at all. Keeping in mind that overhunting a stand even without a kill is never a good thing, especially early in the season, if you plan to rely on that stand all fall.

 

[Crossbow]

Right, I am aware of that. Shot a 6 point from a stand I really like, and pulled it out last Thursday 9/28. Here it is Monday 10/2, wanted to get feedback if it is enough time to hunt tonight or let it cool down some more.

 

[yoderjac]

How long is it recommended to let a stand "cool down" after harvesting a deer from it? The deer did leave blood following up to its demise. Not a tremendous amount, but still a quantity.

The act of entering, hunting, and exiting a stand has as much or more impact on deer as shooting a deer from the stand. I like to have enough stand sites so I can put a couple weeks between hunting the same stand location. That is, of course, when targeting mature bucks outside the rut. For other deer or during the rut, it is more important to be on stand, any stand.

 

[T-Max]

I think deer react to death a lot less than we would think. It is a normal part of their existence. As long as the rest of your time there was gone about in a careful fashion, I think you could hunt there the next day.

 

[yoderjac]

I think deer react to death a lot less than we would think. It is a normal part of their existence. As long as the rest of your time there was gone about in a careful fashion, I think you could hunt there the next day.

Completely agree. It is the human activity that can be problematic.

 

[George]

I killed a buck one time smelling a doe that just died of a spine lung shot.

G

 

[BenAllgood]

How long is it recommended to let a stand "cool down" after harvesting a deer from it?

As long as it takes you to settle your sights on the next deer standing there.

 

[Drycreek]

I agree with Ben. When I’m hunting deer, and a hog shows up, I’m now hog hunting. Same with a coyote. One frosty morning a few years ago I killed two coyotes within minutes of each other, then had a doe with twins walk in about 15/20 minutes later. I thought for sure they would turn wrong side out but to my surprise, they paid little attention to the dead coyote. The little buck fawn even walked up to within a few feet of the carcass and looked it over well while his mother watched. They continued to eat in my plot like nothing had happened.

I have also killed deer and had others come in within minutes like nothing happened. However, I do think a mature buck might act a little more cautiously. I’ve seen a couple of them flinch at gunshots that were a half mile away.

 

[Deadeye]

I had a Stand back in Pa where my Brother left one of our Cousins hunt in it cause he know I would not be up that year. He and his Son both shot Bucks out of it on Opening Day.