What do you mean by "better bucks"? To me one buck doesn't taste any better than the next.
You must be talking about HORN hunting, not deer hunting.
I use a UTV to get close to my blind because I am an old man and can't walk a mile to get to my stand. I am pretty sure I take my hunting seriously, I think, well maybe not, no no I take it seriously. What was I taking seriously? Oh yeah, hunting better tasting bucks.

I don't think anyone here takes issue with anyone who uses an ATV because of their limited mobility. But I'm sure there are many like me who could use the exercise to shed a few pounds and probably see more deer in the process.

I do not know if deer avoid atv's. I will not ever have one on my land. The "hunter's" next to me start their atv's at 7:00 am and let them idle for 30 mintues.. between 7:40 am and 8:am they will ride next to my fence to get to their "stands".
After I walk to my stand at 5:45 am on my land, it is wonderful to sit im my stand and have the " huner's" atv along my fence. I would like to park their atv where the sun don't shine. IMHO!!!

I love ATV's - I have a Honda Rancher and a Rincon, plus a Kawasaki Mule. I love to ride them on trails and have fun with my boys. We use them on our lease during the summer to set up our blinds and plant our plots. Couldn't get along without them.

But come hunting season they are kept at the house. We drive our PU's on our lease (3,500 acres) and then walk to our blinds once we get within a mile.

Right now, I've got six good bucks in my freezer (me and my two sons have tagged out). The youngest buck taken was 3 1/2 years old and we have nothing but mature 8, 9, or 10 points in the freezer. You don't have to choose between shooting "nice" bucks or getting meat. I like to do both.

We will be shooting some does next.

Is this good luck because we don't ride around on our ATV's on the lease during hunting season? I honestly think in large part, YES.

I do think one of those electric "BAD BOYS" or RUFF n TUFF's would be fun and useful during hunting season, but right now nothing beats walking - you just learn so much when you walk across the land.

We see more deer running around in the golf cart than the atv's

Opening weekend the neighbors got out of their blinds while I still had deer under my feeder (8:30-ish). They were several hundred yards away, but the deer stared towards the sound when they cranked up the ATV, then broke and ran when they started moving in our general direction.

I'm a believer in keeping noise to a minimum. I walk to my blind and, like others, feel I always see something new or learn something.

However, I am not as convinced about ATV's or UTV's always having a negative affect. I think it is more what the deer are used to. If they hear them all year long, they get used to them and tend not to be so spooky when they hear one. It's like anything else. Cows for example, if you introduce them to the property 3 weeks into the season, watch the deer disappear. On the flip side, if they are there year around, the deer get used to them. I think it's the change that affects them.

I agree there is a place and time to use ATV's and deer season isn't one of them on our lease. (unless you physically need assistance getting to the stand due to age or disability). I also agree that in some cases/areas deer are much less effected by the sight or sound of an ATV. That being said we don't allow them on our lease for several reasons 1) we are all able bodied individuals that could use the exercise. 2) We don't want someone else's laziness to scare off deer at our feeders as they head to their stand. 3) We want to eliminate the temptation to "joy ride" the trails during season.
And YES, IMO deer avoid ATV's.

If they hear them all the time they get used to them.

If no one ever rides the place and then a bunch of ATVs or even one come through - it can spook them.

I ride me place often with atvs , and no biggy.
I an even have 3-4 of us out there thrashing th place on atvs on saturday.
Sunday morning around 9-12 after the feeders go off at 7:20 am --------------- go out and set up the trail cams and get pics of tons of deer at the feeders go ff - come MONDAY morning.

(If you feed them - they will come....)

Just depends if they are accustomed to it or not.

Have a buddy who rides a 6 wheeled gator all over his place -
I am always amazed at how we can ride right past places where they are bedded down and all they do is lift their heads ad watch as we go by at 20 yrds.

In 30 years of hunting, I think it's what they are used to that counts. I've seen fourwheelers spook deer, and seen deer come and eat from the basket on mine minutes after getting off of it. Same thing for vehicles. I have seen deer come to the old yellow suburban at the ranch in south texas.... We call them corn whores...

Anyone ever shot at DPS's new range in Florence? I've seen deer on top of the berm DURING a live fire excercise... but they hear gun shots everyday.

Now, take a place that has trucks on it everyday, like oil fields or cattle ranches, never a ATV, then it can make a difference. Same for woods in east texas that are used by ATVers all the time but seldom a truck...

When Im riding around on my mule spottin hogs at night, we see deer all the time. The atv don't bother them at all. I dont think its any different then driving around in a truck. Just my $.02

BS on what ? you were not there and I was, quit being a jackass and calling BS.

Maybe your the BS

I hope that the hunters on the ranches that neighbor me are very successful and can afford the newest, biggest, fastest ATV's on the market.
Adios,
Gary

Years ago, I parked my ATV close to my blind one morning because I was running late. While in my blind, I watched a doe walk up to it, sniff around on it and calmly walk off. Honest!

I wouldn't doubt it myself.

But just don't try getting me to believe you've seen an old buck do that.

No, he took off on it!

I hunt pretty well all season off my utv. I start using it when feeding corn in August until the end of the season in February. My place is high fenced but I can't think of any buck I have seen out of a stand that I haven't seen while riding my utv. It depends on what they are used too. They know the sound of my utv means corn is on the way. I use my utv as a deer attractant. It works great in South Texas but probably wouldn't work in East Texas.

I have, as I was walking to the blind I looked over my shoulder and there was a buck sniffing my 4 wheeler,(too dark to be safe for a shot) by the time I got in the blind and legal shooting light he was gone. My son and I left blind at 10 am, rode 80 yards around the corner, there he was, shot him stone DEAD, OFF THE SAME DAMN 4 WHEELER WHILE IN THE SEAT WHILE IT WAS IDLING. 13 point, bout 4 years old. I will call BS on you. He is on the wall above my head right now.

I've hunted in west Texas and killed a lot of deer due them being courious of the Polaris. They would come closer to the Polaris and the blind was just above it. Some shots were as close as 15yds.

I can understand that some areas are totally different and the ATV's can be a warning to some game.