New Guy Question

New deer hunter here with a question. As rifle season gets closer do you all avoid shooting around your blind/feeder? In other words, if I'm at the lease this weekend and see a hog or coyote, should I shoot it or pass until after rifle season?

Thanks.

I kill all hogs and coyotes on sight. Even if deer are around. The only way I pass a shot is if a big buck is around I do not want to spook or am trying to get a shot at.

Kill all hogs and yotes. I have been shooting during dove season on my property as well as sighting in my deer rifles. The deer will get used to a pattern of gun fire.

This

I say yes, I even try not to drive into my area (or anyones).

It's been found that 90% of the deer taken during any given season are taken during the first two weeks. That just goes to show that once the hunting pressure starts, it doesn't
take the deer very long to figure out we're after them. While deer don't have a long term memory, hunting pressure does cause them to alter their travel and feeding patterns which has a definite impact on our chances of seeing them during daylight hours.

IMO, if you want the best chance to catch a wary buck on his way back to or from his bedroom, stay out of his neighborhood until you're ready to sneak up on his house.

I should add that taking long walks to your stand during middle of the week hunts later in the season can be extremely effective. After those first weeks of the season, the deer just seem to know when the weekends arrive. The extra noise on weekends probably has something to do with that. I took a very nice ten-point late last season following that approach.

I agree with Dan

Appreciate the responses guys. Thanks.

If you have hogs and yotes at your feeder often, this will effect deer and keep them away. Shoot all hogs and yotes on site. The hogs and yotes will do more to hurt the hunting than a few gun shots. IMO

I have seen hogs "take over" a feeder... too much activity and the deer don't show. Also, my buddy and I were recently doing a bunch of chainsawing around a feeder mid-afternoon, our trucks coming and going. The deer still showed at their routine time a few hours later.

-Mickey

An old fishing guide always said that weekend fishing was altered by increased traffic on the surf.. Somehow he thought the fish heard and felt the cars from the beach.. Can he or anyone else prove this? I doubt it.. But experienced has shown him the differences.. I believe him.. So why should it be an different with wt hunting? I can say this with confidence though, some of my best days hunting have been during the week.. Coincidence? Maybe? Maybe not...

We dont like shooting rifles at all unless its on a deer were wanting to shoot. We usually try and kill hogs, doe and cull bucks with our bows. We bought a crossbow (Ghost 400) for this and keep it in the stand with us along with our rifle. We wait until after the season to do our coyote killing. But we still will shoot them on a part of the ranch were not hunting.

Agreed

I shot a coyote 2 weeks ago to the east of my blind, while does were feeding to the west of the blind. They stay for about 10 minutes then left. So yes,

That blurry furry spot in the lower left corner was a coyote that spooked all the deer off. This doe came back after I shot along with several other deer at 8:10 that morning. The deer on this place are spooky and flee when any hogs, coyotes or bobcats move in. It is due to dogs running loose and chasing them.
This doe was a bit curious but then went back to eating.

Yes, but you are the Deer Whisperer, so your accounts in the field don't count

Some deer do return after a shot. I have had them return and eat around a doe that was shot...doesn't mean I want to be shooting around where I am hunting.

That explains why you never kill anything.....

Again it is usually not the shot that spooks a deer but the movement, noise and sight of the hunter exiting the blind to retrieve his game that does that.

X2

I've had deer stay in the opposite sendero from where I shot, and I've had them show up a few minutes after I've shot. But, there's no telling what didn't come out that day, or the rest of the year for that matter, because of my shot.

The object of the game is to make them comfortable of their surroundings and unaware of disturbances. Yes, you might shoot a nice buck after announcing your presence....but, his daddy might have been right around the corner paying better attention.

Same could be said for that big buck watching/hearing you walk or drive in to you stand to hunt before daylight. Did you spook and never see him?

Awesome response. Thanks for taking the time.

So to sum up, it depends on who you ask. Some would shoot a hog or coyote right around the feeder, and some wouldn't. Got it. haha.

I have shot deer with my rifle and had deer walk right up to it just laying there dead. But I think the chances of seeing the mature older bucks is slim to none when they feel the hunting pressure.

BEST TIME TO SHOOT A COYOTE IS WHEN YOU SEE A COYOTE!!
I wouldnt get trigger happy, I've shot deer 2 mins apart...

We shoot all coyotes and hogs we see, during our pre-season trips. We all stay off of the lease for 2 weeks before opening day to let everything calm down and get into a routine.