Don't Freak Out Over Every Disruption in the Woods

I have consumed outdoor media since I was a young boy. From magazines to early VHS tapes, I’ve soaked in as much hunting information as possible. Over the years, I was constantly bombarded with details warning me about hunting on a bad wind, avoiding bedding areas, remaining scent-free, staying away from the deer sanctuary on your property, etc. These constant words of caution eventually turned me into such a paranoid and neurotic bowhunter come fall that I couldn’t even enjoy myself in the woods. I was so worried about everything that I was paralyzed in my approach.

Well, after spending more than 30 years in the whitetail woods, I have now come to realize I missed out on a multitude of opportunities as a result. I believe that I was, for the most part, too careful!

As with anything in life, there is a time to play it safe and there comes a time to go for it. It was the great Kenny Rogers who said, “You’ve gotta know when to hold ’em. Know when to fold ’em.” From going for it on fourth down to laying up on a par 5, this sentiment can be used over and over.

In the world of whitetails, it is always important to keep the odds stacked in your favor; however, sometimes there are opportunities that allow you to be more aggressive and discard all the red-alert no-nos we’ve been taught all these years. Even when the most undesirable hunting practices are unfolding in front of you, it doesn’t mean all is lost. In some cases, it opens opportunities to use alternative methods to get the job done.

Embrace the Pressure

In the highly pressured woods of northern Michigan where I live, it’s important to be in the locations where the deer can get away from human activity. But given the large number of hunters, there is so much pressure in these areas that if you don’t own private property or create a sanctuary, it is impossible to have a spot where deer are not pressured.

Although there are still deer there, they react differently to that pressure. And, ultimately, I have come to grips with the fact that most of the deer I am hunting are being disturbed by human intrusion on regular occasions. As a result, I have had to learn how these disturbances affect deer, and how I can use them to my advantage.

Getting into areas where the deer hide has always been a good tactic during high-pressure times such as the rifle-season opener, but these are not the situations I am discussing. I’m talking about using different types of pressure to your advantage as far as scouting, setups and access.

One of the biggest pressures to the early fall woods in my area is small-game hunting. In one location in particular, the woods are absolutely pounded by dogs and hunters from Sept. 15 all the way through the entirety of deer season. What makes matters worse is the fact that those same spots that hold grouse and woodcock in numbers are also the best spots for good bucks to bed. This can make it frustrating to try and pattern deer in this ever-changing environment. However, I wondered if the deer are constantly being bumped from these locations and are still returning, why was I being so careful in scouting or in my setups?

I actually thought about the idea of scouting or walking to my stands with a pretend beeper collar on. These deer have heard dog beeper collars for years and I bet that unless they are literally stepped on, they probably watch those dogs and shotgun hunters wander right by. As a result, I have let down my guard a tad on my entry and exit routes, and I have not passed on the opportunity to check out new locations throughout the season.

In years past, I wouldn’t have even thought about going into some of the areas I do now. These constant intrusions have allowed me to be more aggressive in my stand selection, and if I bump a couple of deer now and then, it is not the heartbreak it used to be. I know now that they have been disturbed so many times in the past that it is just another day in the Michigan woods.

I witnessed this exact scenario firsthand when I was startled by running deer one October afternoon. Three does and a small buck came sprinting into my stand location and stopped, looking behind them. Soon after, I could hear the telltale beep of a dog collar. I could also hear two hunters talking as they busted through the brush. Those deer froze in place until the hunters had passed and, shortly after, they resumed their initial feeding plan and slowly started grazing in the same direction that the hunters went. These deer knew they were safe and, based on their reaction, I doubt they altered their bedding area the next day. I bet they went right back to where they slept the day before, regardless of the disturbance of the dogs and the scent left behind.

Many people have discussed the “bump-and-dump” scenario before, so this is not anything groundbreaking. I am simply stating the fact that rather than looking at the intrusion of other hunters or even yourself as a total negative, think of it as something that you can actually take advantage of at times.

Don’t get me wrong; if one has the ability to maintain their property in a vacuum where all the variables are controlled year-round, it is always advantageous to not let the deer know they are being hunted. However, in my case, and in the case of many hunters, this is not an option. There are so many unforeseen things we have to overcome that there are times we just need to go for it and try. If circumstances provide an opportunity, use it as your edge to potentially outsmart the deer.

Everyday Activity’s Good

Another example of using disruption to one’s advantage would be hunting around farms. Most of my time is spent in big-woods scenarios. I do not hunt over any lush, manicured food plots or large agricultural fields. However, one location I have permission to hunt is a cattle farm. When I first started hunting the property years ago, I found myself constantly worried about multiple whitetail-hunting faux pax: accessing the woods across an open field in the morning on my way into the timber, that old tractor’s diesel engine rolling over at first light to drop off round bales for the cattle, the neighboring farmer clearing his trails through the woods with a chainsaw, etc.

After awhile, I realized the farmer was always out in the fields with his headlamp on checking his calves or delivering round bales. The neighbor cuts wood religiously come fall every year. The deer were all used to these daily affairs and it wasn’t permanently changing their patterns. Sure, they may run off when I walk across the field an hour before first light with my headlamp on; however, that same situation has unfolded hundreds of times before. The deer didn’t know the difference between being hunted or inconveniently bothered by the farmer during his morning alfalfa feeding protocol. I actually benefit from these scenarios as compared to the hunter who has to somehow get out of his stand overlooking a food plot that’s loaded with deer at night.

Another big disruption in my area has become the increased regularity of ATV usage. According to all of my early magazine reading, I was supposed to go deeper in the woods than anybody else to chase those old bruiser bucks that avoided people like the plague. However, with so many trails nowadays, and the ease with which hunters and hikers can get literally anywhere, this is getting harder and harder to do. I have also realized that maybe I don’t need to go that deep. Maybe that tight piece of cover that is near some of these heavily used trails can hold a good buck.

I found one of these locations not long ago. This particular spot was only 100 yards off a well-known backwoods venue where kids would take side-by-sides, dirt bikes and ATVs regularly to tear up a hilly sand dune. It was an overlooked travel corridor and ultimately provided one of my best bucks ever on the opening day of Michigan deer season. That particular deer walked only 40 yards away from this well-known “wheeling” area and it brought him past my stand at 20 yards before I sent an arrow through his ribs. I guarantee most hunters walked by this location due to how busy it was. This particular buck used it to its advantage for 4.5 years of life until I caught on to the plan.

Conservative practices have killed thousands of deer, and good hunters should always go as undetected as possible. However, when unique opportunities come around, use them to your advantage. Maybe it is best practice to actually drive your side-by-side right up to your stand. Don’t avoid that great morning stand because you have to cross a pasture to get there. Let the normal disturbances be a key to your success.

Let’s be honest; everyone knows a deer story or two involving a crazy stand location or ridiculous conditions where some lucky hunter was successful. If experienced hunters took advantage of these unique scenarios, disregarding the negative stigma attached to them, they might open up a whole new avenue to our success.

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