What did I do wrong?

[Expedition Scout]

Need some help understanding what I did wrong. Admittedly I'm not a big buck hunter, more on the side of subsistence to feed the family, however this year it just so happens there are a few nice bucks running around.... sooo  The property is only 40 acres so it forces you to set up in the center to prevent a deer from running onto adjacent land where I don't have permission to be.

Yesterday morning I walked into a new stand location that I just received permission to hunt. As I sat over a bunch of crisscross trails, near a overgrown pond area, deer started to flood in from all directions (so much for hunting the wind). My tree stand is approximately 30 feet up and well concealed with other trees and branches. I can see a geat deal, however only have shooting lanes in two directions. At one point I must have had 18 small bucks and does with fawns within 50 yards of my stand with as many as 8 at one time within 30 yards and 4 down wind of me. As the morning progressed and the deer continued to mill about, I realized that I might be a little to close to the bedroom area and to make matters worse the wind started to shift from blowing uphill towards the truck to downhill towards the pond. Still nothing seemed to bother the deer and they continued to mill around and moved into the pond area to bed, maybe 150 yards or more away from me. I slipped out of the stand around 1030.

I wash my clothes and shower before sitting on the stand and have a backpack that is only used during hunting season. I've tried to descent everything prior to the season so its not me that jacks up a hunt.

I went back to sit the afternoon with the wind blowing up hill again, slipping into the stand around 3:30. At some points during the evening the wind would switch blowing down hill but would change back quickly to uphill, almost like a 180 degree gust and then back to normal. Since I was confident with my scent regiment, I really wasn't concerned. One of the big bucks stood up in the center of the pond and started feeding at 6pm. It was the largest buck on the property. He feed for awhile when I lost sight of him. I wasn't sure if he bedded back down or left the pond. About 6:30 three more bucks stood up and started feeding; they were working there way towards me when without much fan fare, they darted out of the pond area (still well over 100 yards from me). At just about dark a single doe walked down the hill 30 yards from me headed past the pond and she simple blew up!  Started to snort and raise a fuss until she left the way she came in. Honestly, from the morning hunt having deer everywhere, I was still convinced it wasn't me and started to look for other reasons. To include looking for a mountain lion in the nearby trees. There is a fairly large population of coyotes in this area, however when they come around the deer get a little excited but stand their ground and watch the coyotes until they leave, then go back to normal. I also have trail cam pictures of a black bear in the area, but none on camera within a few days of yesterday.

The only difference to my regiment yesterday was using outdoor research scent killer spray prior to stepping to the stand for the afternoon. It was an old bottle of scent killer, but I can't believe that stuff goes bad.  What am I missing?? 

[bobcat]

I don't think you can fool a deer's nose, no matter how much scent killer you use. You're still going to smell like a human to a deer. When they didn't smell you in the morning it was probably because your scent was staying above them. So even with the wind direction being wrong, your scent didn't reach them. 

[Crunchy]

I don't put too much effort into de-scenting my clothes.   I wash them in baking soda and air dry.  That helps a little, but nothing you do will help if a deer catches your scent in the air. 

[fishngamereaper]

Persistence. You have the right area, just keep at it. Maybe stay all day. I like hunting during lunch cause the deer often get up and are moving from morning beds. As for Scent. Morning and afternoon thermals are different, not always wind related.

[LeviD1]

I always use scent killer spray. Some people say it does not work. But for 5 years I have yet to have a deer smell me and take off. My stand is only 15 ft up as well and have deer walk down my same trail right next to my ladder and down wind of me every year. Spray your clothes and spray your shoes.

[The scout]

time for ozonics, never used it but sure seeming more and more legit to me

[Mark251]

I don't think you can fool a deer's nose, no matter how much scent killer you use. You're still going to smell like a human to a deer. When they didn't smell you in the morning it was probably because your scent was staying above them. So even with the wind direction being wrong, your scent didn't reach them.

 

I don't use scent killers because I just don't think you're going to fool a deer's sense of smell.  My stand is 15' off the ground and I've had deer walk right under the stand.  If the wind is blowing hard enough to keep your smell above them you may be okay.  If you're upwind with little or no wind you'll get busted more often than not - even if you're wearing a scent killer.  Just my thoughts...

[MountainWalk]

I swear,  deer seem to not mind diesel, grease, oil and two stroke mix.

[Expedition Scout]

Thank you for the incite.