How long to wait for blacktail bucks to return?

[djnoodle]

Tonight was my first time using my tree stand. It is on private property bordering a heavily used orchard that is left over from an old homestead. The orchard is not private and gets heavily used.

As soon as I got up in the stand, a doe comes right to the base of it to check it out. 12 yards. (Buck only unit) After a while, she moseyed off and then returned an hour later with two fawns.

Right at dark, I mean in the last 5 minutes of legal light, I spotted two bucks, a 3-pt and a fork horn,  60 yards away in the other end of the clearing. I watched them from my perch for quite some time, until I could not see them anymore due to darkness. Then I carefully started down the tree stand and across the field. I had to get within about 30-40 yards of the Bucks before I could turn right handed towards my truck due to the blackberries and briars.

As soon as I got to that point where I was the closest to where the bucks were, they jumped up, spooked and ran! I really had hoped they were gone, because it was too dark to shoot them and I didn't want to spook them from the area, but once I could not see them and I waited another 5-10 minutes, how as supposed to know if they were still there?

So my question is this: how long should I wait before returning to the hunt that spot again? Will they come back in two days? Tomorrow night? Next weekend? Never?


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[predatorG]

This is a hard question to answer, especially since this happened right at last light. Last year my dad spooked a deer, sat down, and waited as the deer walked a full circle around him then gave him a 15 hard broadside shot. A year ago from today, actually. My bet is they return. They might have even returned by now. Or they're gone for a little. Blacktail don't really need to run far, the land is so thickly brused in that they can simply hide. I doubt their gone, but it will be way harder to catch them in daylight. I'd be extra careful getting into your stand these next few days. If you really want to try and pull them out in the light, ask around and see if anyone has any early season rattling techniques. My advise if that is your path is to keep it light. Don't slam them together.

[Turner89]

If I understood you right, this orchard has alot of human visitors? If so, I would think the deer are used to human scent. I'd be back there Sunday.. good luck

[fishnfur]

No one can answer that question for those bucks.  They are individuals, and don't behave the same from one to the next.  You got caught in a bad situation.  There is no right answer for how long to wait, but waiting at least a few days to get back in the stand may be a good idea. 

Boyd Iverson suggested carrying some rocks with you into the stand so that you could toss them and scare away any lingering bucks around your stand before you exit.  Alternatively, if you get busted getting out, you should at least act like you are not a predator trying to kill them.  Don't look at them or make eye contact, and make noise as you try to make a graceful exit.  I whistle at tune while I'm in the woods with does close by.  They let me pass without too much fuss.

[Griiz]

They will be there when they will be there. Hard to pattern Blacktails. Sit in the stand as often as you can. They will show up at some point.