What should I have done differently

[MacAttack]

Looking for some advice so I can learn....

I was hunting some blacktail in Whatcom Co this weekend. Yesterday morning I was hiking through the forest and I find some tracks, I track it to a creek/swampy area and I'm trying to decide whether I should try and cross to continue the tracking. Then I hear a grunt, then I smell and hear him walking around....probably 20 ft from me. Trees and very tall bush was in front of me. I couldn't move, since everything was frozen and crunched when I walked. I waiting about for about 20 minute then decided to carefully back out and try to find a different way around the creek that I could easily cross.  I couldn't find one, so I went back to the spot and the smell was gone. This is the second time I had a missed opportunity and I am trying to learn from my mistakes, I just can't figure out what I should have done differently in this case.

[ghosthunter]

Grunt back and wIt ten minutes than go after him

[wt]

I'm no master but if that happened to me I would assume I was busted. And if I thought I was busted by a black tail I would either sit there for thirty minutes and back out (if I was going to come back in a couple days to hunt the same place) or I would move as fast as I could without running or sounding like a fleeing animal to where I thought I could get a visual and a shot. In my experience a black tail is just going to fade away after it busts you weather you stay still or not. So if I wanted to push for an opportunity I would get in there while he was slowly fading away, trying not to induce his explosive escape instinct. Grunting back may be productive as well:twocents:

[MacAttack]

I thought about going in after him, but my only entry point was right where he was. Didn't think about grunting...but I guess it sounds like I was busted....

[jackmaster]

You weren't busted, how was the wind, a doe will blow at you, if you had the wind in your favor you get up on the balls of your feet and walk like a deer, crunch crunch stop and look in every nook and cranny, get lower to the ground, sometimes making noise is your best friend as long as the wind anyone favor!! If its a big ole buck he will sit right down and let you walk right on bye

[lokidog]

I thought about going in after him, but my only entry point was right where he was. Didn't think about grunting...but I guess it sounds like I was busted....

It depends on the noise whether it was a grunt or a snort.  I always (try to anyways) carry a doe bleat call, just in case.  If you get busted by them hearing you, they may just think you are a doe.  If they are grunting at you all hot and heavy, be ready.

[MacAttack]

It was a grunt, not a snort. Wind was very little. I was in dense woods...a doe bleat call? I'll have to look that up. Everything was frozen so I was afraid that walking would spook anything, but it makes sense that they might think I'm another animal. Would it have been beneficial to have estrus with me?

[jackmaster]

It was a grunt, not a snort. Wind was very little. I was in dense woods...a doe bleat call? I'll have to look that up. Everything was frozen so I was afraid that walking would spook anything, but it makes sense that they might think I'm another animal. Would it have been beneficial to have estrus with me?

you might think i am nuts but the best cover scent you can have is wood smoke, from like alder or fir, i like alder the best, that takes dedication though, that means your clothes are always in a plastic bag, they dont get put on until your outside the rig and they damn sure arent worn why your driving, another good cover scent is the tarsal gland from the buck you get the previous year, we just cut them off roll up in cloth and freeze until the following year, that scent works great to but i still like wood smoke the best, like if you started a little fire and just burned alder like dry alder it doesnt have to be green leaves and just hang what huntn clothes your gonna use next to the fire like your drying them.. it works great, especially if the wind is unpredictable..

[cjjcb]

I've shot my fair share of whitetails so I can't imagine Blackies are very different. If you are sure it was a grunt, I'd bet you we not busted. If he grunted and you were in thick stuff I bet he was trying to get a response from you; to figure you out, what you were, etc.  I would have waited a good while, maybe grunted, then snuck out if he never showed.  Best to leave him feeling safe where he's at so he'll return... Just my humble opinion.