What are your thoughts on getting an arrow off undetected?

[Stanley]

When you have a buck in close do you do anything to improve your chances of remaining undetected for the shot? I hear so many tales of spooked deer during the shot (bow). Thought this would make a good topic to talk about.

[dan]

I think getting an arrow off undetected is more in the set up and ambush you select before the buck gets there... I have also noticed deer seem to have a zone arond them within about 10 yards where not much of anything goes on that they don't notice. When I was young I used to have a problem with setting up to close to the trail and the deer would always catch me drawing. Now I try to stay back and have the deer be 15 to 25 yards from me.
I also, rarly draw my bow before the buck enters a shootable opening. To many times they either catch the draw and stop, or the naturally stop and there you sit drawn waiting. If the buck does catch you drawing and there is a shot present, most of the time there seems to be a second or two that they just stair considering what they should do. That gives you enough time to finish the draw and shoot.
I get busted a lot in the marshes, but thats cause the set ups are far from ideal. When your in a lone tree in an ocean of cattails its easy for a buck to pick you off when you move. You wont kikll them if you don't sit where they move in daylight so I have learned to make these "less than ideal" spots work.

[JV NC]

I do 2 things:

1. I try to set up with a larg(er) tree a few feet in front of me. When I'm able to do this, I can draw a lot easier.

2. If I can't do the above (or, if the deer's not in front of me), I draw when they turn their head...or when their head goes behind a tree. I draw 56#'s for a reason. I can draw it --- quickly.

Deer DO see almost everything around them....everywhere. Their field of vision is +/-300deg..

[Wrinkleneck]

If possiable I try not to make any noise to stop the deer. By this I mean, I don't bleat or anything of that nature to stop a deer from walking before I take a shot. I found it is much easier to hit your mark if the deer is NOT on the high alert. The more natural things can happen the better for me anyways.

[jlh42581]

I wait for them to put there head somewhere they cant see my actions. Also, this could simply be in my head but I do not make eye contact with a deer. If they look up at me, I look away. Something about that predator cue. Its bought me a shot before and not doing it definitely blew them out more times than not.

[lavazhole]

I like to stand so I always setup on the back side of the tree I'm in.

Since starting this I rarely get busted and I can hunt a little lower if the tree doesn't work out.

[JakeJD]

Am I the only Tree Saddle user around here? I get picked off way, way less in my saddle than in my hang-ons. I like to set up so the tree is between me and where I expect the deer to come from (no human outline on the approach). Then as the deer enters my shooting lane, I slowly draw and rotate into position. I rarely have a deer bust me or jump the string.

Even when deer come from the wrong direction, they rarely bust me and spook. They are very accustomed to seeing hunters in hang-ons, but they look at me in my saddle and I just look like another branch or broken trunk.

[Brandon]

I draw the last second I feel I could get picked off. I frequently hold my draw for what seems like forever... but its not a problem. My arm gets tired from holding the bow, but not the arm used to draw.

I proboaly draw earlier than I should... but to me its the HARDEST thing to do when an animal approches.
Its such a sign a releif for me to get drawn back.. its a great feeling knowing that animal is about to be in range.

I also hope and pray the animal looks away from me, back, or is heading paralell as that seems to keep me from getting picked off. I hate when a deer comes straight in and try to avoid it in my setups if I can.

[lavazhole]

Am I the only Tree Saddle user around here? I get picked off way, way less in my saddle than in my hang-ons. I like to set up so the tree is between me and where I expect the deer to come from (no human outline on the approach). Then as the deer enters my shooting lane, I slowly draw and rotate into position. I rarely have a deer bust me or jump the string.

Even when deer come from the wrong direction, they rarely bust me and spook. They are very accustomed to seeing hunters in hang-ons, but they look at me in my saddle and I just look like another branch or broken trunk.

I used to use my saddle until I hurt my foot

[Zap]

Pretty much what Dan said.

I stand as still as possible to the moment that its time to make a move.....then try to make that move count.

[headgear]

I either draw at the last second when there is a little cover between me and the deer, leaving myself an opportunity to shoot if I get busted. Another drawing tactic I use is to draw really slow when the deer is moving. My thoughts on this are when a deer is moving the woods are in motion around him and a very slow draw can blend into the background. Now I am not sure if that is really what is happening but it seems to work for me.

[Stanley]

Lot of good tips. Headgear mentioned moving deer. I have never had a deer bust me when they were moving. I do take a lot of moving shots. Windy days; deer will bust you way way less. Deer in thick cover; will bust you way less than deer in the open. Distance; the closer the animal the easier it is for them to bust you. Seeing the animal way before making the shot gives the hunter a little extra time to move into position for the shot.

[Dor]

Hunt high.
Hunt in cover.
Avoid bean poles (if possible)
Think about it before it happens and make a plan
Shoot a lighter bow.

This is simply something that you get better at as you have more experience. Live and learn.

[rudy78]

I lowered the poundage on my bow to allow me to be able to draw my bow for a longer period of time, so I can draw on them as they are moving or behind something so when they come into the open I can kill them. This year the buck I killed was only about a minute & half of draw time, the 2 previous bucks were over 2.5 minutes. These aren't estimated times because they have seemed like a lot longer, but they are real time on video so I know how long it actually was you would be surprised at how long 2.5 minutes actually is.

Another thing that has helped me is to hunt high and try to keep the run 15 to 20 yards in front or to my left so I don't have to move to much to get a shot, that is a in a perfect set up and how much does that happen though, LOL.
The last thing I do that helps not only drawing but just getting picked off in general is to hang my stands in the Y of a tree if at all possible. This helps more then anything to break up your outline.

[Spysar]

I can't really remember any time where I just couldn't draw my bow. I think instincts take over. As someone else said, I try and avoid eye to eye contact. If the deer looks right at me, I avert my eyes and look away.(without head movement) I just know when I'm not gonna get away with movement, and when I will. You have to read a deers body launguage.(good topic for another thread)

Other than that, I draw when he aint lookin.