A does ends my hunt with a snort. What would you do.

[PredatorTC]

When I look back at the few evening hunts I have had I see how most of them have ended. A doe would come by and smell me or where I walked or notice me in the tree and snort. Just the other night I had it again. I was set up on an intersections where bucks and does come out of the swamp. The doe came first and as she came, she was very calm. She walked on the wrong side of me and the moment she hit my wind, she locked up her breaks look right at me and snorted. She snorted over over and over as she went crashing through the swamp. It was a very quite night and I am positive any deer within 200 yards including the buck I was after heard what was going on. With something like this happening, would you assume a mature buck at this time of the year would defiantly not be coming out till after dark? When this happens I always assume I can do one of two things. I can stay sitting and waste my time, or I can get down and spot check a few fields at last light. I usually end up getting down. Would you do what I’m doing? I understand that a rutting buck could run by if I stayed sitting, but I don't see that happening at this time of the year. So the main question is, do you think a doe snorting ruins your hunt on a clear crisp and quite night? I want to hear about your experiences.

[Stump]

I think this is a "If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around, does it make a sound?" haha I would have to assume that deer blow at things fairly often in the woods. Coyote? They get spooked by something? Etc.... Do all the deer head for the hills, do they all avoid an area for X amount of the time or do they think/say "What the heck is that chick blowing at now? This is getting annoying." With deer being as temperamental as they are, it might be tough to know that they will do 1 thing every time.

What would I do? You've already made it to your spot and stunk it up to a certain degree, I'd stay and hunt the day out if you only have an hr or two left to go. Either that or kill every doe that's heading down wind from you.

[wibowhntr]

Did you shoot the doe for snortin at you

[PredatorTC]

I like your way of thinkin Stump. I talk to a lot of guys that have mature bucks turn around in their tracks and go back where they came from simply from hearning the saftey on their crossbows make a small tick. My thinking is that if a buck it that bothered this much by a small tick, then a warning from a doe has to be way worse. I guess every buck is different but thats part of were my thought comes from.

wibowhntr i have not shot a doe and a few years. Our freezer is way to full of cows, pigs, chickens, fish and other garden stuff

[Rutnstrut]

If a doe busts me, she has to die. Nothing personal, just how it is:)

[Hodag Hunter]

If you don't want to shoot her before she snorts you might as well stay.

You are there.....scented the area and nothing to lose by staying (if a buck does come by and wasn't alerted or alarmed by the doe) and what to gain by leaving?

I have had doe snort like crazy at me while other deer, bucks included kept coming my way from the other direction. Granted not huge monster bucks.....but they kept coming my direction. Even shot a few deer while another was snorting her brains out.

On the other hand have had deer snort and everything it seems within ear shot takes off in all directions.

I guy just never knows for sure......soooo you are in the tree and ready for a buck.....again same question you must ask yourself regarding most decisions in life what do I have to gain or lose.

I vote stay in most all instances.

[magicman54494]

Two snort stories:

1. Years ago I was hunting an oak ridge and this doe got down wind of me. She just kept snorting and stomping her feet so finally I decided to count how many more times she would snort. After I counted 100 snorts I quit counting.

2. I was sitting over a bait pile in northern Wis years ago and I had a doe and fawn eating at the bait. A spike buck came in and wanted to eat but was intimidated by the doe. He just started snorting and snorting at the doe and fawn. I can only guess that he was trying to scare them away. Well they just ignored him and kept on eating.

Do these stories help answer your question? Probably not.
What would I do? Keep hunting!

I have often heard deer snort that were not snorting at me. It really doesn't seem to be a real big deal to other deer in the area. As a matter of fact a snort can actually call in deer. Deer are curious and will sometimes investigate. If I bump a deer I will sometimes snort so they think I am just another deer.

[Dewey]

Back in November 2009 I was walking into a spot for an all day rut sit downwind of a doe bedding area. On my way to my tree I bumped into a doe that was late heading back to her bed. She never winded me but snorted at me for a long time and made me have second thoughts about sitting there. It was a dead still morning and I'm sure every deer for a long ways away heard her snorting. I said screw it and set up anyway not far from where this happened. Everything was quiet for awhile after daylight until I heard a deer headed my way. Ended up being a 130" 11pt and I killed him. If I would have changed my plans because of that doe I never would have killed that buck. Moral of the story is to never give up on a planned hunt unless of course the wind shifts and takes your scent to where you think they are bedding.

Deer snort all the time and I'm sure it puts them on alert for awhile but once they don't find the source of danger they seem to continue on what they were doing and many seem to have a rather short attention span.

My experience was during the rut so I suppose that is a totally different situation but I would do the same early season.

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[Haus86]

While I don't think it helps to have deer snort at you, I don't think it's a huge deal. Deer snort all of the time including at each other. I killed my biggest buck immediately after being snorted at by another deer for 15 minutes. I've witnessed bucks and does snorting at coyotes and eachother more times than I can count. However, I still hate hearing it.

[PredatorTC]

Great posts guys, I like the stories. They are a great confidence builder. Thank you

[Arrowbender]

I too have had does blow at me and then see bucks the same night. I think how they act after they blow may also factor in to haow other deer react to it. Some does blow and then half circle then walk off. These I don't think are as bad as the ones that run off spooked.

I have also had does blow at me and seem like they won't stop. I blow back at them and this sometimes sends them away puzzled.

[Czabs]

I would definitely not leave the stand. I've seen deer after getting snorted at, can't say I've seen any large bucks though.

Mike E. has filmed deer in the summer months blow at coyotes and have more deer come out.

I would stick it out.

[Milk Weed Seed]

Great post. I hate it when I get blown at! Like the others I've had mixed results after staying put, but if you leave you'll never know. Heck not like every sit a target buck walks in? I think killing the darn doe is the best option if possible, give the meat to someone who needs it. Win win in my book.

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[Stevew77]

last sunday i had 4 doe come in at last light, for 20 minutes i watched them feed until i couldnt see them anymore. One of them got to my entrance trail and smelled me, took off and blew 30 times. The other three just kept right on feeding under my stand and hung me into the tree for 30 minutes after running out of shooting light

[RaisedByWolves]

I have to agree with what others are saying..stay in the tree! I have seen big bucks shortly after being snorted at for long periods but it has always been during the rut.

One morning a few years ago a friend and I went hunting on my parents 20 acres. Their house is pretty much right in the middle of the property. He went one way and I went the other. I pushed a deer by my stand and it started snorting constantly....it ended up running/snorting all the way over to where my friend was. It was a super quiet morning. Funny enough, right at first light we both had big bucks (a 10 and a big 8) com past our stands and neither could get shots!