what went wrong

[sheettvet]

I was hunting the leeward side of ridge that ran east to west today when a 150in deer walked 18 yards of me. I was 20 feet in a treestand and he was approximately 10 feet lower than me topography wise. I was using a lock-on so I had some limbs that came out below the stand and were all around me(knee high). This deer was 2-3 steps from my shooting lane. Almost(or could have been, wind is variable in hill country) down-wind of me. The deer is very cautious.. Looking around etc.. Even looks up at me for about 5 minutes(seems like days) I am slow to move, with bow in hand before he is 30 yards of me(he is in brush). Im pretty sure he got my wind. Anyways.. He stands around looking at me and just around in general. Starts to go ahead and take a step and a squirrel behind me starts alerting about something(did I mention I really hate squirrels). He turns( 18 yards of me, 2 steps from shooting lane and trots off the other direction with tail in air. I am sick.... I am trying to understand why he was so uneasy.. Only two things I can come up with.. When I was standing in the tree I should have leaned against the tree so I could not have been silhouetted(he approached me at an angle)? Or He just got down-wind of me before he got to my shooting lane. Either way when dealing with mature bucks, do you guys/gals try to lay against the tree? Next time my shooting lane will be cut in a way that I can get the shot off before they get downwind of me. Any other tips I think I might vomit.

[Stanley]

He whiffed you. Pure and simple.

[Milk Weed Seed]

Sounds like he winded you and picked you off in the tree as well. Did he cross your entry (scent trail) also? Hang in there and don't beat yourself up.

[sheettvet]

I did not cross his entry trail. If he winded me and he probably did why would he be looking up at me? I can promise you I did not move. I was very very cautious. I wonder if a deer can smell so well that his nose told him it was from above? Do you all lean against the tree when standing? The only other explanation I have is he sillhouted me. I'm telling you guys I pocked this particular tree for all the limbs(cover). I'm still sick lol.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[dan]

He smelled you.. I believe they can smell where the air currents are coming from, so he looked up at you... I have a hard time imagining a buck that is on edge getting within 18 yards with me not having any shot. Hill country is very tricky with scent, IO shoot them as soon as I get a chance and usually pick a tree (and a position in that tree) where I can shoot 40 yards in just about any direction.
They get within 40 yards of me and they generally don't get back out of that 40 yard range without an arrow passing thru them.

[Stanley]

I would not judge you for not getting a shot off. In the thick stuff it happens even with shooting lanes. I got hooked with no shot just this week. Plus I never set up where I don't have a shot. The buck just sometimes doesn't present a good clear shot. You can't draw on a buck that is looking at you they will often crouch at the shot and you could ding him.

When a buck gets a small whiff they often stick their nose in the air to get a better smell. Seen this happen quite often. You would be surprised how well an alert buck can see a hunter in a tree. Close is the killer. They can can spot you up there very easily.

[sheettvet]

lesson learned. It will NOT happen twice. I was so close....