Trapped Like a Rat!!!

[Doc]

Yup! it's not the first time and probably won't be the last. 4 good sized does came out in my little grasslot not too long before the end of shooting time and stayed out of range, just having a great time casually munching away while it got darker and darker.

I was in a pop-up blind that did it's job real well, but I found myself trapped inside afraid to pack up and unzip and step outside. The good news is that the back door opens up into a bunch of fir trees that I planted, and the zipper is plastic and very quiet.

So anyway here is what I tried. I grabbed my grunt call, and started playing a tune on it hoping the does would think some horny buck was on its way into the field and just maybe with the chasing of the rut they might just scoot out of the field so I could exit the blind. Well, maybe that was a good thought but it didn't work. Instead it just pulled their attention to the blind. It also got them all to get even closer ...... not at all what I wanted or expected. Finally they got to the point where they were mostly ignoring the grunt call and simply went back to their grazing. They were about 20 yards away, but the shooting hours were past even though lightwise I could have easily made the shot. So, I was forced to go to plan B.

Finally, I set eveything down on the ground, and used the road noise (highway is fairly close) to cover the noise of the zipper, and slipped out the back. Being instantly 1 row inside the fir plantation, I was also instantly screened from view. So I just left everything in the blind and snuck down the row of trees and made a big circle around the field and back to the house.

I just might have pulled it off, because I heard no snorting or stomping or crashing off into the thicket. I'll get my stuff tomorrow morning.

It probably would be a good idea to let the place calm down a bit before I hunt there again. Of course, it's a spot that can only be hunted with a south wind (very scarce the last couple of weeks), and also we only have a few days of bow season left. It's a real shame because I have regularly been getting pictures of this bunch feeding within a few yards of this stand.

So anyway, I can't be the only guy that's been trapped this way (either in a ground blind or a treestand). What do you guys do to make the great escape without busting the area for the remainder of the season?

Doc

[fasteddie]

Yeah , I could have sworn that I heard someone playing "Jingle Bells" on a grunt tube . That was you , Doc ?  http://www.downsouthhuntingforums.com/images/smiles/smiley-laugh-point-up-yellow.gif[/img]  http://www.downsouthhuntingforums.com/images/smiles/smiley-laugh-point-up-yellow.gif[/img]  http://www.downsouthhuntingforums.com/images/smiles/smiley-laugh-point-up-yellow.gif[/img]

[Doc]

No, it was my best rendition of "go Away Little Girl"....... for those old enough to rememnber that one ..... lol.

[fasteddie]

You should have left the door flap open and maybe yhey might have camped out in your blind .

[Doc]

lol ...... But seriously folks ..... I know that this sort of thing must happen to others. At some point in the evening, we do have to get out and go home even if there are still deer hanging out in the area. Has anyone actually figured out a fool-proof way to gracefully escape the stand without blowing all future opportunities there?

[hunterjohn]

hey doc i dont think there is a fool proof way one noise and if there still close good bye

[Doc]

I was thinking that maybe there was a noise or something that would get them to leave without associating their reason for leaving with me or my stand. That's why I tried the buck grunt, hoping that they had already been harrassed by bucks and would just vacate the field for the night so I could get out.

I have heard suggestions that a mimicked coyote howl might produce the same result, but I didn't quite want to risk that either. I'm not sure that would produce the "soft-spook" (I just made that up ....lol) that I was looking for. I think there might be some value in waiting until after dark. I realize that they have excellent night vision, but I always seem to be able to get away with a lot more stuff with deer as long as it is dark.

I don't know, but I was hoping that somebody might have figured out some kind of trick that works at least some of the time. It is real frustrating to know that a favorite stand that is the result of a lot of hours of scouting and planning is about to be screwed up for the season simply because the deer arrived too late. I took a heck of a chance trying to sneak out the back, and I still don't know if it worked or not. But I didn't really have any choice.

Doc

[WNYBuckHunter]

Ive had it happen before. I have done the grunt thing, which has never worked. A snort wheeze will work if you do it a few times. If you bark like a dog it works sometimes as well. Ive thought about taking my predator call and letting some coyote howls go with it to see if that gets them on their way.

[fasteddie]

I would be leary about using the coyote call as the deer might relate that area to danger . Then again , I really don't know .

When my oldest son would be trapped in his treehouse , he would have my youngest son drive up with his truck and the deer would scatter but come back later .

[WNYBuckHunter]

I doubt it, theres lots of yotes around and while the deer dont like the yotes, its a natural sound to them. I wouldnt think it would do anything other than kick them out for the time being.