It’s difficult to get to a stand unnoticed, no matter what method you choose.
QUESTION: I am disabled and can’t walk to my deer blind. Will it affect my deer hunt if I drive my SxS to my blind? – Randy B.
ANSWER: The short answer is: Probably. Any time you enter their domain, whether by ATV, truck or even on foot, it affects deer. It then becomes a matter of how they react, and there are situations where it might be better to approach by vehicle than on foot.
We’ve all seen deer stand and stare as we drive by in a truck, but they head for the hills the moment we stop and step out. And the more vehicle traffic a particular area receives, the more deer grow accustomed to it.
If your blind is in a food plot, I wouldn’t recommend you drive to it in the pre-dawn darkness, or even in the afternoon if there are already deer in the plot. If you can get there early enough and conceal your ATV, you might have a decent hunt.
Even better would be if you could have someone drop you off. I’m quite mobile but will often have someone drive me right up to a shooting house or blind rather than walking in, as the latter can sometimes cause more disturbance.
Finally, deer react unpredictably, and every situation is different. Avoiding detection is like trying to suppress human odor. You can reduce the disturbance you cause, but you can’t eliminate it. Some deer are still going to smell you; it then becomes a matter of how they react.
— Recent Ask the Biologist Question: Where’s the Venison? Get to know the nutrition facts about venison so you can share with your friends. Find Out The Answer!