Am I busted and will this deer come back

[Jordan5452]

Today I rattled a deer in on my 3rd sequence. Only to start rattling and see a body through the brush and say to myself “that’s got to be a deer” but I kept rattling anyway. Pretty sure we were staring at each other during the commotion. I don’t know why I didn’t stop and pick my rifle up. The deer flashed his tail once and then disappeared back into the timber. The deer was upwind 80 yards, he didn’t snort. Gut wrenching feeling as it could have been my target deer. Is this deer blown out as he watched me rattle? Should I leave the area alone for a few days or what. I feel like an idiot to have kept rattling. I knew it was an outline of a deer, I just thought my eyes were deceiving me.

 

[Ice-kub]

IMO, he'll be back, might take a day or two, but he'll be back

 

[Jordan5452]

This is the target buck

 

[Jordan5452]

IMO, he'll be back, might take a day or two, but he'll be back

I sure hope so. He literally stood there staring while I clashed the antlers, he def seen me sitting but. Idk. Stupid move on my part to keep going and not trust my eyes

 

[jimh406]

If there are does around, he'll be around, but might not come to the rattle. I would just hunt the area. There might be a bigger one that hasn't shown up on your camera.

 

[Jordan5452]

If there are does around, he'll be around, but might not come to the rattle. I would just hunt the area. There might be a bigger one that hasn't shown up on your camera.

There is a few around but this deer only showed up on the 7th. There’s no gaurentee it was him as I never got my binos up. There was a smaller 4x4 on that same line he walked out from on my cam at 4 am this morning

 

[TSAMP]

Man, relax.
For as much clout as elk get. Us whitetail guys take the cake on worry and hypothetical.

 

[Jordan5452]

Man, relax.
For as much clout as elk get. Us whitetail guys take the cake on worry and hypothetical.

I sure hope you’re right! This feels worse than getting busted by a bull elk. I’ve been sitting this spot for the last 10 days

 

[Swamp Fox]

Depends on how your rut runs, to have half a chance.

Emphasis on half.

They're not stupid, even when full of ... vinegar ...


Here, it would be next year, if ever.

 

[TSAMP]

Of all the times a deer will be smart. This isn't one of them. I had a mature deer come in 3 times today, literally ripped the head off my decoy. He came back an hour later and tries to fight it again. After i climb down and put it back. Of course I had does present which helped. But if they didn't smell you they forgive about anything this time of year.

 

[Nockemdwn]

Man he looks like a hoss on that last pic. !

As Arnold says …

He’ll be Bach !!