I took a weeks vacation and hunted all week. I started hunting Friday week ago. Hunted every day. Would hunt 5 hours in the morning, take a short break and hunt from 3:00 pm till dark. I let 3 does walk by knowing that the nice 8pt was in the area. All those hours in the stand and I never seen him. This morning I went back to work. At 8:08 am he walked In front of my camera. 15 yards from the stand. What do you do…

Shoot the doe!

What he said. Horns are okay. Meat is the real trophy.

Sounds like somehow he knew you were there. Might think about how you approach your setup and try switching things up.

It happens, one very nice or the area was hitting several feeders on a very regular basis. I hunted for him the whole season. 2 feeders on my place he hit often but never both on the same day. At least 5 times I was at one feeder hunting while he was at the other one. Real nice fellow member of the THF that owns the place just West of my lease got him the next year. We both were after that deer and I am just glad one of us got him.

I have a ladder stand on one side of the area and I use my climbing stand when the wind is not right for the ladder stand. But you’re probably right that he was busting me. They don’t get big being stupid.. lol
I hope when the rut gets closer he lets his guard down!

Thats why they call it hunting!

Had that happen with a big fallow we were chasing. Was around every day at 3pm like clockwork until we got in the blind.

Never did get him

If it wasn’t for luck like yours I’d have no luck at all! Enjoy another hunt, keep after him and he will slip up.

He’s got you pegged. Try a chum pile 100 yards away. Maybe try getting to your stand a different way. That’s worked for me.

Happened to me last week. Hunted from the 7th to the 11th. The big deer I was after was never seen. The morning of the 12th, he showed up on camera 20 yards from where I had been sitting. He also showed up on the 13th, 14th, 15, and again this morning. It is what it is. He'll slip up eventually.

I've been in a 14' ladder stand the past 3 seasons and only been busted by something behind me one time. Actually, think it saw me move and not my scent. Clean clother, shower and a cover scent is all I ever use. I`ve had 2-3 bucks at a time under me and never a scent problem. I don`t even hunt a feeder. Just throw hand corn every time I hunt and always have deer show up. Sometimes before I get my bow pulled up. Hand corn is the ticket if you ask me. My son doesn`t do it and sees about half or less deer than I do and he`s 300 yards away.