There are many variables in determining whether or not your stand is located in the spot where a big buck may be present. The fact that you have a lot of deer activity near your hunting location is great. With does moving by regularly the chances of you seeing a buck chasing those does is good also.

What part of the country are you hunting? Have the bucks started to show signs of rutting yet? For example are you seeing rubs on trees or scrapes on the ground near your hunting location?

If the does have not started to go into the estrous cycle yet, chances are a buck may not be close by. But do not worry. They will be coming into cycle very soon. When the does start to go into estrous, the bucks will come out of the wood work to chase them.

Do you use a cover scent to mask human odor? If not, I would suggest you look into a good cover scent. Use a cover scent that correlates with your area. For example, you are hunting near oak trees. Acorn cover scent could work good for you with your current stand placement.

Are you using attractant scents? Buck Urine, Doe Urine, Doe-in-heat etc.? Again, use the appropriate attractant for the time of year you are hunting. Doe-in –Heat may not be as effective in the early season before the does in your area are in cycle.

One thing I do to attract bucks during the pre-rut and rut is create a mock scrape. To do this use a stick to move away leaves and grasses to expose the topsoil. Sprinkle buck urine and doe-in-heat scent into the fresh dirt. Make sure the scrape location has a small twig or branch above it. This branch above the scrape would act as the licking branch. Bucks will lick and rub the scent glands near their eyes on this branch to mark the territory as well as by urinating in the scrape you have just made.

This branch overhanging your mock scrape could also serve as a place to hang a drip type scent dispersal unit. A hanging scent dispersal unit will drip scent onto the scrape automatically which helps keep human scent to a minimal.

You had mentioned that three does were walking together. You also mentioned the does did not look behind them and did not seem too nervous.

Again the question arises, are the does in your area in heat?

One way to tell if does are in cycle is by observing their body language. Nervousness and looking to where they had come from tells that something may be following them. Perhaps even a big buck.

When a doe is ready to breed, it usually prefers no other company from other deer except the suitor buck. If a buck is chasing her she will constantly be on the move looking over her shoulders until the timing is right for the doe to stand still.

When I know the does are starting to come into the estrous cycle and are beginning to think about breeding, I start to implement calling, rattling and the use of attractant scents.

Using calls and scents can be important if you have a buck nearby. He will hear the sound and smell the scent you have out and may come to investigate.

Here is what I have been using with good success.

I carry the Hunter’s Specialties E-Z Grunter with me when I go out hunting. This call offers the hunter 4 different calls in one. The sounds range from a fawn bleat to a big buck grunt. I have had really good success calling in deer with this particular call

Primos makes an easy to use call named The Can. It mimics the sounds of a doe in heat. It is easily carried in a pocket and very easy to use. Simply tip The Can over and it makes a near perfect sound each time.

If you know a big buck is in the area you hunt, the snort-wheeze is an excellent call to use. But beware. Only use the snort-wheeze if you are reasonably certain the buck in the area is the dominant buck.

The snort-wheeze is a sound a dominant buck will make to chase off other smaller bucks. If the big buck of a lifetime is nearby he will hear the challenge and come running looking to chase off the intruder. On the flip side if a smaller buck is present, he may turn tail and run.

As for scents, I use Code Blue Whitetail Doe Estrous during the pre-rut and through the rut. I have also used Tink’s Number 69 during the rutting phase.

Before and after the rut I use Code Blue Whitetail Buck or Doe Urine.

Finally you asked if you had made a mistake in not taking one of the three does and will you get another chance at seeing them.

By what you have described the does ambled off into the woods without knowing you were even there. As long as you did not chase or spook the deer out of the area, I am reasonably comfortable thinking you will see them again. Especially by the deer sign you are seeing.

Will you see them today or tomorrow? Maybe, maybe not, but you will see them again. Perhaps next time they will be followed by Mr. Big! The best way to see deer is to spend as much time in the deer hunting woods as you can.

Try utilizing some of the things I listed. I have had great success using these things on my hunts and I am sure they will help you too.

By the way, I would love to see the picture you have taken with your binoculars. Send it to me and I will post it on the blog for our hunting community to see.

Good Luck and Great Hunting!

Marty