Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum Spooked deer.

So I made a headshot on a 'yote Saturday morning with a ballistic tip. Yeah, it left a mess. After the hunt we got it and dragged it out of the field. Same spot Saturday afternoon, we're watching a doe with twins make their way across the field. Not sure if they came up on the blood spot, or just our scent, but they bolted.
My question is, what set them off? Coyote brains on the ground, scent of a dog dragged across the field, or our scent?
I never really "learned" how to hunt until I got my daughter involved. And I still don't know much. Just throwing it out there for the accomplished Aldeer hunters. My chance to learn a little more.

I’d say both. A nanny with twins is a smart, alert and skittish animal . But probably more your sent was it. she smells coyotes frequently, both are danger though. if she smells you she knows something is not right and will get gone quick with her babies.

I’ve e seen them feed in the field with dead coyotes lying there.

I don't think there is a blanket answer, I hunt family land and see the same "herd" of deer and they seem to be very individual in their actions. I've seen them walk right beside dead stuff including gut piles and never check up and then some will pitch a fit and bolt within 100 yds and not come back for 2 or 3 days. same thing with fences. Some WILL NOT jump a barbwire fence and always walk through it. Some ALWAYS jump it. I shoot every yote/bobcat/coon I see and have never worried about it "messing up my hunt"

Likely the smell of the two top predators, the coyote and you.

IDK, but Ive had deer come across the blood trail of deer Ive shot and they dont like it and tend to get out of the area pretty fast.

All of the above

I will kill every yote and coon, but I don't mess with the bobcats. Perhaps I am soft since I found an abandoned bobcat kitten this year and just released it back where I found it sunday, after it spent about 5 months with a rehab woman.

What I have noticed is if I spray the bottoms of my boots with doe p, I rarely if ever have seen a deer cut my trail and flip. I sometimes use trophy buck p on the tops of my boots and have seen a deer walking directly towards me, cut my trail and turn and follow it the way I walked in, going away from me. Last year, I had a spot I was going in and out of alot, and the deer started using my trail, I guess because of all the doe p I had sprayed on my boots before walking in. Even had a buck put a scrape on the trail. Go figure.

I've shot many a yote while deer hunting and have watched deer walk up and look at and even sniff the dead yote and never bolt....my guess is the deer smelled you....