Help!!! What should I do?

[bigbore442001]

This morning I went up into my new stand. When I moved it last week, the spot was in the exact same tree I have been using for many years. Anyways.This buck decided to make two scrapes right near the base of my old tree. My old bow hook was left up there from the past. I have seen some deer there and shot a coyote from it as well.

I use a simple hang on stand with a pole ladder. I am 12 high at the base of the stand. It faces the northeast direction on a flattened hilltop.

Ok. The gist of the story is, I blew it. I went hunting this morning and went into my treestand. I sat there from about 6:15 and didn't move around too much.It was very windy with gusts of wind swaying the trees, including the one I was in.

I was leaning against the side of the tree facing north when I heard something walking. I turn my head and about 8-10 yards on the right side of the stand is a buck. A nice fat 6 pointer. The antlers were actually pretty heavy and looked somewhat palmated if that makes any sense. He also seemed to have a longish snout for a lack of a better term. I slowly grabbed my bow and tried to turn to the right where he was.

I was wearing head to toe fleece camo with a cover spray. My face was covered except for my nose and glasses. In the old scrape I did squirt some doe urine into it before I got into the stand.

Well, he spotted me. He stopped walking and had turned his head towards me. I tried not to look at him in the eye. He stood there looking at me and the after what seemed like an eternity he turned around and carefully walked back further right and behind a small patch of laurel bushes. He then eyeballed me. Would turn his head this way and that . He finally then looked directly at me and stomped his left front hoof into the ground. He did that for about twenty times. After that he then turned broadside( keep in mind that I cannot swing my bow and draw as I am still facing the front while he is on the right side of me now at 20 yards) He then trots off and then leaps over a stone wall and trots off into the thicker woods.

I really need some good advice. Should I :

1. Add another ladder section to bring my stand up to 16 feet at the base and remain in the same tree. Let it rest for a few days.

2. Keep the stand there but let it rest for a few days as this buck was spooked or at least cautioned by my presence.

3. Move my treestand to another location within 30 yards of the same spot.

4. Move my stand completely out of the area and place it about 100 yards to a different location.

Thank you very much for the advice.

[mg66]

I think moving the stand would add a lot of human scent around the area, not mentioning noise, etc. If it were me I would go with door # 2. If he has scrapes in the area he will probably come back to them. They are creatures of habit and if there is not a lot of hunting pressure he will probably keep freshening his scrapes.  I might even try adding some buck scent to the scrape to get him thinking there is a bit of competition.

I usually have stands at least 20' but we make our own which helps a bit. 

Not saying its the answer, just my 2 cents ....

... door # 5 is to let me hunt in that stand, you know different scent, etc  Just trying to help you out with this tough decision and let you sleep better at night.

[mspaci]

I like to get up higher than that if I can,have been spotted very little that way. 18-20 should do the trick. This will also get you scent up out of the way a bit. He might have winded you and just kept looking until he found you. The only time I will go as low as 12 ft is on a hill  side or where you have to stay low for shots, but this is usually w/ the gun.  Good luck,  Mike