How Long Do You Wait?

[Clarkdale17]

You've glassed and bedded a buck during archery season. During the stalk the wind begins swirling and you are unsure if you've blown the deer out as you can't see the cover they're bedded in. When you finally get in range to wait you think it's about a 50/50 shot that they may still be there. You can't see the deer to confirm and your only option is to wait for them to stand and come out of the cover.

How long are you waiting it out before creeping forward and investigating? For the sake of this thread lets say it's just an average buck you'd like to shoot. Obviously the time frame will likely go up if it's a monster.

Does the time frame you stick around go down if you're fairly confident the buck has been blown out?

 

[Moserkr]

If I didnt hear it blow out of there, and I cant see it, then it probably hasnt seen or smelled me yet. Id either continue the stalk or back out, depending on how bad those winds are swirling. Personally I like to push the envelope and be more aggressive, so still hunt in until I have visual.

 

[Newtosavage]

Never as long as I should.

 

[Clarkdale17]

Never as long as I should.

I concur. Blew a great opportunity on a nice bucks by being impatient this year. Didn’t think there was a chance he was still there and blew him out of his bed at 5 yards. Lesson learned, but a few days before I waited for 6 hours for a deer that was no longer there