How long should a stand sit?

[doublelung1]

I shot a buck out of a stand that is in a hedgerow and is a T of three other fields last saturday and haven't hunted it since. There was about 20 deer with the buck when I shot and I'm wondering how long is long enough to let a stand sit. I glassed the field I shot the buck out of and only saw 4 does in the field. The deer still have no clue where the stand is but are much more cautious entering the field.

[BarnesX.308]

Depends on the wind. If the prevailing wind keeps your entrance into the stand a secret, you can hunt it 3-4 times a week. If the wind might betray you, I might make it an every other week stand.

One they know they're being hunted......

[ub1243]

i try and not hunt the same stand twice in a week.
also after shooting a deer out of one thats it for the week, unless it rains, washing all the blood and scent away.
this is me, and i have 15 stands hanging.

[QuintonZ29]

every stand is different...you dont really know how badly you messed the area up...I'd get back in it when the wind is right and hunt it again...if you see that the deer are a little shy of it then you'll know it is messed up...you could hang another where they change and come to the field or just wait it out...I've have a stand where I shot 2 big 8's in the same week...(end of regular fall bow and the beginning of permit bow) you wont know until you sit it and see for yourself..theirs really no set time frame....

[doublelung1]

Thanks alot this is my first do it yourself type of hunts because I'm still in highschool and my dads helped me all along the way and now I finally decided to do this on my own. I plan to put mount just the horns. Whats the best way to get all of the hair and other stuff off of the head?

[onthehunt]

What Quinton said:). As far as getting the horns clean, You should do it as soon as you skull the buck. Once the skin and meat dry out it is a pain in the arse to get off. I use a razor blade utility knife to scrape and cut the skin and hair off as soon as I cut the skull loose. I get as much of the skin and meat off as I can and then boil the skull section only. Prop the horns out of the water. Scrape the remaing tissue of with the back of a knife. I then tape off the horns and give it a quick spray paint of white and screw it to a nice peice of cedar.:wave: