Effective Man-Drives for Deer at Any Time
Day 2: Single-Man Driving for Deer
 Don Taylor, one of the most-productive single-man drivers I know, once told me, "You have to remember that many things in the woods will spook deer momentarily, but just because a deer is spooked doesn’t mean he’s terrified. A spooked deer is much like a man who has someone jump out from behind a tree and shout, ‘Boo!’ He may be startled for a moment and run 5 or 6 yards before he realizes he doesn’t need to be afraid. Often I’ll hunt into the wind, quietly and slowly and spook deer out of their beds. They may run off 20- or 30-yards before stopping and looking back over their shoulders. If they don't spot me that time, they may put their heads down and begin to feed. I’ve used this single-man drive tactic several times to roust bucks out of their beds, drive them into the open and then take a shot when they’ve stopped to look back. I’ve found that if a deer is unable to pick up my scent, and I remain motionless after I've spooked him, then the deer usually won't leave the vicinity immediately. But if the deer picks up my scent or sees me move, he’ll be gone."
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