deer and bear

[G-Man]

Was wondering what others think of this. I have 2 stands that have always been great for deer hunting especially bow. 2 years ago that stopped and this year deer movement was almost nonexistent by the stands ( they are both in a natural funnel along with being on edge of cover break/change). Two years ago i started getting a lot of bear pics in the area, and this year killed a bear out of tree tops only 75 yards from either stand that upon further investigation i believe was being used as a den for at least 2 years.. Do you think deer will avoid an area that smells of bear? I know bears will kill and eat fawns. But would this be main reason the deer movement dropped off so dramatically? I am hoping with the resident bear gone the deer movement will return to normal, guess it will be a wait and see...

[Culvercreek hunt club]

If you have bear in the specific area I would sure think the deer will avoid it.

[MountainHunter]

I have many trail camera photographs of deer and bear on the same camera within short periods of time that they were each photographed. I had arrowed a bear a few years ago in an area that I was consistently seeing a lot of deer. I see bears in the woods with some regularity in areas that deer are plentiful.

In the area's that I hunt I don't believe what you are describing to be the case. Of course fawns are most vulnerable in the first few weeks of their lives, by Archery season the incidences of them being preyed upon by bears should be dramatically less.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Scot, Think it makes a difference whether the bear is passing through or has an area as home territory?

[MountainHunter]

I can only offer my opinion. I have photographs of the same deer and the same bear or bears on camera in a few different camera sets, meaning in various locations I am getting the same deer or group of deer on camera repeatedly along with the same bear or bears. I know the bears either by size or by marking.

There are particular area's that predictably "hold" bear in some of the area's that I hunt. Where I consistently see them and these area's also hold decent amounts of deer. I would almost think there had to be something else that was influencing the deer in G-Mans situation. Unless there was a bear that was particularly aggressive that was calling that area home.

It will be interesting for him to see if the deer occupancy and movement return to what he was accustomed to this fall.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

If the one G got was calling it home I can understand it. It was a very large bear.

[First-light]

I have bear and deer sharing the same areas. I would have a trail cam pict of a bear and a deer crosses it 5 minutes later. The day I saw 6 bears I also saw a lot of deer in the same area. Never were the deer on alert. One of the bears came right into my mock scrape 3 times. He just couldn't get enough of code red buck urine???

[G-Man]

I have had bear and deer on the same camera numerous times, but those bear seem to be passing thru the area and it would be months before i got a pic of that bear again, i think this is different with such a large male bear denning in a small area. Maybe i'm trying to piece to much together but nothing has changed food,pressure or funnel wise in the area of the treestands except this bear taking up residence in this den.