Deer Question

[upstatehunter]

While hunting, either walking to a stand, or doing the occasional walk around, I have encountered many deer. Why is it some will stand there and just look at you 20 yards away and let you shoot, where others a mile away take off. Always wondered.

[JGS]

My take is they are are individuals with different temperments and life experiences that have shaped how they react to certain situations.  A six month old deer that hasnt been through a hunting season yet is probably going to act different than deer that has been pushed around or shot at before.  All depends on what each deer perceives as danger.

[jjb4900]

since you brought it up, I've often wondered if deer sometimes daydream as they amble unsuspectingly through the woods..........I'm sure we've all seen the deer walking around and then seen the "oh crap" look on its face when it sees you at the last second because it wasn't paying attention.

[Paula]

It has never happened to me with a gun in hand. I just figured they were just as surprised as you and it takes a minute sometime to react.

It's pretty cool when it does happen

[adkbuck]

Assuming the animal is upwind of you.  I think the simple answer is that the ones that run see you as threat while the ones that don't see you being a non threat or at least neutral.  I think its based on the history of that particular deer as much as how you look to the deer based on you actions.  If  you are skipping along like a girl scout on a hike you are not as threatening as if you are sneaking along like a predator. 

Edited January 8, 2015 by adkbuck

[jjb4900]

Assuming the animal is upwind of you.  I think the simple answer is that the ones that run see you as threat while the ones that don't see you being a non threat or at least neutral.  I think its based on the history of that particular deer as much as how you look to the deer based on you actions.  If  you are walking along like a girl scout on a hike you are not as threatening as if you are sneaking along like a predator. 

hmmmm, you just gave me an idea for tomorrow's hunt...........anyone have an XL Girl Scout uniform for sale?

[ANTLERS]

My take is they are are individuals with different temperments and life experiences that have shaped how they react to certain situations.  A six month old deer that hasnt been through a hunting season yet is probably going to act different than deer that has been pushed around or shot at before.  All depends on what each deer perceives as danger.

That pretty much sums it up best, I would just add that they may not make out what you are at first, I've encountered several while my treestand is on my back, breaking up my outline. Seemed like they were confused as to what this thing is walking through their woods. Also they may feel that they are well consealed at that moment and unaware that you can see them. Believe me,If they perceve you as a threat, Their gone.

[upstatehunter]

I have had mature deer just stand there......there could be 3 deer, 2 run and the third just stands there.......when I spot and stalk so to say I just walk.....I don't take a couple steps stop, etc......I just walk.....I've killed a lot of deer this way

[Five Seasons]

Deer are naturally curious just like your dog. "Hey what's that"? "Let me check it out". Some animals are not curious. Coyotes, fox etc. makes them harder to kill.

They also seem to have a sense. Deer are more at ease and curious when they know I'm hint turkey and not them haha.

Edited January 8, 2015 by Belo

[stoneam2006]

I was just thinking about this yesterday me and the 4 yr old were out on quad when I saw a deer standing 50 yrd away.so I quietly Saud something to him but he couldn't see it so I inched ahead on quad to a bigger opening when he screams dad look deer...another deer jumped up a bit closer from behind a fall down and he yelled again. Well those deer just stood there and let us talk and look at them for a good 5 min before I drove off and they continued to look for what I assume were acorns....pretty cool lol....turkeys the day before didn't act like that they were in flight by the time I saw them

[growalot]

I walk with in feet of deer all summer long...as long as I don't lift my head or slow my gate much..... they will stand and let me walk by...When driving all of us around here routinely stop and talk to the deer..buck and doe that stand on the side of the road...sometimes a few seconds sometimes we have to drive away...lol

 

One year when we first moved here and the camp next door just wouldn't stop trespassing...I got in the van and drove down with a rather nasty note...parked on the side of the road stepped out and out of the brush 10ft infront of me steps a huge buck with so many points going every which way you couldn't count them...He was going to cross the street to the land we bought that following year...We stood there looking at each other and I finally yelled get your A$$ across the street and stay there...nothing ...I walked toward him and said get!...lol.... he just ambled across the street like I wasn't even there...personalities ...yes deer have them...

[philoshop]

Their very first survival instinct is to freeze, especially at close range. Deer in the headlights. It's what momma taught them to do the day they were born.

[thphm]

When 2 of the does had there you this year after 3 weeks or so the would be feeding around the house if I would walk outside the young ones would look up and take off and there mothers would continue eating for awhile and then walk off.

A few weeks ago I went to pull the cards from my cams. quite a few deer were bedded near by most got up and walked around while one of the older ones walked up 10 feet from me and stood there while I was changing cards..  

[wildcat junkie]

hmmmm, you just gave me an idea for tomorrow's hunt...........anyone have an XL Girl Scout uniform for sale?

A little bit of "crossdresser" fantasy working here, or is it for your "significant other"?

Edited January 9, 2015 by wildcat junkie

[moog5050]

When 2 of the does had there you this year after 3 weeks or so the would be feeding around the house if I would walk outside the young ones would look up and take off and there mothers would continue eating for awhile and then walk off.

A few weeks ago I went to pull the cards from my cams. quite a few deer were bedded near by most got up and walked around while one of the older ones walked up 10 feet from me and stood there while I was changing cards..  

 

 

That's a smart deer.  She knows you won't kill a pet.  Made friends with the enemy and now is safe.  lol

 

If deer were inclined to walk up to humans and be friendly like a dog, who would want to hunt them.

[jjb4900]

A little bit of "crossdresser" fantacy working here?

only if it helps my chances of tagging a deer, purely experimental..........no way I would enjoy it, or so I hope.

Edited January 9, 2015 by jjb4900

[wildcat junkie]

only if it helps my chances of tagging a deer, purely experimental..........no way I would enjoy it, or so I hope.

 

Either way, the image in my mind is quite amusing.

 

[MountainHunter]

Different dispositions and tolerances. One of my hunting mentors said to me one time that big bucks are not curious and for the most part I believe that to be true. Their experience has taught them to vacate when there is any uncertainty.

The amount of frequency that deer have contact with humans will also contribute toward how they will react. I commonly have alpha does that will not be able to figure out what I am and will either foot stomp and head bob trying to get me to move, or they will circle down wind and attempt to get a whiff of me.

There are a lot of things that defy logic that we encounter while hunting. 

[JoeHunter]

Adkbuck mentions wind direction, which might be the biggest factor, but I believe age, maturity, and gender have a lot to do with it also.  A yearling doe might want to be your pet, but a 5 year old buck knows (regardless of wind direction) that you are danger.

[growalot]

I told this a few times in the past...but coming back from putting posted signs back up after having tagged an 8pt in bow...sweaty and in a T and jeans I noticed a doe crossing my trail infront of me...so hammer in hand and at side I froze....well she had a buck following her a big mature 8 pt...next thing I know he see's/smells me and comes walking in 20 yrds parallel to me..long /short...he circles in behind me as I pivit to his movements and he walks right up my back trail to within feet...stupid stupid stupid move on my part to have allowed that...but hind sight...he bobbed and lip curled sniffed and huffed and pawed once...... then turned and walked away...as he did I caught out the corner of my eye..the doe stand up and head away in the same direction...his rack was wider than me and G2's 8-10 ins. long...not sure, I was too busy trying not to blink,wet myself, and thinking how to avoid a charge. This as watching a little line of snot trickling out of his nostril and thinking how big the pores his many whiskers came out of were......So sometimes...wind ...scent has nothing to do what they have a mind to do...personalities

Edited January 10, 2015 by growalot

[wooly]

 I commonly have alpha does that will not be able to figure out what I am and will either foot stomp and head bob trying to get me to move, or they will circle down wind and attempt to get a whiff of me.

The foot stomp is two things from my experiences.... an audio warning to any other deer in the immediate area that may hear that dull thump, and a scent warning deposited by the interdigital glands in the hooves to warn any other deer that approach that spot to potential danger in the immediate area. That's why sometimes even if the deer that stomps eventually calms down and walks away, the next deer down that path will often turn inside out and make a quick retreat back the way it came from when it hits that spot or comes close to it even when the wind is clearly in your favor.

I think it also may serve to startle a potential predator into movement as you described, but I don't believe that's the main reason for that reaction.

As always, JMO.

Edited January 10, 2015 by wooly