I don't understand deer!

[Haiku_Rodney]

I went hunting yesterday. I shot a young doe early in the morning. I deboned the deer and started hiking back to my vehicle. I had walked maybe 200 yards when I saw some does on the opposite hillside. I sat and watched them. In the meantime a nice buck came out. The buck was feeding toward me and walked past me at a range of a little over 100 yards. I don't get it, it seems that usually at the shot, everything within a half a mile runs away.:confused::confused::confused:

[J.Baker]

Shot a doe right at dusk at about 15 yards from my stand during archery season years ago that was in a small group of 5 does working their way through the woods. Doe dropped right there and the rest just stopped, watched and waited. Withing 15-20 minutes there had to be 20-30 deer under my stand - all just standing around like "Hey, what's wrong with her?" I started talking and they paid me no nevermind. I started spotlighting them with my flashlight to no avail. I eventually had to lower my bow down on the rope and drag it around in the leaves while yelling to spook them off so I could get down out of my stand.

[Haiku_Rodney]

That's hilarious!

[cowtownup]

I've had the same experience. Gunshot about 150 yards away and within 15 minutes a big buck walks out in front of my stand. There was another shot, but it was mine... DRT...

[mattri]

Biggest buck I've ever seen in my life was walking around under an oil rig. All the lights, noise etc didn't bother him a lick. Seriously considered the trajectory of a pipe wrench for longer than I care to admit.

[243LPR]

I shot a doe in early muzzleloader a couple years ago that was being dogged by a buck in rut. After all the smoke and noise the buck still went by me nose down and grunting after her even though she was dead. I had to chase him away from her so I could tag and gut,it was getting dark. When bucks are rutting they can really be a little stupid.

[BillPa]

When bucks are rutting they can really be a little stupid.
Kinda like us in our high school and college days huh? :p

[wbm]

Had same kind of experience with a Coues deer buck. Two were feeding, shot one and was about half finished field dressing it. Looked to my right and the other buck was standing less than fifty yards away watching. He stood there until I was finished and then just walked away. Was not during rut.

[Kenshioni]

Kinda like us in our high school and college days huh? :p

was thinking the same thing

[243LPR]

Kinda like us in our high school and college days huh? :p

Have no idea what you're talking about.

[bluegrass]

Had a small 6 pointer in front of my stand a couple of years ago. Decided to let him pass. A little later a nice doe came by so I took her, in less than 60 seconds here came the buck back to check it out. Quickly assessed the situation and thought I might never have a chance to double that quickly so I filled both tags in less than a minute. Why he came back I'll (and he) will never know.

[Boudin]

Well known deer biologist, Dr. Grant Woods says never get down after harvesting a doe. He claims that he has shot some of his biggest bucks with a dead doe laying in view of the stand. He says that he thinks that they are actually an attractant to other deer. Shots don't seem to bother deer unless they are at extremely close range. I guess they have come to accept them as normal. Seems odd, but I've seen it on video and in person.

[firstblood807]

Yeah Hilarious But seems they have come to accept them as normal

[Stumpkiller]

Years ago I was practicing with a .54 muzzleloader. Lots of BOOM!, lots of motion, me walking back and forth to the target, etc. After half an hour I went and retrieved my target stand (box) and as I stood up I made eye contact with a buck in velvet bedded 20 yards off to one side of the clearing and he jumped up and bolted off.

Smart enough to know that sitting still he wasn't as obvious as moving? Maybe?

I have been deer hunting since 1980 and I have seen many, many deer who are not upset by gunfire. Some run just a ways and stop, look back or even button-hook. In pressured areas they know they're as apt to run into trouble as away from it. If they see you - that may be different. Smell you - even more likely to vamoose. Seems a deer trusts its nose more than its eyes.

One year my wife shot a doe and as I was preparing to gut it a buck walked up to us. Just by luck I hadn't got to the wet bits and my shotgun was in reach. But then I had to drag two deer out!

[yobuck]

Ive been told that shooting at them from across a valley ridge to ridge is unethicle because they don't know from where the shot is coming.
But some of these stories seem to rule that opinion out don't they?

[Stumpkiller]

I didn't realize I was supposed to give "fair warning" when I shot at a deer.

I put little wool "puffs" on my bowstring so it makes hardly any noise. Is that unethical?

[yobuck]

I didn't realize I was supposed to give "fair warning" when I shot at a deer.

I put little wool "puffs" on my bowstring so it makes hardly any noise. Is that unethical?

Probably not, but getting up in a tree stand probably would be. lol

[Stumpkiller]

I've taken deer while on foot with my recurve bows as well. Though tree stands are easier (I keep my shots to 20 yards with my 1960's recurves & wood arrows).

I never climb a tree with a firearm - ever.

Is it more ethical to shoot a deer from 300 yards while sitting under a tree of from 15 yards while sitting in a tree? The deer would be opposed to either, I'm sure

[yobuck]

I've taken deer while on foot with my recurve bows as well. Though tree stands are easier (I keep my shots to 20 yards with my 1960's recurves & wood arrows).

I never climb a tree with a firearm - ever.

Is it more ethical to shoot a deer from 300 yards while sitting under a tree of from 15 yards while sitting in a tree? The deer would be opposed to either, I'm sure

Well how about when their laying down? Would it be polite to get them up if their laying down?
Hint, a miss usually accomplishes that.
Another hint, no they probably wont be there tomorrow. lol

[Stretch]

Ive been told that shooting at them from across a valley ridge to ridge is unethicle because they don't know from where the shot is coming.
But some of these stories seem to rule that opinion out don't they?

Wait really? That’s like a huge reason western hunters are adding brakes, they can’t locate you as well.

As far as deer after shots. In immediate vicinity they will run/startle but I’ve found they run much more if the animal you shot runs, otherwise they just dance around a bit. We always sit back and relax for a while after downing a whitetail, lots of deer killed in that next 30 minutes. And it absolutely works with bucks. I’ve seen bucks hot on a doe, shot the doe and the buck still came right up to her.


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