jmbuckhunter

Do you think if you walked thru your deer hunting woodsevery day, the deer would get used to you and tolerate your presence during the season?
It might not last very long, once they figure out you are now a hunter instead of a visitor. But would it be worth it? Maybe a sneak attack right out of the box and you would know where they were from seeing them on your strolls.

I don't think I'll be tyrying it in my woods. But could it work instead of staying out of the woods until the season starts and then polluting the woods with your scent and running them out?

early in

I hunt public land mostly, so other people leave enough scent around to take care of what you're describing.

TJF

Maybe to some degree but Istay out the thickest spots so they have a sanctury.

Right across the road from the main farm there is a2 acre patch of trees. The shop where we work is 70 yards from the tree patch. The deer bed in there... in fact usually5 - 15 deer bed in there at any given time. Over the years some very good bucks. We have a8 acreTimothy plot on the north side that the boss bales ( small bales )for hay for his horses.

We work on the equipment, talk, run around,run equipment and the place is probably scented up tohigh heavens of our sweat, blood and tears ( farming does that to you ) the deer are used to us.

As long as we do not enter the tree patch the deer will bed there. If you go in there, it will be a week to two weeks before the deer will bed back in there. Sometimes longer.

I've always wanted to put a stand in there. Wait until rut/rifle season and sit all day with bow but a guy would have to go in about 2 in the morning. You will not take a step in there without busting all the deer out. Itried going in therein a down pour, blizzard,real wet conditions, soft snow conditions, windy conditions... you name it to still hunt it. The deer always bust out of there.

Tim

TJF

Just had a chat with Tyler. We are going to put two stands in there tomorrowand save it for rut. Funny how a post can get a guy thinking. Thanks!!

Tim

racewayking

I believe they would get used to it. My Pops and his hunting Buddies go to Metropolis and hunt in a state park in town that is next to a preserve. I hunted there one year and passed on a few decent bucks that were walking down trails that people were walking down shortly after they passed through.
I have often asked myself if deer even know they are being hunted in areas that have a lot of human interaction. A farm I used to hunt never stopped intriguing me. The owners would be out a lot in early fall cutting firewood with a chainsaw and for some crazy reason does and somethimes bucks would come and bed within 50 yards of where they were at. I remember hitting a fawn distress call and watching does come running within seconds and this was while they were cutting. Does a deer know you are hunting them and feel pressure if you aren't shooting or chasing them? To me it seems the more they get used to people and low pressure hunting the easier it is to hunt them.

davidmil

Yup, I think if I were going to try that or test it out I'd walk through the neighbors woods everyday. You can definitely change their routine, bedding sites or daytime activities IF you happen to bump them too much too often. In areas where it's suburbia with yuppie houses, joggers, dog walkers and all that... they learn to live with it and many just skirt around you. I would venture to say the BIG GUYS aren't doing that. They'll move a few hundred yard for quiet and come breed your does at night. It depends on whether or not there's a lot of food around too.

Kelly/KY

To agree I believe they do, not to a point where you can get within bow range on the ground, but definitely a little less alert if they can't exactly see you. I live dead center of my hunting land. We are out all summer long, swimming, kids on the trampoline, etc. The deer sense us all year long. I can walk into one of the wood lots and mostly as long as I keep my distance, greater then 100 yards or so, they will tolerate me. Probably only a hand full will have this behavior due to the fact that they spend a great deal of their time on the property. In season, I feel I can get away with a little more than most people due to closeness of our daily routine. I don't think my scent alarms them nearly as bad as seeing me. Now, mid-november even if I was covered in corn they wont tolerate anyone. Something about having a few of their close friends getting hit with flying sticks that just makes them more leary.

Kelly

GMMAT

Are deer "pressured" by human presence? Ithink they are.

How mouch more low-impact could you be.....if you stayed out of your woods until ONLY the tmes you were hunting them? Go in clean the times you do go in.....and (again, IMO) accept that you're going to pressure them SOME.

If these mystical patriarchs of the forest are so smart......how much human presence do you think they're gonna tolerate in their bedroom.....before switching rooms?

I dont give them as much credit as many......but......you can't really have it both ways.

LouisianaTomkat

Whitetails.

bawanajim

If any of you really believe the deer don't know you've been there,as scent free as you think you are,forget about it. My dog will find any thing I touch.The scent on your hands and your breath are all ways there.The effect are not always visible but when your gone the smell is still there.