cal516

I took my first deer of the season bow hunting tonight. There was some curious behavior after. I saw a group of three and took one with my bow. It expired in a field about 40 yards from me. The third deer didn't run but stood and blew. A few minutes after it had wandered off four more appeared and milled around about 30 yards in cover not on alert. They did this for about 15 minutes and then one started blowing in the direction of the downed deer. It did that several times and then finally trotted off. I am assuming it was trying to get the one I shot up and going. I like to learn all I can about behavior so any input would great. Thanks and good luck this season.

vapahunter

Have seen this before after shooting a deer in a group. I think theg do not realize the pne deer is dead. They are trying to get it up and go with them. Only thing I can figure is going on.

FlDeerman

I had a doe come in and blow at me,most people think well that's it,but instead about twenty minuets later two more came in.Only one left.LOL

NjHunter85

good topic...I just shot my first doe of this bow season last week. I shot her, she ran about 50-60 yards to the field edge and expired there. There was about 7 deer near her in a group when I shot. they all ran about 30-40 yards away scattered then just stopped and started walking around normal and eventually disappeared. But one doe ran with the one I shot. Once I got out of my stand and started tracking I followed the blood and when I found the doe there was another one standing right next to her just blowing. Took her a few minutes actually before she gave up and just took off. The other deer that ran originally just didn't know what was going on just a quick "wack" and that's all they heard. Im glad I didn't blow the spot up or anything. it was good to see the deer just mosy off. But I guess these deer do this as a communication to the fallen ones. interesting stuff

uncle matt

Normal behavior.

They don't usually have a deer among them down like that motionless.

They evaluate the scene and when the dead one isnt doing anything they resort to kinda freaking out and blowing. Alot of the times they run off after the blowing knowing something ain't right.

cal516

It was interesting behavior. I figure it was normal. I have not seen deer blow and still hang around. Unfortunately I couldn't get a shot on the four that were milling about. I have deer approach a downed one and hop around it but never blow.

deernutz

Really good topic. I also have seen things this year I have never before witnessed. I had some does that blew at me. I thought man it's all over too. Then 5 mins later a 3 ½ buck came out and didn’t care the doe was blowing. On another hunt deer were blowing at something else in the field. I watched 8 bucks pay no attention to the blowing and just keep feeding.

I do however have a possible explanation. This is the first yr in a while I was able to hunt a very unpressured farm. Unpressured deer are a whole lot different than pressured deer. Deer that are constantly pushed around and scared out of fields nightly by hunters heed the warning of deer blowing and run to the next county. Deer that aren't pressured aren’t so fast to turn tail and run at blowing. Just my 2 cents.

Wilcam47

Also if you kill a mature doe with a yearling (no spots) the orphan will latch on to the closest doe with other fawns...it may not get to feed off the doe but at least they have some friends...that's just my observation.

vipertech

Yearlings will stay there and watch you field dress too! That could be a bit alarming for someone if it happens to them. But take comfort in know that the yearling will be perfectly fine. What Wilcam47 posted and I just quoted is true.

Mojotex

Agree with Uncle Matt. Seen similar conduct many, many times. You hunt long enough you'll see some more "weird" conduct.

Have seen a big buck trying to gore the bigger buck that I had just dropped.

Have seen a young 6 pt. buck "nosing" a doe that I had just killed during te estrus time. Tried to roust her up. She must have been in heat. He would notgive up and pushed her all over the forest floor before I finally was able to spook him off. I did everything except fire again trying to get his attention. Yelled, whistled, barked, threw my hat at him .... eased my pack to the ground and jiggled it up and down several times before he saw it and ran off.

I have had deer scatter like a busted covey of quail at my rifle shot ... and other times have had 'em pay no attention to the shot other than raise their head for a moment.

Lots of usual and "unusual" conduct. Part of what makes hunting such fun for me.