trmichels

After spending over 1500 hours in the woods over the last 10 years, researching and hunting whitetails and turkeys, I've learned that whitetails pattern humans more easily than most hunters pattern deer. It sounds like the deer have patterned the camp, and that this hunter has figured the deer out. Great job!!! Take any advantage you can get, the deer do.
As far as seeing deer between 12 and 3, deer are usually in daytime core areas at that time, and if you are in wooded or otherwise secure areas, you are probably in their core area. Sit, wait, watch, learn, and shoot.
Deer often move around after hunters leave their stands in the morning. They also often move around as hunters walk to their stands in the afternoon. If you know deer are moving at those times, and you kwow where they will move, be there before the deer begin to move. Be careful to go in un-scented, and not to go through areas the deer will be moving in when you are moving. Ge there at least 2 hours before you expect the deer to move.

If you have more questions about deer, elk, turkeys, ducks or geese post a new question here adressed to T.R., or e-mail me.

Look for my up-coming articles in the e-magazine.

T.R. Michels, writer, speaker
Trinity Mountain Outdoors

T.R. Michels

Grasshopper13

OK, I'll agree that deer can be cunning animals, but intelligent?

I'm sorry, but if they were intelligent to the level some of you seem to be giving them credit for, why, they would learn that people only hunt them during the day, and so they would all just lay around during the day, and move at night. They would also be sure to tell all their other deer freinds when they figure this out. Have you all ever payed attention to how small the little cavity that contains their brains are? Not very big. I don't mean to sound smart alecky, but the line of reasoning you're embarking on is just plain silly. Deer are a prey animal. That's why they have such big eyes, and ears. They constantly are looking at everything as a potential threat. The big bucks, can seem to be an entirely different species! Unless they are rut crazed, they are EXTREMELY cautious. But that's the word we need to apply here. Cautious. Somewhat intelligent, yes. Crafty animals that outwit humans? NOPE.

This is just my opinion. I know not everyone will agree. However, most people don't realize that the line of thinking that deer are "intelligent", is where we get stories like Bambi from. No good can come of attributing human characteristics to animals.



GH

I love animals.......they're delicious!

Edited by - Grasshopper13 on 10/18/2002 14:57:45