ORIGINAL: MarinePride
with the season less than a month away I am trying to stay out of the area I intend to bowhunt.
This is probably the best thing you can do. The deer wont move out of the area if you jump them once or twice, the they will move if it is done repeatedley. However, if you visit your property regularly, then no problem. One of my friends works as a lineman and works from time to time through out the year on his hunting lease. During scouting season, he walks around in his work clothes and noisy tool belt while scouting. He is happy if he jumps deer becuase he does all year. The deer will see him as the worker guy, not the hunter.
ORIGINAL: MarinePride
In fact, I havn't even gone shooting in the area so that the deer will not react negatively to the loud noise. Normally I shoot once a week, many hundreds of rounds at a time.
Dear a creatures of habbit and will becaome accustomed to events that occur on a regular basis i.e. tractors, cars/trucks, dirt bikes, etc. If you shoot your gun regularly all year, chances are that the deer have become accustomed to the loud noises and view it as a regular activity. They will keep their distance, but it wont totally freak them out. If it were me, I would keep shooting otherwise they will notice something different. It's change that spook deer the most.
For instance, on one of my hunting grounds last year, I aksed the owner if I could borrow his old truck or 4 wheeler to get on the other end of his property. He said I would be better off taking his 250cc dirt bike. I was surprised so I asked ahy since te dirt bike will be so much louder and distracting than the other two vehicles. He said that his son and his friends go dirt biking all year long back in that area and never goes there with the 4 wheeler or the truck. The 4 wheeler or truck will freak them out, but they would be practically expecting the dirt bike.