The deer I'm hunting have hundreds of acres of which to occupy. They typically browse and feed until they start venturing oustside their "sanctuary".....which is at different times for different deer. The herd I hunt has VERY LITTLE pressure....and I suppose they feel safe even in the areas I hunt (wait a minute......that didn't sound right....lol). I KNOW they know when I've been in there.....(or that I've been in there). I just think they put up with a "reasonable" amount of human scent.....even the bucks. I'm also learning that there are likely bucks that grow old and die in said sanctuary....that no one ever sees. I'm betting it's like this, everywhere. Some deer are nocturnal.....period. If they're not seen during the rut....they're not seen. The older they get....the less they mate....the less they're ever out during daylight hours. yada, yada, yada.

I was in a tree the last day of the season and saw 5 deer heading across a pasture I hunt against (Before daylight)......and all I could tell is that they were all BIG deer (bodied). They stopped at the edge.....and 4 disappeared into the woods. The fifth came right over towards me.....crossed the fence....and walked by me at 20 yds. I could tell who he was....but I had no tag for him. He was the biggest deer I'd seen all year. I'd give a lot of $$ to have seen the other 4.

This thread is very interesting.