quiksilver

Let me start off by saying that you guys are one of the only groups of people who know wildlife well enough to even attempt to answer this question with any accuracy. This is pretty off-the-wall, but I've always kinda wondered...

You see how wild animals interact with other animals (both wild and domestic):birds land on a deer's back; deer will walk right past a herd of cattle as if they're not even there;wild turkeys will practically stand under a whitetail's belly; etc.

Throw a human into the equation: They run for their lives. They associate the human form and odor with life-threatening danger.

But that's not a hard-line rule either, because there are times when deer/turkeys/squirrels do not fear humans at all...

Even with those exceptions, I think it's fair to say that animals react to other animals differently than they interact with humans. Especially when a human is viewed as a threat.

So...

What if you were to try hunting deer (or turkeys), while wearing an animal suit?

Maybe dressed as a cow. Or a whitetail. Or a horse.What abouta big, non-threatening whitebunny? Or a gorilla?

Could you just get down on all fours and walk right up to them?

Would you have to take a "passive," or "disinterested" posture?

Would they run away in horror at first glance?
__________________________________________________ __________

My gut says that a whitetail would freak out. First, if they winded you, I reckon that they would trust their nose, and hightail it. Even if they didn't - just any humanoid form would be associated with danger enough to clear them out.

So you'd have to stay low and appear as non-threatening as possible - just to have the slightest chance... Even then, I think most whities are high-strung enough that they wouldn't tolerate you getting too close.

Turkeys, on the other hand - maybe a different story. Turkeys react oddly to certain things. You just may be able to pull the wool over one's eyes.

Your thoughts? Too bizarre to even think about?

GMMAT

Dear Fran;

DUDE...........PUT DOWN THE BONG!

BrentH243

hahahaah GMMAT...hilarious!

Roskoe

We tried this a few years ago on antelope. Cut out a plywood shape of a life size cow with no legs. Painted it up with an air brush - even put on an ear tag and a tail. Both hunters wore brown jeans and held up the "decoy" with handles. Easily got within 100 yards of the antelope herd. But at 50 yards they must have smelled or seen something - took off like a rocket.

Look at how geese react to humans when they are camped out on a golf course.

RugerM77.270

Yeah I'm with you. Tell you what next rut well dress up like a hot doe but you have to be the rear end when the buck comes by.

bigbulls

I guess it all depends on if you are willing to risk getting shot yourself.

txjourneyman

Fran have you started in with the holiday spirits already?

GMMAT

Wasn't there a group of guys who did this on private land a few years ago and taped it? Didn't they have deer "heads" and stay kinda behind a hedgerow and walk up real tight to the deer?

Was I hitting the bong, then? Seems like I remember seeing something like this.

PreacherTony

Again Jeff, just what I was thinking


Fran, I really think you should put on that get -up and test your theory..... report back .... let us know if you scared the deer or if someone tried to milk you ....

Jim_IV

Don't let these guys get to ya quick, I use to wonder the same thing...............when I was 10 [&:][8D]