If you are outsmarting whitetails - you need to raise you're standards!

Thats why its not outsmarting them. Cause you are a freakin' human.. your brain is far larger than the deer.

It's if you think you are outsmarting them.. where you are putting them on the pedestal... like they are our equal.

I'm gonna start IQ testing them next season with flash cards and some college level math.

Some guys already do this. The deer must score a minimum of 8 points for thier GPA and score at least 140 on their P&Y testing(similiar to the SAT).

Outsmart them away.. then.

I agree 100% but I'm sure as long as some of you guys have been a round this site you see many who do place them on a pedestal. That's why I say it doesn't matter what you call it we hunt them and kill them. Some may call it outsmarting, duping, tricking, luring, etc. It doesn't really matter what we call it, as long as we recognize and steer away from their strengths and use their weaknesses against them they end up dead. I outsmart my dog all the time too, do I think I'm a genius? No of course not,I think my dogsa dumb animal(and I don't mean that in a mean way just truth).

I don't need to outsmart deer. I've already outsmarted them by waking up in the morning to my alarm, brushing my teeth with my electric toothbrush, getting in my car and driving to my spot, taking my bow and treestand into the woods with me, and getting in their living room without them knowing I'm there. Once I'm there I'm trying to beat their senses, and instincts.

Unless I see a deer rolling through the woods with an IPod I'm not worried about outsmarting them.

It's not like Wile. E. Coyote and the Sheepdog punching in every morning and going to work against each other.

The chess analogy is not stupid, Duke and I take offense at you saying that something I said is stupid. It is my opinion and I'm not alone when using this analogy. What is stupid is you micro analyzing that analogy and saying that the deer would be playing against us. Most of us know that deer don't play. However, the analogy does bear likeness to chess in that we make a move, the deer make a move, we make another move the deer make another move. I've watched deer alter their travel routes to avoid a hunter's stand by less than 50 yards. Now it's the hunters move. BTW, the deer are still traveling at their normal times, I guess they weren't totally spooked into being nocturnal at that point. The end result of this "chess playing" is either the hunter gets lucky (wins) or the deer continues to out maneuver the hunter (wins). It is in this respect that I liken the hunting of deer to playing chess. It is my opinion which I am entitled to and I don't need you getting all high and mighty and calling my beliefs stupid.

I certainly hope that you can see the error in your comments.

I will but don't get it confused I don't put them on a pedestal and I don't see it as some hugely intellectual accomplishment to do so. Stay away from or minimizethe couple of advantages they haveand the rest usually involves waiting for them to mess up or just come by you.

I see. Than we are both on the same page.

I was just trying to help other dudes understand why they took that deer. And usually outsmarting them has nothing to do with it.

If they understand why they were able to take the deer.. then it should lead to a better hunter in the future. Thats all I'm saying.

Its Friday people... its been a long week. Iz outz.

Stand in line then.

Really Greg.. I didn't mean to get under your skin... really.

But in chess.. you make a move and your opponent plays back to your move. And makes a move. I've never had a deer know what I was doing (except once) and then make a "move". Have you?

Usually.. and correct me if I'm wrong. We set up in a funnel or what not.. and play the waiting game. Because I'll tell you his move everytime is... RUN LIKE HAITIS.... after he knows your move.

I've heard the chess analogy 100 times.. and always thought it was putting to much emphasis on a deers ability to reason back at us. Which ain't so.

Thats the reasoning behind what I stated. No offense to ya Greg.. really. In fact I'll go back and re-word it.