MountainHunter

I have a question about deer and snow. The place where I hunt is supposed to have snow showers on Saturday morning and just a slight breeze (<5 MPH). I assume this means light snow. It’s my understanding that deer move well in this kind of weather. My question is this: Do deer understand unique human footprints? I am considering whether to stay in my stand all day or to get out for either lunch or a stalk hunt during the middle part of the day. I’m very good with my scent control and haven’t been scent-busted (that I know of) in 3 years, and I’ve had deer less than 20 yards downwind of me for half an hour and walking and browsing along the path I walked in on. But I’m concerned about deer seeing my footprints in the snow and avoiding the area.

Also, while snow is good for tamping down the sound of walking, I wonder if I’m stalking a bedded down deer and it sees my footprints in the snow leading up to where I am stalking, that would bust me?

mossberghunter93

I don't know for sure but I would seriously doubt that a deer possesses intellect to decipher human prints as danger.

cwanty03

i've heard of big mature deer knowing that kind of sixth sense....my buddy tells me to avoid mud while walking in and leaving my foot print

YooperMike

If they can decipher footprints, I'm done hunting.

Western MA Hunter

i've never had an issue...

mossberghunter93

I do the opposite because I try to get my boots a little more scentless by getting that mud on them.

marquismarc

the deer on my property walk in my foot prints.

Maryland_Whitetail

HAHAHA

To answer your question....NO

early in

Too frigging funny!!!

BigBuck822

Haha... i am sure that they dont recognise human footprints, they might smell your footprint but not see a footprint in the snow and know that it is a human.