JUSTINL

Yesterday afternoon I was able to watch some really great deer interaction and communication.

I have met the master deer! The most cautious and paranoid deer that I have ever seen.

Here' s my first experience and observation of this behavior...

The Matriarchal Doe - She' s been around a long time. She has been hunted more than once and yet survives.

She' s the first out into the field to scout for danger - and has an uncanny sixth sense as where danger lurks.

She' ll stiffly walk around, sharply striking her hoofs on the ground snorting - trying to make whatever has her bothered move. She' ll blow a few times and stomp some more - always looking for the source of her worry.

When she thinks that her worry is for naught, she might even let the other does that have been waiting in the heavy brush come into the field. She' s always looking around for danger though - never relaxing.

The pecking order of the does, it seems to go along generation/experience lines. The oldest (Matriarch) seemed to herd and coach the others in direction and in where to look for danger.

With herself between the source of her worry and the herd she blows and stomps. The others look in the direction that she looks and sometimes they blow as well. With no danger imminent, they continue to cautiously feed and look and stomp and blow...

I watched this behavior for over 45 minutes. Many times they would wander/browse within 15 to 30 yards and presented various shots. I never took one.

I sat and watched and learned. I don' t know if I' ll take the Matriarch if I get the chance. It' d be as challenging as any buck - but this resident doe herd would lose a great source of learning and experience.

I also got to see some buck behavior that I' d never seen before.

I watched a young fork-horn chase a doe around the opposite field for about 15 minutes. It was too funny. He was running/jumping like that Peppy la Pew looney-toon skunk. She' d stop running and he' d bound over with this goofy look on his face - she' d then take off and circle around and stop to eat some more. The repeated this within my field of view until I could not see them.

I had a decent (It' d be my biggest) buck with a very tall but narrow 7pt rack wander around browsing and stop perfectly down-wind of me and present a perfect slightly quartered away shot. No more than 10 yards away. I didn’t take it and he never seemed to wind me. I was ready, but with all of the deer traffic and it only being opening day, I did not want educate everyone that there was something " bad" right between their two favorite alfalfa fields.

All in all, it was a great hunt. Got to " count-coup" and educate myself on some deer behavior that I' m sure many of you have seen, but this is just my third year at this. I don' t really have a " mentor" hunter that I go out with - it' s just this board and " hands-on" as far as my whitetail education.

' nuff rambling for now. Hope everyone else had as good of an afternoon as I.

Jimimac

Those big old does are plain spooky man. Their survival instinct is off the charts sometimes. I have been busted way more times by old does than bucks.

PAHUNTER21

I' d have taken that smart doe out of commission. Yeah, she' s teaching the herd and teaching you, but if she' s a good teacher to the youngins, your hunting seasons will only get harder. Then again, you might want the extra challenge.

bigdog02

I would have let her walk too I think.
The challenge of the hunt is what makes it so thrilling, and what makes me enjoy archery so much. As long as she is around and teaching the younger ones, that little bit of elevated challenge will still be there, and you will learn to be just a little more careful each time they walk into range, until you can finally take one.

Tazman

Justin you had a heck of an experience, I have been busted more times than I care to admit by an old doe, in my book they are just as smart, if not smarter than a big buck. Fred Bear said that the hardest deer he ever dealt with was an old doe she busted him every time he would set up for this one particular big buck, so he decided to take her out. Well it took him 3 seasons before he finally stuck her, the very next season he killed the big buck.

Justin if it was me and I had a chance to stick that old doe I would do it, if she is a regular where you hunt she will one day cost you a deer by busting you.

JUSTINL

I did have a great time - however I was worried that if I took her with several other deer around, they' d all be aware of the " bad" thing in the tree.

If I get a chance to take her without other deer around, I' ll do it.

Last year I took a doe that was traveling with a group and made the mistake of taking the middle one (they were traveling in a line). Each time the same group would come by, they' d go out of their way to avoid the tree - while others that were not with them, continued to come by.

Did not want that to happen to this particular spot. It is next to a what appears to be a major deer " highway" .

If I every see a line-up of deer like that again, I think I' ll wait for the last one and pick her off.

Tazman

Justin this is just my opinion, but the sooner you take her out the better, whether there are others around or not. If you stay still after sticking her and wait until the others clear out they are very unlikely to know where you are. Another thing is your chances of seeing her by herself will be slim to none, she is a leader and as a result the others will follow and with the rut coming on you want her out of the way because the bucks will be running the does and if she bust you, you may lose an opportunity at the buck of a life time. Take her out and let a younger less experienced doe take her place.

JUSTINL

Taz,

Believe it or not - In three years you have not once given me advise that did not work out.

The next chance I get, she' s in the freezer - or - at least I' ll get busted trying

Thanks.

Ken/WV

Most people who say shooting does is easy....shoot young does that are yearlings or 1 1/2 year old does. Try taking a 4 1/2 year old doe....it' s just as challenging as any buck.