Friendly doe
 

I went to set out my cam yesterday. Parked on the road and walked to my spot. When I got there I looked around and saw a doe standing there looking at me. I was real still for a second then I walked toward her. She didn't move. I walked closer and reached out and touched her nose. At this point I noticed that she had an reflective orange dog collar around her neck. I petted her and rubbed her back and she seemed to like it. I took the collar off of her then had second thoughts and put it back on. I tried to get her to come over to the game cam, left my digital at the house, but she wouldn't go over there. I petted her and visited for a little while wondering what to do as it started to rain. I headed back to the truck I looked over to where she was standing but didn't see her. I looked behind me and there she was following me. She followed me all the way out. Running around like a puppy. She would run ahead, kicking her heels, then come right back and brush up against me. She seemed really glad to see me. By then it was poreing down rain with lightening. When I got to the truck and started driving off she followed me down the rad a ways then stoped and started grazing. I asked a few of the people that lived in the area but none of them new anyone that had a pet deer. Called the game warden and he said someone probably raised her from a fawn then put her out when she got to big. She looked to be about a year old, no ticks and basically healthy. I figure she doesn't have a chance. I have a lot of emotions about this incident, ranging from aggravation to simpathy and even feel a friendship towards the deer. It's one of those things thats under my skin but out of my hands.

RE: Friendly doe
 

That would be so awesome to have experianced that. I know what your saying about it being bad, though. It may not be able to eat enough to live. I don't know what I would do. I would love to take it home, but it belongs in the woods. I would probably feed it. I wouldn't shoot it though.

RE: Friendly doe
 

Thats one reason why it's illegal to pocess a deer. It now stands no chance of surviving in the wild thanks to some liberal [:@].

RE: Friendly doe
 

I know it may be hard to let a baby deer die but it's better to die young and quick than to starve as an adult. I don't see why you would do this to a deer.

RE: Friendly doe
 

I don't understand what you mean about the deer starving as an adult? I think the deer probably has no chance of survival if it walks up to a hunter during hunting season though. Unless he's a really bad shot and he only brought one bullet.

RE: Friendly doe
 

I may have misread the question but this is still a factor. The deer may have been following 3 Step because it was hungry. The deer is probably used to people feeding it. If you were to feed a baby deer for its whole life and let it go, it wouldn't know what to do. I thought the deer was wounded as a baby and would die if left alone. I didn't know someone captured it healthy. That is why I said what I said. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

RE: Friendly doe
 

Awe man.... don't be telling me bambi stories. I sometimes have a hard enough time shooting them without that. Dang... you'll have me looking for collars and name tags now.

RE: Friendly doe
 

If the deer is staying in an area with other deer and a plentiful food source, then there is no way it will starve. It is a natural instinct for deer to feed, they are a herbivor, not a carnivor (meat eater), it's not like someone had to teach her to hunt and kill her meal. She will have no problem eating. Her biggest concern will be coming to get some attention from a hunter and then get shot. 3 Step already said she stopped and started grazing.

RE: Friendly doe
 

And I already said I misread the post. I was thinking more along the lines of birds. I forgot that the birds people find to raise and release die because they are carnivores or eat bugs. I did not think about that. I was wrong.

RE: Friendly doe
 

I tried to feed her some corn but se didn't eat it. She was eating leaves off of the trees.
She was following me because seh was acusstom to human companionship IMO. She was litterally acting like your dog does when you get home after being gone a while. Rinning and playing.
She had no ticks on her while I got 3 on me in a short period. I think this is a sign that she hadn't been there, in the wild, for very long.
I have to admit that it was interesting and fun interacting with her.
I was thinking of riding back down there and see if she's still there but it might be better to let her start interacting with her own kind and learn to get along without people.
Question: Do deer accept outsiders of their own species? just curious

RE: Friendly doe
 

You big ol softy.;) As I get older, 56 now, I find myself letting more and more walk. I see a day coming when i take just my stand, climb a tree and take a nap.

RE: Friendly doe
 

I had the same thing happen to me but with a buck. Here is a pic. Was squirrel hunting and walked up on this little guy. He followed me around like a dog and even tagged along when i walked to the truck. I know what your feeling 3 Step. If she groups up with other does she might have a chance man that's the only way to think about it.

RE: Friendly doe
 

Cool pic Ate-up. After I left my house I realized that I left my camera at home but I figured that I wouldn't see anything so I didn't go back and get it.
I tried to get her to come over in front of my trail cam but she wouldn't go for it. Thanks for your post.

RE: Friendly doe
 

well, let me say this. i lived on the edge of a state park at one time and hunted on our property. there were deer with collars on. i had countless opps to shoot a collared deer and never did. let's hope that the person in the stand sees the collar and realizes that the deer is part of some project or something isnt right. the deer can survive other than that. i do not think that it will starve if there is food to eat. it's not like a BIG CAT..it doesnt have to hunt. remember...when u get hungry, u will nibble on anything...

RE: Friendly doe
 

I didn't think of that. I knew carnivores hunted and wouldn't learn to hunt with dead food. Herbivores eat plants, and if you just put some hay down it would make no difference, they could still forage.

RE: Friendly doe
 

I didn't know this was a political thing;)

It is sure a shame when people take the liberty to play god. What this deer needed was to be left alone as a fawn. Not coddled. I hope this deer the best this season but I'm not real optimistic.

RE: Friendly doe
 

How do you know it wasn't someones pet that was loose. Why is everyone assuming that it's in the wild for good or that it wasn't raised and released at an early age? I have known people that either owned deer and let them run free or that raised deer when they were young and released them that the deer returned back to the peoples house on occaision and would let them pet it etc.

Why did you start to take the collar off?

RE: Friendly doe
 

Well if it's a pet that is let to roam loose, it's chances for survival are just as slim come deer season, unless it doesn't roam into any hunting areas.

RE: Friendly doe
 

I took it off, don't know why. I guess cause you just don't see deer wearing reflective collars. But after thinking about it I put it back on.
I ask the people that live in the area and no one knew of anyone that owned a deer.

RE: Friendly doe
 

i hate to say it, but if it were me i would go and take care of it. Take it some feed bags, and some apples, you could probably leave her under your tree during the rut and get some big bucks to come in, haaaaah!!:D I am kidding but that would be so kewl, just to bait a buck with a live doe without tying her up, boy that would be a trip.

RE: Friendly doe
 

I could, at least, get some free, fresh doe pee. [&:] But I don't have the time to follow her around with a bucket.:eek:

RE: Friendly doe
 

If you shot her and had her mounted would you leave the collar on or off?:eek:

RE: Friendly doe
 

Now you know I don't shoot doe. (oh no, here we go again)