Let's face it, they are all out there looking for food. Is a bear higher up on the food chain than a deer? You bet!! Will a bear give way over a kill, to a deer? No way!

I agree that they co-exist, but they are very much aware of their pecking order in the food chain, and a deer is even more skiddish than a Black Bear (not talking grizzlies here of course).

It is my opinion that you will not have as predictable a feeding or migration pattern with the deer, if there are bear around, but I DON'T believe they will disappear altogether.

Frankly, given the increasing numbers of COYOTES around here lately (in the Northeast), I'd be MORE concerned about THEM, than bears.

I would say bears will NOT scare deer from coming into your bait. Deer will check the bait from a distance, if they see a bear they will wait and come in later, I've seen this while hunting numerous times, and also from my camera I would have a bear on it, then 1/2 hr to 45 mins later deer would be on it. I've also witness from my stand deer and bear at the same time, granted they where 100 plus yards from each other