What is a deer's best sense?
 

Just trying to get an idea of how your perceive deer perceiving you. If you think it is a tie between two selections, select the one that has less votes.

RE: What is a deer's best sense?
 

The deer's ability to smell you is his absolute best sense. No question.

RE: What is a deer's best sense?
 

Here is true story - I was hunting in S. Illinois with my father several years ago. He asked me whereI planned to take a stand and I said, "over that way". He says, no show me so we walk over to a tree that I was planning on climbing the next morning. My dad looks around the area within five feet of the tree as he is chewing and spitting tobacco. He then takes a leak next to the tree about 3 feet away. I yelled at him to stop and he said why, it won't make any difference.

The next morning was calm and just at light an 8 pointer walks directly under my tree branch. I was not wearing any scent cover. The hardest part was getting the gun angled right for the kill.

RE: What is a deer's best sense?
 

A deer can see you and not know what you are...

A deer can hear you and not know what you are...

A deer can smell you and know what you are, how far away you are and what you had for breakfast...

They can walk through the woods and tell every dog, coon, squirrel, whatever passed througn 8 hours ago...We have no concept as to how well they can smell...I have seen them move out of a soybean field 300 yards away after catching my scent...

RE: What is a deer's best sense?
 

I'd say its a close call between smell and sight. These whitetails are excellent at both, thats why they are one of the toughest animals to hunt! There nose doeswin out though!

RE: What is a deer's best sense?
 

Schultzy, JMHO, but it us definitely not a close call between smell and sight.
Personally, any hunter that does recognize and understand how well the deer's sense of smell is, well they are making one crucial and possible fatal mistake.

Humans cannot conceive how well a deer can smell. It is uncomprehensible to us.
If a deer could hear only as well as he sees, I would have trophy bucks hanging every single year.

RE: What is a deer's best sense?
 

I meant to say: If a deer couldsmell only as well as he sees, I would have trophy bucks hanging every single year.

RE: What is a deer's best sense?
 

I'm not argueing or disagreeing with you at all on this subject! I've been busted both ways countless times! If one don't get you allot of times the other one will! Its kinda funny now these days that these deer seem to have it breed in them to look up in the tree's now even when theres no one in them.

RE: What is a deer's best sense?
 

Deer sight isnt as great as most imagine, its their sense of smell and hearing that will cost you a deer.

RE: What is a deer's best sense?
 

I have had many deer look up at me at a very young age. They must learn it from there moms. But then I have had several not look up.