Why do deer love other Deeres?
11-24-2012, 05:04 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 73
Why do deer love other Deeres?
OK sorry for the terrible pun.
My trail cameras are useless compared to the info I get from my farmer every year. Hes sees probably 5 times the bucks I do just from driving around loud ass farm equipment from spring-fall. Also even when he sprays the fields and jumps a buck it doesnt haul ass blowing to the next county like if we accidentally bang our rifle against a metal stand or sneeze. Every time he says after he jumps them they just move over to some pines and lay back down. Once he gets close again they do the same thing hop up, and move to a different place and bed down but they never just bolt.
When I hunt I ride a dark green Honda 4 wheeler and many times I have walked back after not seeing anything and jumped a buck who was just hanging around my 4-wheeler. Even started just driving right up to stands rather than walking in and have seen more deer that way sometimes less than 10 minutes after I stop and get in the stand.
When I used to do a lot of offshore fishing I remember reading that the diseal engines of a sport fishing boat can make a certain tone when running at a certain speed and RPMs that helps attract species like Marlin, Tuna, and Dolphin and get them in the baits. Is the same true about farm equipment? Is there something about their smell and the noise that they make that makes deer go "Hmm maybe I should go check that out"?
I have tried hunting next to one of his combines and the thing just reeks of diseal and other scents I would be sure would keep deer away. Yet one time I set up a camera pointing at 3 tractors my farmer left out in the field near a tree line. He left them there for around 3-4 days and when I checked the memory card I had around 400 pictures. It was everything from fawns to three nice bucks walking around the equipment like it wasnt even there. The deer just didnt care one bit that a three big ass tractors were sitting next to their feeding area. Next time I hunt should I just fire one up, do a couple laps around my hunting area and then get in the stand?
My trail cameras are useless compared to the info I get from my farmer every year. Hes sees probably 5 times the bucks I do just from driving around loud ass farm equipment from spring-fall. Also even when he sprays the fields and jumps a buck it doesnt haul ass blowing to the next county like if we accidentally bang our rifle against a metal stand or sneeze. Every time he says after he jumps them they just move over to some pines and lay back down. Once he gets close again they do the same thing hop up, and move to a different place and bed down but they never just bolt.
When I hunt I ride a dark green Honda 4 wheeler and many times I have walked back after not seeing anything and jumped a buck who was just hanging around my 4-wheeler. Even started just driving right up to stands rather than walking in and have seen more deer that way sometimes less than 10 minutes after I stop and get in the stand.
When I used to do a lot of offshore fishing I remember reading that the diseal engines of a sport fishing boat can make a certain tone when running at a certain speed and RPMs that helps attract species like Marlin, Tuna, and Dolphin and get them in the baits. Is the same true about farm equipment? Is there something about their smell and the noise that they make that makes deer go "Hmm maybe I should go check that out"?
I have tried hunting next to one of his combines and the thing just reeks of diseal and other scents I would be sure would keep deer away. Yet one time I set up a camera pointing at 3 tractors my farmer left out in the field near a tree line. He left them there for around 3-4 days and when I checked the memory card I had around 400 pictures. It was everything from fawns to three nice bucks walking around the equipment like it wasnt even there. The deer just didnt care one bit that a three big ass tractors were sitting next to their feeding area. Next time I hunt should I just fire one up, do a couple laps around my hunting area and then get in the stand?
Last edited by Cypress32; 11-24-2012 at 05:08 AM.
11-24-2012, 06:26 AM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Southeast Nebraska
Posts: 452
The deer are used to the farm equipment. It's "normal" to them. Your scent, and the noise you make are foreign to them and thus alert them to danger. It's no different that's hanging a new ladder stand or setting up a elevated deer blind. Initially deer will be wary of it, and avoid it. Eventually as they learn it poses no threat to them and it becomes normal to them, they don't give it a second look.
11-27-2012, 04:01 AM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Frederick, Maryland
Posts: 197
Couldn't tell you how many times I have been out with the chainsaw to look up and see a deer only 50yds away staring right at me. I do believe that some noises and scents make deer curious and they come to investigate. I even had someone tell me that deer that live in areas that have been lumbered out have put 2 and 2 together and figured out that the sound of a chainsaw can mean new food for them as tree tops have been dropped to the ground. Now I'm not quite sure I believe that they are that smart but I also have no info to disprove this man's opinion. Good luck.
