What I learned this week.
 

It has been one of those weeks where I really learned some new and exiting stuff about whitetail deer I wanted to share with the forum.

This happened twice this fall while coyote hunting but what I have found is deer could care less about rabbit, mice, and cottontail calls. While calling with distress calls groups of deer have walked within 100 yards of my caller, placed 80 yards away from me, and didn't pay attention. What is better is I tried male, female, and yip coyote calls while these deer where close and they did twitch their ears and flip their tails but they never bolted and continued grazing. As a test I stood up from my concealed position to alert the deer of my presence while using coyote calls to see what would happen. The deer focused on my movement and ignored the sounds. They stared at me for ten minutes before showing their tails and running off. From my experiences deer will pay attention to sound but movement is the deal breaker. I was downwind both times so wind was not a factor. I have seen older bucks shy away from loud noises from other animals but in this case does and yearling males are visually looking for threats before they run away.

I can't speak for every deer across the US but this is how it played out for me.

d80, I wonder if there would have been any difference in their reaction if you had of crawled out on all fours instead of standing up on two legs to get their attention?
Serious question....

I've crawled up on deer before. I'd say it works, better than walking up to them anyway.
-Jake

I have crawled prone on other hunts. It would have taken them longer to see me but in the end they would have run off when the deer had visually confirmed danger.

I have crawled right up on turkey while using a tail fan. It works ridiculously well.










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Interesting but I am not sure if it has to deal with exposure or not. Here on base we see deer feeding or crossing the rifle ranges all the time when the Marines are out there and they seem to take it as normal, but they will spook in a heart beat if it was a single gun shot in an area outside of the range. So not sure if they got used to your call from the areas it is at or something else.

I archery hunted an area with many houses and lots of human activity. The deer would walk across lawns without being spooked or skittish. Now with rubber boots on and scent free I walk in the woods 70 yards from this area, a deer walks across my path freezes for a second then bounds off. The deer expect scents and activity in certain areas, bring those scents in where they don't belong or at an unacostomed time and deer are on high alert!