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RE: Deer memory
 

after spooking a few does and a nice buck at my best stand a few times, then going the rest of the season with not a deer or sign within 200 yards of this stand. i stopped hunting it. it wasn' t until spring that i finally saw deer passing the stand to go out in the field and feed. when a deer spots me and stomps her feet and does all that stuff to get me to move, i get mad at the deer and will kill it. when a deer puts the make on me...i give it 3 stomps of the foot to move on, when she stomps the 4th time, i try my hardest to get a shot on her to keep from alerting other deer of this stand, even if i was waiting for a buck.

RE: Deer memory
 

I shot a nice OLD buck last year and learned something tracking him in the process. The deer went off my propery and down an old trail on the property across from me. About 50 yards from an old wooden stand that was falling down, the deer made a wide loop off the trail and then got back in the old road about 50-70 yards on the other side of this stand! My neighbor hasn' t hunted that stand he told me in 2 years and by the condition of the stand, no one else has either. That has made me wonder how many old deer know exactly where my fixed stands are. But, I have also hunted the same stand alot and then near the end of the season, seen or killed a nice deer that I had never seen all season and didn' t know he was there so who knows.

RE: Deer memory
 

From my experience, the deer have always returned to the same area unless they have been injured. Most deer that have winded me or the like have returned the next day to the same trail, some even a few hours later. All deer have relatively short memories, whether it be a buck or a doe. In most cases, unless there is constant disturbance created by man, the deer will release its anxiety and continue its normal activity. If you clean missed this buck, there is a darn good chance you will see him in the same area shortly. The scent released by the gland of the deer is only a warning and not a memory of an individual experience, and will diminish just as any scent left by man will also. Most deers home range is 1 to 2 square miles, and grows considerably during the rut. Also, when a deer is frightened and spooked their retreat is not as distant as most people would think. Most will only run until they feel they have escaped eye sight, and if you are hunting some fairly thick cover, this may not be far at all. I hope this message has helped you, and good luck in your future hunts.

RE: Deer memory
 

That about covers it. I' d just like to add that much depends on what type of area you are hunting. In my suburban efforts, people scare the deer all the time so they are more likely to return soon. It seems that when they bust me but leave not knowing for sure, they come back the next day. If I shoot with the bow, they take longer and if I shoot the gun, they don' t come back until next year. All this said, I simply move my stand fifty yards either way and they aren' t looking for me there so it is OK.

I had one old doe that had very destinctive markings - I knew her from a mile away. She always busted me. No matter where I hunted on the property. It was like she looked for me. Litterally, for five years I could hunt in a new corner of the property and she would make me and do the stomping routine and run. I got one opportunity at her after many many many times getting busted. I wanted to kill her but I just said " gotcha" and she had an " Oh Crap" look on her face as she looked up to see me. She disappeared about a year later, I suppose to a car or gun or just old age. She was mature when we first met and I know that I had seen her for five years. That was a cool experience and there have been other deer with her markings since...they must be the kids.

Greg

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RE: Deer memory
 

There are exceptions, of course, but in my experience, a mature deer--esp bucks--will either avoid an area, travel it only at night, or thoroughly scour every inch of it before traveling through it if he' s been given reason to believe it' s not safe there. I' ve heard the rare stories that run counter to this, but I' ve never gotten a 2nd chance at the same buck in the same spot after he found out I was there.

RE: Deer memory
 

I have the belief that deer are somewhat like some people I know. Some have short term memory which lasts no more than 20 minutes. Others seem to remember what happened two years ago. I have had old does that spotted me that turned inside out to get away. I figure that is how they got to be old does.

Russ

RE: Deer memory
 

I have to agree with Russ. All creatures are not created equal, cognitively speaking. Whether we' re talking about deer, dogs, frogs, or people, the smartest ones have the easiest time surviving.