How smart are deer ?

[JaeG]

Interesting stuff here.

We live in an area with a big deer population and a lot of hunting pressure. It's general knowledge that if you are not lucky enough to get a deer the first three days of the season your chance of getting your tag filled drop considerably. I don't know whether or not it's a mark of intelligence or conditioning to respond to the sound of gun fire but all the trophy bucks go nocturnal. The younger bucks get careless in their quest for love but those old boys know to make themselves scarce as soon as they hear those first rifle shots and when they go nocturnal, so do the does. It doesn't seem to matter what stage of the rut they are in.

I wonder if your buck's reaction to you isn't conditioning. He knows the area is safe. He knows that you are no threat so he is hanging around there instead of with his head mounted on a wall and his back straps slow cooking in a crock pot.

Deer around us are far more 'visible' when it isn't hunting season than when it is.

As for intelligence? I'm kinda dubious as to whether or not there is an Einstein in the deer world. After all they are related to sheep and the sheep we owned were never the brightest bulbs on the Christmas tree.

I can remember Ted Nugent was once asked the question concerning deer intelligence and he replied that he thought deer (bucks)were capable of three thoughts. What can I eat? Can I out run danger? and What doe can I mate with? Now I'm not saying he is right but I guess what I am saying is only a deer knows what it is thinking if it is thinking at all or running on pure instinct.

I say Enjoy you 8 point buck as long as you can. Just keep in mind that he can lay a world of hurt on you if he decides to.

As for CWD we have it here thanks to a STUPID STUPID STUPID hunting reserve owner who brought contaminated, infected deer into his reserve and infected the wild population. No I don't have too much sympathy for him but loads for the deer population.

Sheep are actually very smart creatures, in some situations/experiments comparable to humans.
http://scribol.com/environment/anim...zing-ways-sheep-are-smarter-than-you-thought/

I love your story @sourland - it's like our wild ducks that return each year, flying in daily to demand food. The females will eat out of my hand without much encouragement. I think they figure they are safe when our property has so many birds on it! Not sure I'd be offering food to a big buck in my neighborhood though but he must be an impressive sight!

 

[WVduckchick]

We have several trail cams out for deer hunting time. A few years ago, we got pics of a piebald fawn. Over about 4 or 5 years, we watched it grow. Never got more than 2 tall spikes, full antlers never sprouted. He had short stubby legs, and obvious genetic issues. The nearby hunters knew he lived on our property and were not to shoot him. He would never come intentionally close to us, but he did always hang nearby, and was always the last one to run when we approached. He was a beautiful sight. Never found out who or if someone killed him, but he finally disappeared.

 

[oldrooster]

Spook I would not even worry about the snorts at this point I would imagine he sees you enough at worst it is a I'm here and I see you snort not a one that means an attach unless you get stupid and charge him. i am not a hunter but sometimes when i am outside and I see some deer in the yard I hear a snort and sometimes it seems to be a threatening or non aggressive snort of warning so I figure he knows your there and although you are not a "friend" he's saying hello and leave me be....and I never heard of that kind of club before we have the eagles and moose and the elks but not the beagles

 

[Blooms&Brood]

My husband and I are both hunters, as well as our kids. Bow, rifle and muzzle loader. At our new place we can shoot deer from our side garage door. It's just ridiculous the population. We've seen does, fawns, yearlings, anything up to 3.5 year old bucks, including on our trail cam near the house. What we haven't captured on film is the massive mature buck my husband eyed while bow hunting in the timber earlier this winter. If you don't hunt on your property and everyone else around you does, that's why you keep seeing this deer.

There's been deer radio collar studies that prove mature bucks change their ranging habits just days BEFORE rifle season. Statistically, bucks that make it through three hunting seasons are apt to survive entirely. Also likely to be the dominate male in the area.

I think your experience is relatable to my own encounters with deer in the field, especially at night when tracking a deer shot earlier that day. I'll accidentally walk up on a buck with a group of does and he'll snort at me. A lot of the times the snort is them telling you that they are aware of your presence. It almost becomes a standoff until someone makes a move.

Side note, If I highly recommend checking out Missouri's Conservationist magazine. They have subscribers from all over the world. Great for staying abreast on Deer and waterfowl topics. It's free btw.

Happy New Year

 

[sourland]

Last night one of the members called and asked if there was any deer sign down at the club. I answered, "Nope, they must all be yarded up someplace out of the wind."

 

[sourland]

Well, today we drove the club grounds trying to eliminate a fox that got into the enclosure. 4 posters with guns, 3 drivers - I just knew they were going to kill MY deer. We jumped him twice. First time he slunk behind a poster in a deer stand. Second time he started towards and then saw a poster. He doubled back towards me and jumped the fence. Survived to live another day.

 

[drumstick diva]

Sour, may your deer live long and multiply

 

[sourland]

Saw him today as I was filling rabbit feeders. He stood there staring at me like, "Exactly what were you up to on Sunday?" He almost got down on his belly to sneak behind the guy in the deer stand, and when he saw the guy standing along the fence, his reaction to run back towards me indicated that he thought I was less dangerous. Well, I choose to believe that anyway.

 

[drumstick diva]

So you are the lessor evil Sour. Nice step up.

 

[sourland]

@drumstick diva , I choose to think that I am the lesser of all evils.