How smart are deer ?

[Welshies]

Deer don't rut in spring and summer... nor get hunted...
I tried to explain during the rut he would get sloppy. During spring and summer he would completely disregard you.
He probably avoids hunted areas. Deer have a wide range.

 

[sourland]

And yet you attribute his spring and summer behavior to the rut ?

 

[Welshies]

Never said that.

And yet you attribute his spring and summer behavior to the rut ?

 

[Welshies]

Deer don't rut in spring and summer... nor get hunted...
I tried to explain during the rut he would get sloppy. During spring and summer he would completely disregard you.
He probably avoids hunted areas. Deer have a wide range.

During spring and summer he would disregard you BECAUSE it is not hunting season. Make sense?

 

[sourland]

In reality, no. I am completely aware of normal deer behavior. I have never run into a deer like this particular buck. Regardless of time of year or hunting season (4 months here in NJ) this deer raised in a heavily hunted area has always appeared to be curious about me. If season makes a difference why don't others see him in the non hunting seasons ?

 

[Ravynscroft]

Here's the story. Four years ago a doe raised a pair of fawns outside of the beagle club that I belong to. Club is fenced with heavy gauge wire topped with 3 strands of hot wire to keep ground predators out. As a yearling the young Y buck would lay along the side of the fence about 30' from the gate. When I would stop to open the gate, he would just look at me. As a 2 year old and now a 6 pointer he would still lay there looking at me. Last winter after a snow storm I walked within 20' of him, and he never moved just snorted at me. I cautiously exited stage left. Even though it was late in the year, he was still rubbing trees. Several times this summer I bounced him out of the cover. He would run around a corner of our paths, and within seconds would be peering around the corner at me. Just today, once again after a snow storm, I walked up within 30 ' of him before he ran away. He is now a beautiful 8 pointer. In his 3 years as a 'buck' no body has gotten a shot at him. Heck, they haven't even seen him. Do you think he knows that it is me and that I present no danger? Or is he just lucky ? Also once again he has started rubbing this late in the season. Any ideas as to why?

It is very common for deer born/raised in a specific area to return to that area if it has proven to be safe... and they do recognize familiar scents, so yes, he understands you havebeen around there for as long as he can remember and he has stayed safe there...

He may be rubbing again due to our unsettled weather/temps this year causing odd behaviour and hormone shifts...

 

[Welshies]

In reality, no. I am completely aware of normal deer behavior. I have never run into a deer like this particular buck. Regardless of time of year or hunting season (4 months here in NJ) this deer raised in a heavily hunted area has always appeared to be curious about me. If season makes a difference why don't others see him in the non hunting seasons ?

I'm not sure what answer you want here, but you seem to want a particular answer. I don't know what to say except, the explanation is mundane and he's just a deer. Maybe smart but just a deer.

 

[sourland]

@Ravynscroft, thanks for sensible input. I appreciate your comments.

 

[Ravynscroft]

@Ravynscroft, thanks for sensible input. I appreciate your comments.

Where I live, we have 200 acres behind us as private cattle pasture... owner allows hunting as long as cattle are not harmed... many of our neighbors hunt the other side across from us as well, well known active hunting grounds... and neighbor 2 doors down from us will drop anything in his yard, within laws...

Yet, we have returning does and their fawns raised in the strip behind our house and in front of our next door neighbor... that strip is completely safe... they know this and always return... we step outside and they recognize us... other neighbor comes out, they make hasty retreat... olfactory memory is very strong in animals, especially prey animals... they distinguish between danger/no danger, not group as a whole unless the entire group has proven to be danger...

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Here's the story. Four years ago a doe raised a pair of fawns outside of the beagle club that I belong to. Club is fenced with heavy gauge wire topped with 3 strands of hot wire to keep ground predators out. As a yearling the young Y buck would lay along the side of the fence about 30' from the gate. When I would stop to open the gate, he would just look at me. As a 2 year old and now a 6 pointer he would still lay there looking at me. Last winter after a snow storm I walked within 20' of him, and he never moved just snorted at me. I cautiously exited stage left. Even though it was late in the year, he was still rubbing trees. Several times this summer I bounced him out of the cover. He would run around a corner of our paths, and within seconds would be peering around the corner at me. Just today, once again after a snow storm, I walked up within 30 ' of him before he ran away. He is now a beautiful 8 pointer. In his 3 years as a 'buck' no body has gotten a shot at him. Heck, they haven't even seen him. Do you think he knows that it is me and that I present no danger? Or is he just lucky ? Also once again he has started rubbing this late in the season. Any ideas as to why?

I absolutely believe that a deer could know the difference between you and someone else after numerous encounters with you and your scent, not posing a threat. My husband had some neighbors many years ago that raised a white tail deer as a pet . . bad idea but anyway. . that deer made it obvious that it knew it's people and was Leary of new people. It did however end up being shot by a hunter. It wouldn't necessarily hide from people it didn't know but it walked right up to people it did know.