How smart are deer ?

[Pork Pie]

I think it's cos yer such a handsome fella, Sour

 

[sourland]

I think it's cos yer such a handsome fella, Sour

Now that could be a bit scary indeed. When I encountered him last winter he did appear a bit lustful.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

CWD?

 

[Ravynscroft]

Here's this years returners... mature doe, older offspring doe and her twins from earlier this year...

They're smart, my ducks are piranhas!

 

[KentuckyRooster]

Deer are wicked smart. Prey animals survive on instinct of memory and smell. The buck recognizes you aren't a predator by smell because all the times he has seen you, from a baby on, you've never threatened him. That is why he reacts the way he does.

Same reason the deer are used to my horse and me that live near my dad's where she is pastured. I see them often. They are not fearful of us because we don't do anything to threaten them, we watch them and go about our business. They know the black mare, and they know she is prey and by extension that I am there with prey, not hurting it, so I must not be too bad either.

 

[PirateGirl]

I will attest to the notion that deer can recognize an area as safe or a person/animal as non-threatening. Growing up we had an underground invisible fence/electric fence for the dog. We lived in an area highly populated by deer. The deer learned where the fence line was (maybe repeated exposure and visually seeing that the dog did not cross it, maybe scent and not smelling the heavily used area of the dog/people) and would calmly stand 20-30 feet from the dog on the other side of the invisible line watching each other. If the deer were inside the line, the dog would chase them off, but they'd stop once they'd crossed the line to relative safety. It's not that they always stayed that far away from the house/yard/fence, they freely walked all over the property, but they learned where the safe area was and where the dog and people were no longer a threat.

I too have often wondered why the head deer, elk, and moose in the area can be seen season after season. Why has no hunter gotten them before? The are predominantly roaming heavily hunted areas, yet the same bulls are present year after year. All the locals know where these herds roam, yet they survive.

 

[sourland]

CWD?

'Supposedly' not present in NJ, and I have 'known' this deer going on 4 years and he is in apparent good health. It's rare that a buck gets to be 4 years old in this area because of heavy hunting pressure.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I too have often wondered why the head deer, elk, and moose in the area can be seen season after season. Why has no hunter gotten them before? The are predominantly roaming heavily hunted areas, yet the same bulls are present year after year. All the locals know where these herds roam, yet they survive.

Roaming hunting grounds, but you mention seeing them year after year... so they are within short distance of buildings/people/common areas, etc, yes?

Hunters can't shoot towards populace/buildings within a specific range... deer have learned that 'safe zone'...

 

[KentuckyRooster]

"Our" herd of them hangs in the yards of neighbors and my dad's so much it's silly lol. You have to watch not to step in the deer poo bombs.

They know what's safe. And where there's food. I am sure they have a food source nearby, maybe someone is feeding them. They come down off the hills in winter and spend it in my dad's neighborhood.

The first time my horse saw them she froze up and her eyes got all big. It was pretty cute. She didn't know what to think. But she knows what they are now.

 

[PirateGirl]

Roaming hunting grounds, but you mention seeing them year after year... so they are within short distance of buildings/people/common areas, etc, yes?

Hunters can't shoot towards populace/buildings within a specific range... deer have learned that 'safe zone'...

No, not necessarily near populated areas/homes/roads. National forest land, which is where I'm typically out hiking with my dogs, on or off trail, which is also the same land where hunting is permitted.