"channelling' deer

migrant hunter

migrant hunter

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Southern Alberta
When I used to hunt forestry in Scotland(leased, private land) my buddy and I would cut shooting lanes in the summer when we were putting up stands etc.
We would take the brush and branches and use them to make "fences" here and there under the canopy(fairly young trees) to reduce the number of deer runs that came out on the firebreaks we were shooting on.
By doing this we reduced the places deer could walk out of, and tried to keep deer movement in sight of our stands. The deer took the easiest routes and sometimes it worked, sometimes it did'nt.
Anyone ever tried it? Does it sound unethical? I'm thinking of bow season!
 
Yes - Deer will use paths of convenience. It may take them a while to catch on... In eastern Canada, it is common practice to channel deer using "drives". Humans or hounds are used to push the deer toward hunters in established positions. It is beneficial to use the features of the local terrain - lakes, rock cuts to assist. Hunters on watch will often create shooting lanes - the labor is justified knowing that the watch can be used for years to come. In many cases, the watches are positioned near known "runs", which have been scrutinized over the years.
 
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Funny you should mention it, an English friend of mine who came over here to hunt was surprised at the fact that we didn't manage our game in this fashion. As we were in northern AB on crown land, I explained that building fences and such was frowned upon by the fish cops, and the local aboriginals burned down anything that was set up during hunting season during the off season. I like the idea though, and if I owned or leased the land I would certainly set it up that way. - dan
 
Not so much on the channeling of deer here, but watchs are usually set on traditional deer runs, or known places of travel. Brush that impare vision or deflect a bullet are then cut, usually two, one to get a site on the animal coming to assess ### & speed it's moving so as to be prepared for it's entry into 2nd shooting tunnel.
 
This is one method of hunting used by primative people. Make channels for the game and then drive them with a group of people into an enclosure then spear or bow and arrow them.
Now a days we can't use spears and are more independant in hunting using the technology we have ie guns. Goes to show how much hunting is an instinct and people unconciously use the ways of our primitive ancestors.
 
Inuit used this method to hunt caribou, as described by Farley Moatt(sp?) in the book "People of the Deer", building stone cairns (rock piles) and the local topography to funnel the animals.
 
I have alwyas reffered to it as "funneling" or " deer funnels' and yes it wotrks!
I read an article years ago in an archery mag where the deer had been bounding over a stone fence that had a top layer of stones gone.
the author built the fence back up and then took some stones off fsrhter down the fenceline where there was a good tree for a stand.
he killed a deer out the stand a week later, and the trail was already well worn....
Cat
 
I do it all the time.

Could be piling brush on a deer trail you don't want them to use.

Or tying down a the top stand of a fence (ask first if it's not your fence!!), so deer will cross where you want them to.
 
I've done "chanelling" with Elk on our land, works very well where we have permanent stands set up. Deer follow the elk trails too, so I would use the method for deer if necessary.
 
There are a lot of little things you can do along these lines. Can be as simple as binding the top two wires of a fence together midway between posts at a strategic location relative to a stand location to make a slightly easier place to hop over. I suspect very minor things like that are very common with bowhunters quite generally.

RG

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