Deer's ability to avoid predators... or lack thereof

P

pacobillie

CGN frequent flyer
Super GunNutz
Rating - 99.4%
159   1   0
Location
Quebec
As I was having my morning coffee this morning, a young deer walked through my back yard. It is the first time I have witnessed this in 9 years of living in this house. I am in a residential area, with large wooded lots and nearby forest. However, there are very few deer sightings, even in the forest.


What makes this even stranger is that I own two dogs, and the rear neighbour has three. This time of year, the odor of dog feces and urine is unmistakable, as the ground is thawing. But none of it fazed this young deer. He did not seem the least bit fearful for his own safety.

Lo and behold, a few minutes later, a rabbit came through the back yard. He did not seem scared either. Then, OTOH, that rabbit has never met with Billie the Beagle:
Jan312005009.jpg
:
 
Last edited:
Well - The deer has become acclimatized to humans and their pets. Same thing happens at my cottage - you can get within 15 ft of them. However, out at the hunt camp, the deer are extremely shy.
 
IMagius said:
Billie is a good looking dog. Next dog I get, I am really, really leaning in his direction.
Click to expand...

Billie is a "she" BTW.

Beagles are great dogs, but they can be a handful. Their sense of smell is so keen, that they can follow their nose to locations that are in a different area code. I have been lucky with her, in that she answers the "come" command quite well. She has good hunting instincts, even for birds, although she tends to walk too far ahead for me to have a shot at anything she flushes.
 
The original question was are deer worried, concerned or scared of predators. From my observations I would say no, they are not. Same applies to moose.
We know that when hunting deer or moose on foot, still hunting, both species are extremely wary and hard to sneak up on. But they just don't seem to have the same fear of predators.
I once saw a cow and calf moose on the surface of a snow covered, frozen lake in nothern BC. Between quarter and half mile down the lake were three wolves, playing around on the ice. I think the moose knew the wolves were there, but they just did their thing, paying no attention. I guess the wolves weren't hungry, because they didn't bother the moose, either.
 
i used to live in a very dense residential area, and every spring the deer would come down from the mountain and eat the neighbourhood's tulips. it wasn't one or two, it was a mass exodus into the city. no fear.
 
The vast majority of deer manage to avoid me when I'm out preying. Mind you I only prey on the especially reckless, lazy, or stupid ones, because I'm not very good at it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom