while out hunting the other day, a young fella in our group asked "why are those big black birds circling around over there and swanking like that? An old geezer with us said "they are telling you that there is a deer there right under them and they want you to hurry up and make a gut pile for them"! He said it with all sincerity! He is a First Nations elder and I didn't question him. We have seen this scene many times before and wondered wtf is up with the ravens and what are they doing and why. I didn't get a chance to speak to him in confidence afterwards and am wondering myself if he has something here. Any thoughts?
Ravens, the hunter's eye in the sky?
- Thread starter two-dogs
- Start date
I do not have his knowledge, and am wondering if he has the answer. As I say, we have observed this situation many times and have had no solid answers as to what and why the ravens do this.
on other years, I would say "perhaps", but not this year, there are no gut piles anywhere, no bucks anywhere, some smaller hoof deer tracks, and some doe sightings here and there. Lots and lots of big dog tracks, oh sooooo big, I would love to spot one of them through my corrective lenses and then through my Leupy.
Hotwheels81
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- South of GP
Hahaha.... 50/50 chance there is an animal there the ravens are waiting for to drop a steamer so they can enjoy a warm meal... Yote's do the same thing... It's an easy way to track large animals at times just find the clean up crew or opportunistic predator and see where there attention is focused... Not uncommon to see several yote's within close proximity to elk and deer herd's but our ravens are a bit harder to read...
I do see them perched in the trees a lot in a few spots trails merge inside the bush line tho so I can see how you could assume they are watching something you can't see
I do see them perched in the trees a lot in a few spots trails merge inside the bush line tho so I can see how you could assume they are watching something you can't see
I remember reading an article in Ontario Out of Doors magazine a few years ago written by Bruce Ranta IIRC, he said he was moose hunting and the ravens were doing the same thing so he went over to see what the fuss was about and he found a moose under the ravens. I don't remember if he shot the moose but he was convinced the ravens were trying to tell him something.
x4.
Sorry, joking.
I've had both ravens and particularly magpies do the scouting flyover at first light to locate hunters.Then a short while later be raising a fuss to let you know a deer is coming.The corvids are not stupid and have the ability to learn and reason.They arrive at a the kill before you get to eject the empty.Out of courtesy I let them be . I had a bald eagle hanging out with two ravens in GP arrive at my dead moose before I did.Strange yet practical symbiotic relationship.As well had a Gyrfalcon nail a crippled pigeon I had just shot near a shed full of machinery.Looked up as if to say thanks and lifted off not 20 feet away.............Harold
cool, I had a gut feeling this First Nations elder wasn't born "yesterday"
and had some merited to his madness!Originally Posted by two-dogs
I do not have his knowledge, and am wondering if he has the answer. As I say, we have observed this situation many times and have had no solid answers as to what and why the ravens do this.
ok .. pretty funny Guido!
awesome, thank you kindly for your post!
Corvids have some surprising capacity for intelligence. Depending on a number of circumstances of course, they could quite likely be waiting for some easy food. They do the same thing on garbage day, waiting for the trucks to come so they can swoop in and get the scraps.
Canadian_Zuk
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Pickering, Ontario
I've heard mention of this by more than one old hunter. Still not sure if it's 100% true, though I do keep an eye out when I see ravens acting up. They do seem to sense a correlation between hunter orange and a free meal in my eyes.
