chrislibby88
Senior Member
I’m sure the opinions range on this one. What do you think? Do deer associate gunshots from an area out direct sight with danger? For instance, say you shoot a doe in a travel hub, and a buck is maybe 400 yards away in timber heading for that hub. He hears the shot, can’t pinpoint it, but it came from the direction he wanted to go. Does he avoid the area? Or is it just a noise like thunder? Let us know what you think.
Obviously all bets are off in the rut when a hot doe is involved. I’m talking in general.
I think it boils down to personality and life experience. Some dogs are gun-shy and afraid of thunder, some aren’t. I think the same holds true for deer. I don’t think they directly associate it with hunters, but could learn to associate it with danger, especially if they witness multiple deer get shot in front of them.
Funny story, a few years ago on a local WMA in the middle of the most pressured bonus hunt, lots of deer die, shots all morning and evening. Late morning I had a doe and yearling come working down a dry creek bed. The mature doe was super spooky, probably been smelling humans all weekend, maybe even lost a homie to da struggle, flinched when a shot went off. I think she knew more than most.
Obviously all bets are off in the rut when a hot doe is involved. I’m talking in general.
I think it boils down to personality and life experience. Some dogs are gun-shy and afraid of thunder, some aren’t. I think the same holds true for deer. I don’t think they directly associate it with hunters, but could learn to associate it with danger, especially if they witness multiple deer get shot in front of them.
Funny story, a few years ago on a local WMA in the middle of the most pressured bonus hunt, lots of deer die, shots all morning and evening. Late morning I had a doe and yearling come working down a dry creek bed. The mature doe was super spooky, probably been smelling humans all weekend, maybe even lost a homie to da struggle, flinched when a shot went off. I think she knew more than most.
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