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John's Journal... Entry 223, Day 2

THE FEAR FACTOR: HOW MUCH HUNTING PRESSURE CAN A BUCK STAND?

How Deer Learn To Fear Man

“Deer learn to fear man just like any other animal learns to fear man,” Dr. Keith Causey, professor of wildlife science for the Department of Zoology and Wildlife Sciences at Auburn University, said. “Man’s been a predator, and deer has been a prey species for thousands of years. The deer that don’t fear man have been weeded out of the population. Fear by prey of a predator comes from experience and from being taught by the more mature members of the population.” Dr. Robert Sheppard of Carrollton, Alabama, a master bowhunter who teaches in bowhunting and blackpowder schools throughout the South, also is a cardiologist who must pay close attention to even the smallest detail when practicing medicine. This trait of his also applies to his deer hunting. “Most hunters believe deer learn to flee from hunters when the animals see men and that deer associates sighting a man with the knowledge that man is a predator.,” Dr. Sheppard reported. “However, I tend to believe deer learn to fear first the odor man gives off. Then at some time during the deer’s development, the animal associates that odor with a visual sighting of man. As you walk through the woods, your body produces odor that smells much stronger to the deer than to you. I’m convinced deer recognize that human odor as a dangerous smell and do all they can to avoid it.”

Brad Harris of Neosho, Missouri, one of the nation’s leading deer hunting authorities, explained that, “In the woods, deer are aware of all the sights, smells and sounds of the forest. When man comes into the forest, man presents an unfamiliar sight, sound and smell. Because the deer’s natural instincts teach him to avoid anything not native to his environment, this may explain how deer learn to dodge hunters. Also we know from spending thousands of hours watching deer in the wild that a tremendous amount of information is transferred from the doe to the fawn during that first year of life. If you’ve watched young fawns with a doe, she will communicate danger, caution, fear and calmness to her offspring.”

Bob Foulkrod of Troy, Pennsylvania, a professional hunter and guide, suggested that, “Deer learn to run from man almost immediately after they are born, because their mothers teach them to flee from that potential danger.” According to Dr. Causey, “Scientists have observed that initially fawns use a strategy of freezing to hide from danger until they reach five to seven days old. After that time, they flee from man or any other predator or animal that approaches them.” Dr. Sheppard feels fawns fear man, particularly in the South, because, “Bow season starts early in the fall – often from mid-August to mid-October. In most of the areas where hunting pressure is heavy, by the time gun season arrives in November, many of the fawns, even those still with spots, have had enough encounters with human odor in the company of their mothers to recognize the smell as a danger signal. They have learned from their mothers while walking through the woods and seeing their mothers’ reactions when they encounter human smell. The doe will jerk her head up, snort and run off when she and the fawn smell humans. The next time the fawns encounter the smell, they know it means danger.”

TOMORROW: AMOUNT OF HUMAN CONTACT A BUCK CAN STAND BEFORE REDUCING MOVEMENT AND NOCTURNAL DEER

 

 

 

Check back each day this week for more about THE FEAR FACTOR: HOW MUCH HUNTING PRESSURE CAN A BUCK STAND?...

Day 1 - Fear of Dogs Moves Deer
Day 2 - How Deer Learn To Fear Man
Day 3 - Amount Of Human Contact A Buck Can Stand Before Reducing Movement And Nocturnal Deer
Day 4 - What Hunters Can Do To Reduce Pressure And Increase Deer Sightings And Hunting These Pressured Bucks
Day 5 - Prevent A Buck From Seeing, Smelling or Hearing You, Thereby Decreasing Hunter Pressure


John's Journal