kenn1320 wrote:Getting back to human scent, and advancing our thoughts on it, I also believe deer can recognize an individual humans scent and remember it. Just like tests I have seen where a tracking dog goes to a trail 20 people walked down and tracks only the one individual he is supposed to, deer to can isolate one persons scent. Probably even better than a dog.
So that explains w hy the farmer who never hunts gets away with getting close to deer while out in his fields while the hunter who has had many run ins with the deer has issues... Or better yet, why one deer might not be alarmed by your scent, but the next deer might freak. He may have dealt with you in the past.
While I have no doubt we each smell different, I am going to be skeptical that the deer put certain individuals into a harmless category versus danger category. Using your logic Dan, why not purposely go visit your hunting area often all season to condition the deer that you are not a threat? I think the farmer see's more deer cause he is there more often. Also if deer see your doing something non alarming and they can watch you for awhile and determine this, they might lower their guard a bit and show themselves. Its the guy wearing camo and trying to be sneaky that startles them and sends them into the next county. That being said I was setting up a camera on the edge of a field in my casual work clothes and a deer up wind of me about 200yds away on the other edge of the field did the positive identify danger snorts. I never saw that deer, but obviously it saw me. Down wind of me about 325yds I saw a doe standing there looking at me, wondering what I was doing. If I did that same thing daily, those deer would get conditioned to me, but to think a mature buck would accept me and come closer, no way.
Good point Ken,
I believe they may fear all humans as you pointed out, but I think they are capable of fearing one individual more than others.
Take bear hunting for example. I know of many incidences where a guide has been baiting a spot for a long time and the bear comes in and tolerates his scent, but a couple days before the hunt, the hunter shows up and takes over baiting. The bear then sometimes dissapears or becomes nocturnal.... It happens to often to be coincidence.
Deer use there nose like we use our eyes... Think about this, you see a dog and it growls and approachs growling. The next time you see that dog, you are going to avoid it.... Even if all loose dogs scared you, the one that acted like he was going to attack, or acvtually did would get your attention the most.