# Do you think deer realize when another deer from their herd is killed?



## weave (Oct 17, 2002)

I have shot one deer to only to have another deer come over and be like "yo dude get up we need to go....I just heard a loud noise"...then he gets shot too.

Not sure what they think, or if they do.


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## Hart (Nov 23, 2004)

Interesting thought. And yes I have wondered it also. I guess we spend to much time in a stand


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## DMAX-HD (Jan 30, 2005)

I hope they don't think that! Otherwise I'm gonna start feeling real guilty.


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## SplashOfPee (Aug 4, 2009)

Yeah I have shot a doe and had the other deer with it bleat and kinda paw at the dead animal. I dunno -- I think about this alot. Thanks for your replies.


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## shec6135 (Jan 2, 2010)

i don't think the brain is developed enough for all that... sometimes i have wondered the same thing tho


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## tackscall (Jul 26, 2004)

Buck 1: Lets go get some corn
Buck 2:I think we should wait until dark
Buck 1:Fine you stay here I'm going now
BANG
Buck 2: Told you so


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## APAsuphan (Oct 23, 2008)

I dont think they do


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## Briar (Apr 22, 2004)

I have had two that came back looking for the one I had put down. I don't think they think about it at all but if they are mothers they are used to have having the little one around and keeping track of it and when it isn't with them they are just doing what they have been for as long as the baby has been around.


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## Bobmuley (Jan 14, 2004)

I think if you shoot a doe out from under a buck or from over a fawn the survivor would realize it for about two minutes before moving on with life.


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## cornfedkiller (Feb 16, 2008)

I have heard that elephants and humans are the only two animals on earth that mourn and realize what has truly happened (the person/animal is dead/gone)..

So my answer is no, deer do not mourn or realize the other animal is dead and gone forever..


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## APAsuphan (Oct 23, 2008)

Its hard to believe that people actually shoot elephants knowing this.


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## SplashOfPee (Aug 4, 2009)

APAsuphan said:


> Its hard to believe that people actually shoot elephants knowing this.


Yeah I know -- I never really understood lion hunting or elephant hunting. But who am I to judge.

So i guess the next question would be do deer learn after seeing one of their own get taken?


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## Bowbuster (Dec 9, 2004)

APAsuphan said:


> Its hard to believe that people actually shoot elephants knowing this.


It's hard to believe people shoot people knowing this........

I don't think they have any clue, a fawn will look for mama for a bit if you shoot mama, but then it is on with life.. But sometimes I take the fawn as well, quick way to fill up the freezer........

I used to feel some guilt when i first started hunting, that was till i found out how good they taste. It's the food chain, and we are at the top.........


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## Hart (Nov 23, 2004)

I dunno, I arrowed a nice 12pt a few years ago. and a small basket rack 8 came over to him and just stood over him as if to say "hey, get up". That little buck just stood there for what seemed like forever until I spooked him off


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## wyetterp (Feb 28, 2008)

No because I've shot deer in the exact same spot the day after & it was the exact same group. Both time's grazing acorns.


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## nhns4 (Sep 25, 2010)

I think their kids know when they watch mommy fall.


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## Hart (Nov 23, 2004)

wyetterp said:


> No because I've shot deer in the exact same spot the day after & it was the exact same group. Both time's grazing acorns.


Yes, I have done that to. In fact myself and *ILbucknut* and another friend wiped out about 3-4 does in a few days. Joe and I took one from the very same stand and the other guy took one from like 40yds away. It was great, they came thru everyday at the same time . like clockwork


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## DB444 (Feb 20, 2009)

Temporarily and they forget real fast! I once shot a small buck standing by a larger one with a 30-378 Weatherby. I swear the larger bucks jaw dropped open and his eyes bugged out and he was out of there!


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## WEEGEE (Oct 13, 2007)

i know a road where hundreds get killed every year.there's a small creek that they follow to the river bottom grain fields.
you would think they would go another route to get there ,but no they don't.
you can see one or two laying on the road,and twenty walk right on passed!


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## OneArmArrowSlinger (Jul 25, 2008)

for a minute then its on to, where's my next meal/drink/bedding area/mate.


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## WisconsinTed (Nov 17, 2009)

had fawns hang around in field while gutting mom, but they leave after a few minutes. i know that sounds terrible.


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## urahicks2 (May 30, 2007)

well.. Im not sure what they think.. but you know that they are born with instincts like a mother protecting thier fawns or leading danger away and such.. and Ive seen deer do things that seems to take some sort of logical thinking! But Im not sure how they preceive death. I shot a doe in a group of 5 and she went thirty yards and died... the group was within eye sight the whole time I was dressing her and wouldnt leave... so I have no clue what they might be able to process!


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## urahicks2 (May 30, 2007)

Dean Bower said:


> Temporarily and they forget real fast! I once shot a small buck standing by a larger one with a 30-378 Weatherby. I swear the larger bucks jaw dropped open and his eyes bugged out and he was out of there!


yeah.. maybe they forget but what determins what they do and dont retain?? I mean they remember a smell of danger or sound.. they can pattern you and your hunting locations or so we think they can? Its a pretty good question to say the least!


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## bardman (Oct 18, 2006)

WisconsinTed said:


> had fawns hang around in field while gutting mom, but they leave after a few minutes. i know that sounds terrible.


X 2 Yep me too, it bummed me out

I do not believe they know. They are a prey animal so it is natural for them to get whacked. An elephant is not a prey animal so maybe thats the difference? Just a guess..?


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## wyetterp (Feb 28, 2008)

nhns4 said:


> I think their kids know when they watch mommy fall.


Lol...How many times did you watch Bambi growing up?


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## mshred (Jul 25, 2010)

i think they realize that a deer they see on a regular basis is gone - does and fawns especially. but, i dont think they process it emotionally. it seems instinct takes over pretty quickly and it's on to the next food/bed/mating routine.


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## Roskoes (Jun 17, 2007)

I try not to over-think this sort of stuff.


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## friedm1 (Jan 31, 2007)

I've shot does with fawns, one time the fawn just bedded down 10 yards away.


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## deer2fowl (Jul 6, 2008)

I watched a couple of fawns for several days in a row feeding along the side of the road as I was heading to work. The following morning when I got to the spot where I had been seeing them I noticed one standing right at the edge of the road with the other laying in the middle of the road dead. It was like the one standing was there telling the other to "get up, lets go".


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## hunt1up (Sep 4, 2009)

I've shot does with fawns, only to have the fawns follow her, looking for her. The next day the same fawns are out chillin in the field eating some beans. Just instinct.

Whether I seperate them or the rut does, they end up on their own in the end, never knowing any different.

Sort of like a puppy. It might whine for mama for a day or two. Now, if you took my dog to its mother, it would be sniffing her wondering who it is.


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## tsaxybabe (Feb 24, 2010)

When I shot my buck he ran right past the doe he was with, spraying blood out his sides. He fell down about 10 yards away from her and died there (had a really loud death grunt). She watched him run by and then put her head down and kept feeding. She didn't have a care in the world until I started climbing down from my stand.


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## Igofish2 (Aug 9, 2009)

I have seen several times when deer return to another down deer. Once I spine shot a doe, she went straight down. The other doe and the 3 yearlyings, that were with her, returned and would not leave.

Another time I shot a doe, she run and fell within sight. About 5 minutes later a 10 pt buck comes up and tries to get her to move, by hitting her with his antlers & stumping on her.

Another time, someone had skinned a doe & left the hide close to the kill site. Still after 4 days a yearlying was hanging around the hide.

Do they "mourn" I don't know.

I think it's like alot of things in the animal world. Don't you think, your dog knows when something is different at home. Mine does.


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## Double"O" (Jun 29, 2010)

i don't care one way or the other lol


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## bigracklover (Feb 1, 2008)

Hard to tell. I shot a mama doe a few weeks ago and the other 4 just went on about there business. They'd look back occasionally but eventually just fed their way out of sight. My buddy shot a doe last year and we didn't recover it until the next morning and the way we found her was by seeing her fawn run off. Went over to investigate and sure enough, the doe was laying right there.


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## 737flyer (Dec 8, 2009)

I shot a doe, only to realize several yards behind her was her two young ones. For the next two days, they hung around the very spot where she caught the arrow, bedding down 20 yards from my stand on 2 different days. I felt really bad. Their memories I believe are short, and a few days later just developed a new routine with one less deer in the group.


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## tazman7 (Nov 5, 2005)

weave said:


> I have shot one deer to only to have another deer come over and be like "yo dude get up we need to go....I just heard a loud noise"...then he gets shot too.
> 
> Not sure what they think, or if they do.


I have done the same thing. Popped one in the neck, the next in the head. Load em up.


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## tazman7 (Nov 5, 2005)

Double"O" said:


> i don't care one way or the other lol


Thats the way to think! hahaha


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## TCDXT (Jan 20, 2008)

I have the same 5 does show up at my feeder all the time together and if I ever get to shoot one I can only imagine the other one saying, I glad that ***** is gone, she been flirtin with my big buck.


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## nodog (Mar 1, 2005)

I've seen some very nice lion and elephant mounts, I know the people who hunt them and I know what the locals get out of the hunters who take them. I get it. I also think people like to believe animals are people. They are not. There's no excuse for cruelty, that's what animals due to each other. We are people and cruelty is not hunting. 

What would you do when there were too many elephants and they ravage the land of food and starve themselves to death?


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## slicer (Dec 18, 2008)

You guys need to chug on over to mamby pamby land and get yourselves some self confidence. Who cares? How do you think mamma elephant's clan feels when she's got 7 lions hanging off of her, ripping her to pieces, as she roars and shrieks. Finally she hits the dirt, a couple of them get a better grip on the throat, while 4 or 5 more start ripping into her guts before she's dead. How do they feel about that?

How about the doe that's getting her ***** eaten on by a coyote while she's laying there fully alive with three other deer looking on and feeding 100 yards away.


If deer had an emotional response to a potential for death, chances are great they would pack up and work together to prevent these things from happening. So until deer start to pack up and attack hunters as they climb down to approach a fallen deer, I seriously doubt they can process it. 

You see fawns hang around dead does from imprinting. 

You and I are complex. Our species has evolved over a major period of time and it turns out our emotion is a big part of why we are so successful. Emotion is what drives many of our decisions every day, we don't operate on pure instict like the animals that provide us with protein do.


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## eodusmc (Aug 12, 2009)

cornfedkiller said:


> I have heard that elephants and humans are the only two animals on earth that mourn and realize what has truly happened (the person/animal is dead/gone)..
> 
> So my answer is no, deer do not mourn or realize the other animal is dead and gone forever..


try dragging a dead cow away from the heard. they put up quite the fuss. crazy stuff, but it's over pretty much when the dead one is out of sight.


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## Nitro1970 (Jan 26, 2009)

Bowbuster said:


> It's hard to believe people shoot people knowing this........
> 
> I don't think they have any clue, a fawn will look for mama for a bit if you shoot mama, but then it is on with life.. But sometimes I take the fawn as well, quick way to fill up the freezer........
> 
> I used to feel some guilt when i first started hunting, that was till i found out how good they taste. It's the food chain, *and we are at the top*.........


Not if you go running naked through a pride of lions!!!


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## Hart (Nov 23, 2004)

slicer said:


> You guys need to chug on over to mamby pamby land and get yourselves some self confidence. Who cares? How do you think mamma elephant's clan feels when she's got 7 lions hanging off of her, ripping her to pieces, as she roars and shrieks. Finally she hits the dirt, a couple of them get a better grip on the throat, while 4 or 5 more start ripping into her guts before she's dead. How do they feel about that?
> 
> How about the doe that's getting her ***** eaten on by a coyote while she's laying there fully alive with three other deer looking on and feeding 100 yards away.
> 
> ...


Deer do have an emotional response. Fear is an emotional response.
Just sayin.


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## Ned250 (Aug 10, 2009)

tackscall said:


> Buck 1: Lets go get some corn
> Buck 2:I think we should wait until dark
> Buck 1:Fine you stay here I'm going now
> BANG
> Buck 2: Told you so


 lol


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## Forrest Carter (Oct 13, 2002)

Negative. Deer and ALL other animals don't have the ability to rationalize. If they could we would no longer be the dominant species on the planet. We are kinda easy to pattern...


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## LiteSpeed1 (May 21, 2005)

cornfedkiller said:


> *I have heard that elephants and humans are the only two animals on earth that mourn* and realize what has truly happened (the person/animal is dead/gone)..
> 
> So my answer is no, deer do not mourn or realize the other animal is dead and gone forever..


Wasn't there a show on the Discovery channel that showed merkats mourning for one that had died?


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## SPIKER_67 (Nov 7, 2007)

SplashOfPee said:


> So i guess the next question would be do deer learn after seeing one of their own get taken?


That's why you never leave witnesses.

Deer do get educated, and start looking up.

I have seen does come in from out of no where when a yearling gets hit to try and aid it. For a timid animal, they can be courageous.


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## Finger_Flinger (Mar 25, 2009)

Dean Bower said:


> Temporarily and they forget real fast! I once shot a small buck standing by a larger one with a 30-378 Weatherby. I swear the larger bucks jaw dropped open and his eyes bugged out and he was out of there!


Probably because he couldn't believe you spared him & shot the smaller buck...


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2006)

Here's one for ya. A few years back i shot a doe under my stand. She runs 30 yards and piles up. About 10 minutes later a small 5 point comes along. Sniffs around the doe for a bit, then proceeds to try and mount the dead doe. He gets down on his knees AND TRIES TO DO THE DOE. I wish i had a video camera. Gotta be the stangest thing i've ever seen.
Answer to the question: they don't care!!


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## tackscall (Jul 26, 2004)

I went moose hunting a couple years ago and had a calf tag, the outfitter told me if i shot a calf with a cow to wait until she left or she'd probably charge me. He said it might be 30 minutes or more before she gives up and leaves. I didnt get a shot that trip


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## 410gage (Dec 14, 2008)

Yer kiddin! Only humans have reasoning abilities. Some animal species have great and marvelous instinct and memory, but they cannot reason.


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## wannaBelkhuntin (Jul 3, 2006)

When I shot my buck in Ohio I left him overnight, which I hate. The next morning when I found him in the fresh snow you could see where a big deer had laid next to him in the snow.


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## mplane72 (Apr 18, 2010)

> Deer do have an emotional response. Fear is an emotional response.


A deer or other animals fear of humans or any other predator is instinctive. Not emotional or rational. They have no reason, no emotion. They're instincts are to survive and reproduce.


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## rustydog32 (Nov 9, 2009)

I just don't shoot any mommas or any babies then I dont have to worry about it... I dont know about deer but dogs do mourn I dont care what anyone says I have seen it.


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## Hart (Nov 23, 2004)

mplane72 said:


> A deer or other animals fear of humans or any other predator is instinctive. Not emotional or rational. They have no reason, no emotion. They're instincts are to survive and reproduce.


I beg to differ. Have you ever gone out in the spring when the does have their babies? I have, every year. Anyway, if you have ever come across a fawn thats lost it's mom you will hear them, for a lack of a better word "crying", or calling for mom. That is fear that comes from emotion imo. But I do agree that they cannot reason


Fear may be instinctive, but It is still an emotion


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## solohunter (Feb 22, 2005)

SplashOfPee said:


> I guess this question is about deer reasoning and thought process.
> 
> When an elephant in the herd dies all the elephants mourn for that dead animal.
> 
> ...


No. Too much Disney. Bambi was originally written as a "protest" to hunting. This link will show how we have been duped into the personification. Any reaction to the killing is instinctive, not emotional.

http://www.history.vt.edu/Barrow/Hist2104/readings/bambi.html


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## Midlife Crisis (Mar 24, 2004)

I've shot does from among a group. The group has gathered around their fallen member - some groups hung around for quite a while after their friend expired. My guess is that it is out of confusion and wanting her to get up and join them, rather than some funeral ceremony. Ultimately they wander off - although some groups have returned briefly after having not gone too far. I've had fawns return to locate their mother. I looked back one time to see a pair watching me carting their mother off to my Jeep. I have to admit I felt kinda bad.

Another time I shot a doe that was pursued by a half-rack buck. I didn't see him when I shot her. He was confused - prodded her lifeless body and was he pissed that he wasn't gonna get some...


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## mplane72 (Apr 18, 2010)

> for a lack of a better word "crying", or calling for mom. That is fear that comes from emotion imo


I'm sorry but that call is an survival response bases on instinct. It drives me up a wall when people attribute human traits to animals. Yes, I love my dog. I'm not heartless but come on people!


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## mplane72 (Apr 18, 2010)

> for a lack of a better word "crying", or calling for mom. That is fear that comes from emotion imo


I'm sorry but that call is an survival response bases on instinct. It drives me up a wall when people attribute human traits to animals. Yes, I love my dog. I'm not heartless but come on people!


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## hitman846 (Jan 25, 2003)

shec6135 said:


> i don't think the brain is developed enough for all that... sometimes i have wondered the same thing tho


I like this response...:thumb:


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## GobblerDown (Oct 27, 2009)

Did anyone else have to check and see if they logged on to the wrong site? Did not know that tissue was required in so many of your hunting packs and I am not refering to TP.


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## Hart (Nov 23, 2004)

mplane72 said:


> I'm sorry but that call is an survival response bases on instinct. It drives me up a wall when people attribute human traits to animals. Yes, I love my dog. I'm not heartless but come on people!


Well, I guess we are just gonna have to agree that we disagree. It really don't matter to me. I hunt them every chance I get regardless


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## dac (Jun 27, 2003)

I don't think deer have the ability to reason I think they learn from positive and negative experiences and that is about the extent of it imo.


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## Csquared (Feb 20, 2010)

I see this as a few separate issues. Deer are VERY perceptive, and understand and notice _imminent_ danger. I do not believe they understand _potential_ danger. I think we often times give them more credit than they deserve. A deer doesn't run when your elbow touches the tree at full draw because he knows a hunter's elbow just touched a tree  Ever shot at a coyote only to find him curled up sound asleep an hour later, totally unconcerned that someone might be following him? But the biggest reason I can say deer (and I would argue elephants as well) do not "mourn" is that animals have no concept of mortality. They don't know what "life" is. They know NOW. They know when the one they're used to walking around with is not there, but they have no grasp of why they aren't there. Someone mentioned the word "imprinting" here, and that might be correct. But a fawn "missing" his mom is simply learned behavior, and he quickly learns to be without her...sometimes after several blows to the head by said momma  I'm no biologist or psychologist, and this is simply my opinion, but look at this way. If someone shot you in the chest with a broadhead and you looked down and saw deep red blood spurting from your chest. you'd most likely say (or think) something like "S--T...I'M GONNA DIE!" BUt a deer, upon seeing that very thing (the ones who can't talk) often times simply walk away after the intial jump from the impact of the arrow. If animals could perceive and understand potential danger, and actually think about all the things out there that are a threat to them at virtually all times, they'd be such a paranoid mess they wouldn't be able to function. Sorta like Nancy Pelosi


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## buckeyboy (Feb 6, 2007)

deer dont have the ability to reason do their family ties and bond tell them no doubt absoulity they know somthing is wrong do they mourn well maybe but not for long because instinct quickly taks over and says I need to eat. thats just the way it is, I sometimes feel bad but thats just natures way and we are part of it..
as long as you eat what ever you kill you should have no remorse.. every one hates yotes Ive killed a couple, felt kinda bad because they need to eat too and the only reason I felt bad is because they just lie where they die??? anyone ever eat one .. maybe they taste good never tried it?? they eat all teh stuff we hunt so how bad can they taste??? Chicken??? dont know but I am willing to bet on AT some drunk MOFO tried it.. LOL


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## 200racing (Aug 30, 2009)

deer are simple creatures with simple thoughts. they are prey and are progammed for their own suvival .
when deer look at you field dressing another deer its not whats he doing to bob its what is this new predator lets gather info


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## archer0421 (Feb 17, 2008)

I do think the does with fawns are more aware of their little ones. I don't shoot does with fawns for that reason. I feel guilty.


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## sniperjim (Aug 28, 2010)

410gage said:


> Yer kiddin! Only humans have reasoning abilities. Some animal species have great and marvelous instinct and memory, but they cannot reason.


This is very true...


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## adudeuknow (Oct 27, 2008)

i didn't read every post but i have seen bucks gore the crap outta a dead deer......maybe that is there way of saying good by....adding a few antler punctures to the dead body.


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## nhns4 (Sep 25, 2010)

I dunno. My buddy thinks deer can read. He's got no trespassing signs up all over his property and hasn't seen a deer in a while.


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## upatree10 (Apr 12, 2007)

Have you just recently watched Bambi??? Just curious.


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## SStech (Jan 7, 2008)

thats funny *&^^%$$


tackscall said:


> Buck 1: Lets go get some corn
> Buck 2:I think we should wait until dark
> Buck 1:Fine you stay here I'm going now
> BANG
> Buck 2: Told you so


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## ILLFlatliner (Sep 20, 2006)

"If deer had an emotional response to a potential for death, chances are great they would pack up and work together to prevent these things from happening. So until deer start to pack up and attack hunters as they climb down to approach a fallen deer, I seriously doubt they can process it. "

Thanks for this post, very well put together, and its leaving a hilarious picture in my head.


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## slicer (Dec 18, 2008)

Anyone see the show where Jay Gregory and wife (sorry can't remember her name) get the double on bucks out of the blind. The one buck is laying within sight dead, blood all over the snow. The other does and bucks come out and feed amongst the carnage with no attention payed to the blood or dead animal. They were worried about it when another big one came out, but it wasn't an issue.


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## joehunter8301 (Jul 16, 2009)

deer see dead animals all the time think about road kills, lion kills, coyote kills etc. its a normal thing for them to see and they dont seem to think much. dont give them more credit than needed. i think sometimes peta gets on here and posts these things to get fuel against us saying we are non hearted people.


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## Hart (Nov 23, 2004)

slicer said:


> Anyone see the show where Jay Gregory and wife (sorry can't remember her name) get the double on bucks out of the blind. The one buck is laying within sight dead, blood all over the snow. The other does and bucks come out and feed amongst the carnage with no attention payed to the blood or dead animal. They were worried about it when another big one came out, but it wasn't an issue.


Yeah, I have to admit that I have seen this behavior too, more than once.


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## whoppes (Oct 27, 2010)

I can't say that they realize what death is or how they feel about it but I do know that for a minute or two they may realize another is "gone" I just shot a doe out of a group of 5 a couple weeks ago. I gave her about 20 min as she had ran outta sight and went back to track her. She had only gone maybe 80 yards. I was standing on top of a hill about 20 yards from her talking on my cell phone when one of the does walked right up the hill to her and smelled around like, hey, get up we gotta go. Until she realized I was standing there and I think her eyes fell outta her head lol I would like to believe she ran away and completly forgot about her friend there but its hard to say....who knows.


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## Steelers36 (Oct 20, 2006)

tackscall said:


> buck 1: Lets go get some corn
> buck 2:i think we should wait until dark
> buck 1:fine you stay here i'm going now
> bang
> buck 2: Told you so



lmao


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## solohunter (Feb 22, 2005)

I have shot many does that have fawns with it, sometimes a single, sometimes twins. From my experience and observation, I would say more often than not the fawns leave and go about what they were doing. Last season I shot a doe with twins, she ran about 40yds in a bean field and piled up. The fawns just watched her run and when she went down they went back to feeding and eventually wandered off in the opposite direction. In another instance I shot a doe and saw her go down, along comes a buck that probably was trailing her and nudges her a bit then walks on. He was not telling her to get up or somehow acting like that, he was going purely on instinct and trying to breed. I wonder if there is anatomical and physiological "proof" that deer can not "think". In essence they don't have the hardware to do it.
Solohunter


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## camotoe (Sep 19, 2006)

Buck: "Hey ladies...who wants it?"
Doe: "Not now, I've got a headache."
Another Doe: "Maybe later, look, there's corn...mmmmmmmmmmmmmm krunch, krunch."
Same Buck: "Hey...the rut's gonna be over in a week or so...you know you want it. Who's your daddy?"
Different Doe: "Get lost, pal...like my friend said,..."
*BAM!*
Same Buck:"Hey ladies, I'm the UPS...I've got a big package for you!"


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## camotoe (Sep 19, 2006)

nodog said:


> I've seen some very nice lion and elephant mounts, I know the people who hunt them and I know what the locals get out of the hunters who take them. I get it. I also think people like to believe animals are people. They are not. There's no excuse for cruelty, that's what animals due to each other. We are people and cruelty is not hunting.
> 
> What would you do when there were too many elephants and they ravage the land of food and starve themselves to death?


Every time I've shot a whitetail, I've never seen an elephant act like they were bothered.


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## zap (Mar 13, 2008)

Deer cannot think....
But they are smart..........
Sometime's smarter than me..........

They are also crafty......
I was hunting a corp special hunt, up a pine tree about 25 feet.
There is dirt piled up about thirty five yard's away, pretty high, probably fifteen feet.
I got a hat out of my pack and put it on.
Turn around a few minute's later, an old doe is on the very top of the dirt pile looking at me......


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## im-ocd (Mar 22, 2007)

tackscall said:


> Buck 1: Lets go get some corn
> Buck 2:I think we should wait until dark
> Buck 1:Fine you stay here I'm going now
> BANG
> Buck 2: Told you so


Your reply is along the same line as mine.

Our scene takes place with deer standing 75 yards downwind of a woodlot cornpile about 10 minutes before dark:

Fawns: I'm hungry, can't we just go eat already?
Doe: kids, you know we do not eat that corn in the daytime!
fawns: why?
Doe: I've told you before, my mother got killed there in the daytime.
fawns: how?
Doe: not exactly sure, I just heard something like a woosh and a plunk then she fell over not 50 yards from that tent
fawns: the tent killer her?
Doe: no I think the guy that dumps corn here every weekend had something to do with it
fawns: the guy whose feet smell like rubber boots?
Doe: yea, him
fawns: but he is nice, he not only puts out corn, he has the little box on the tree that flashes red at night to help us see the corn
Doe: he acts nice, but starting in Sept. that tent begins to stink like he is in it; I think he is tricky, could be responsible for the murder of my mom
fawns: why do we eat that corn at night if it's potentially dangerous?
Doe: I'm guessing that tricky guy can't see at night, and the tent doesn't have that stinky smell after dark


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## cityhunter346 (Jun 26, 2006)

I think they might...

15 years ago or so I shot a fawn that was with it's mother. I got down, and gutted the fawn. The whole time the mother was watching me, from about 20 yards away. I had a long drag that day..the whole 150 yards or so dragging out the fawn, the mother followed us. She followed us the whole way out, and even stood there to watch me load the fawn into my truck.


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## solohunter (Feb 22, 2005)

cityhunter346 said:


> I think they might...
> 
> 15 years ago or so I shot a fawn that was with it's mother. I got down, and gutted the fawn. The whole time the mother was watching me, from about 20 yards away. I had a long drag that day..the whole 150 yards or so dragging out the fawn, the mother followed us. She followed us the whole way out, and even stood there to watch me load the fawn into my truck.


What are your thoughts on the does reaction? Instinct, to follow the scent of its' fawn? Emotional?


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## BradMc26 (Oct 16, 2002)

I had a mama doe and her yearlings (buck and doe) come by stand one morning. After not being able to get on the doe and letting the buck walk, I ended up shooting the yearling doe and she died about 10 yards from my stand.

I went back to that same stand the following morning and the mama doe and yearling buck came back. The yearling buck came right up to the spot where his sister died and started smelling the ground for about 4-5 minutes.

That kind of made me think about things for a second. I then snapped out of it and tried to shoot the mama doe, but she wasn't coming no where in range of that spot.


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## lee martin (Feb 1, 2005)

I shot a cow-horn spike two mornings ago with my bow. He was in my back yard " breeding " my back-yard buck 3D target. I sneaked up to within 20 yards of him and he never noticed me. Stupid and gay. ( the target had its rack on ) How was his reasoning ability??


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## Phelptwan (Nov 2, 2009)

This year I've had this same older Doe bust me the entire year. Every time she comes into the area she immediately spots my stand and starts the stamp and stare thing, no matter how still I am, how much i've descented, whatever. She doesn't even have to be down wind. She has been leading a group of about 6 doe the whole season. 

During rifle I was determined to get rid of her, as she had been pissing me off and wouldn't let me get a shot at her during archery (she was also a really big doe). She finally came in during the second weekend of hunting with her group of doe, but they were all bunched up in a tight group. They singled out on a 2 track about 50 yards in front of me, and she was staring at me the whole time. I was able to ever so slowly get my gun up and she started doing the head bob. I took the shot and double lunged her. 

She ran about 40 yards and tumbled and the other doe's with her had no clue what to do. I figure they had been relying on her to signal, scout, etc/whatever and just didn't know what to do. They just hung around the area, went and nosed the doe a couple times, walked back and forth in front of my stand dozens of times. I was really having a hard time deciding whether I wanted to reload and take another doe. About 30 minutes later, a 6 point came in and pushed the group out of the area. I got down and dragged down the hill and went and got the truck...


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## SplashOfPee (Aug 4, 2009)

lee martin said:


> I shot a cow-horn spike two mornings ago with my bow. He was in my back yard " breeding " my back-yard buck 3D target. I sneaked up to within 20 yards of him and he never noticed me. Stupid and gay. ( the target had its rack on ) How was his reasoning ability??


You are right the reasoning ability was absent with this one.......

Good posts everyone.


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## cjtaylor0103 (Oct 22, 2008)

That's a higher level cognitive function and if they exhibited any observable tendencies you would have no clue how to equate them to human emotion. The result would likely be a skewed perception of what a deer is feeling based on our inability to set aside our own cognitive recognitions. Simply put, our own brains are too far developed to be an unbiased judge of their behavior.


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## solohunter (Feb 22, 2005)

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Do_deer_have_the_ability_to_think


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## Ib4Hoyt (Jan 19, 2004)

Omg


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## Gary in Ohio (Jun 29, 2009)

I think animals can feel loss. But deer don't have a wide or deep range of emotions. They are prey animals so it's natural for them to lose herd members.

It's more like your co-worker at the fast food place gets fired for playing a joke. You feel sad for him. You feel sad for yourself because you'll miss his help. But you've see many others come and go and it was his own foolishness that caused it. So you don't get overly upset.


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## cityhunter346 (Jun 26, 2006)

solohunter said:


> What are your thoughts on the does reaction? Instinct, to follow the scent of its' fawn? Emotional?


I really don't know. I'm sure it was instinct...I don't think deer are capable of being "emotional" about the death of an offspring.


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## tackscall (Jul 26, 2004)

im-ocd said:


> Your reply is along the same line as mine.
> 
> Our scene takes place with deer standing 75 yards downwind of a woodlot cornpile about 10 minutes before dark:
> 
> ...


Fawns: Why dont we just all three of us smash in to the back of that tent at 35MPH when we know he's in it?
Doe: You know what, that's not bad...


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## Doubledroptine4 (Jan 25, 2009)

Buck 1: Lets go get some corn
Buck 2:I think we should wait until dark
Buck 1:Fine you stay here I'm going now
BANG
Buck 2: Told you so 

Now thats funny s**t right there


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## Pine Tag (Sep 27, 2006)

I don't think deer (or other animals) experience emotions like people do because I don't believe animals have souls. I think they have limited thinking capabilities and what we construe as premditated thought is mostly reactions to what happens around them based on instinct, repitition and probably a vast number of other reasons that we don't even know about. I doubt God would have put animals on this earth for us to kill and eat if they had a soul and could experience the vast range of emotions people do, mostly loss and sadness. It is in his laws to not kill another human being for the very reason that we do have souls. It just wouldn't add up to me.


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## Hespler (Mar 7, 2008)

Buck 1: did you see the look on that dudes face when i walked up behind him
Buck 2: Ya i watched from the ridge i was laughing so hard my head kept bobbing up and down
Buck 1: Hey where is Bill I have not seen him in a week or so
Buck 2: O you did not hear,,,,He moved
Buck 1 Where to
Buck 2: Over to that QDM property over by the swamp.


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## dac (Jun 27, 2003)

lee martin said:


> I shot a cow-horn spike two mornings ago with my bow. He was in my back yard " breeding " my back-yard buck 3D target. I sneaked up to within 20 yards of him and he never noticed me. Stupid and gay. ( the target had its rack on ) How was his reasoning ability??


Maybe he was reasoning that was as good as it was gonna get :wink:


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## im-ocd (Mar 22, 2007)

tackscall said:


> Fawns: Why dont we just all three of us smash in to the back of that tent at 35MPH when we know he's in it?
> Doe: You know what, that's not bad...


:set1_thinking: :box: :uzi:


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## basnbuks (Jul 13, 2010)

Boy this is some good stuff for peta to get ahold of, if we realy care what a deer thinks then maybe joining the humane society is a better choice than being on an archery site that catters to bowhunters!!


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## scrapejuice (Dec 1, 2003)

Buck #1 : Hey, did you know "Stud Joe", just got his chin buried in the dirt permanently by some *****____ bowhunter!
Buck #2 : Yeah thats what I heard! PARTY!!! That means more doe booty for us!!! I didn't like that big swollen neck pig anyway!
Buck #1 : Heck yeah!! (they do the high hoofs)

Seriously, I don't think they think anything except where and what to eat and have sex with and which way to run or escape if they smell danger.


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## scrapejuice (Dec 1, 2003)

Gary in Ohio said:


> I think animals can feel loss. But deer don't have a wide or deep range of emotions. They are prey animals so it's natural for them to lose herd members.
> 
> It's more like your co-worker at the fast food place gets fired for playing a joke. You feel sad for him. You feel sad for yourself because you'll miss his help. But you've see many others come and go and it was his own foolishness that caused it. So you don't get overly upset.


that sounds like a reasonable explanation. I could believe this.


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## kenmack (Dec 6, 2008)

I think they cry when they are in their bed that night. It is then that they formulate the fear and hate they have for us. Likely, they plot revenge in the future, but without tools, or the thumbs to use them, they are frustrated by their powerlessness.


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## mrmiskin (Feb 26, 2008)

APAsuphan said:


> Its hard to believe that people actually shoot elephants knowing this.


 Thats what killed the hunting segments on the original American Sportsman with Curt Gowdy. elephant hunt in africa guy shoots the bull and the rest of the herd gather around and try to raise it back up on it feet. My mother and sister were crying their eyes out and after that it was all fishing and some phesant and duck hunting until it went off the air.


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## scrapejuice (Dec 1, 2003)

mrmiskin said:


> Thats what killed the hunting segments on the original American Sportsman with Curt Gowdy. elephant hunt in africa guy shoots the bull and the rest of the herd gather around and try to raise it back up on it feet. My mother and sister were crying their eyes out and after that it was all fishing and some phesant and duck hunting until it went off the air.


WOW! that would be tough to watch.


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## GobblerDown (Oct 27, 2009)

scrapejuice said:


> Seriously, I don't think they think anything except where and what to eat and have sex with and which way to run or escape if they smell danger.


Sounds like the Democrat party, maybe there should be a season on them as well???


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## tackscall (Jul 26, 2004)

kenmack said:


> I think they cry when they are in their bed that night. It is then that they formulate the fear and hate they have for us. Likely, they plot revenge in the future, but without tools, or the thumbs to use them, they are frustrated by their powerlessness.


Without tools? If I were a heavy 8 pointer you can bet we'd meet on your way to a stand in the dark!


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## nodog (Mar 1, 2005)

scrapejuice said:


> WOW! that would be tough to watch.


What the elephants or the mother and sister crying because it was dead? Or was it the end of the show? 

Lets get something straight if man doesn't manage animals they will suffer terribly in spades. Guy killed an elephant and saved the herd more than likely. Why do I even have to explain this on a hunting site? 

Why will they suffer terribly? Because we took the place of animals that will tear them apart while they're alive and with out that check they will do what animals do, kill themselves from lack of self control.

Feel free to bring them critters back, but if you do them women will be crying a different tune and a man won't like it any better. 

Problem is way way too many men think like a woman.


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## Jomas (Sep 20, 2008)

I think that somehow they must make a connection.
If we never actually harmed any deer but shot arrows over them, eventually they would get used to the sound of the bows and just live with it, unless the surprise effect of the unexpected noise makes them jump.
It's that way with most other things that disturb wild animals. 
Where I live they use gas powered cannons that just make a bang to keep deer and pigs away from the fields. But after a few months, maybe a year, they just start to ignore it. However they can still tell the difference between the gas cannons and a rifle shot and will bolt at the sound of gunfire.


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## Beendare (Jan 31, 2006)

SplashOfPee said:


> I guess this question is about deer reasoning and thought process.
> 
> When an elephant in the herd dies all the elephants mourn for that dead animal.
> 
> ...


Overthinking that a bit Eh? Grin
I suppose its nice to be overthinking something besides Broadheads and the rest of our equipment for a change.

I haven't shot a lot of herded deer but have shot a pile of herded pigs. My experience is akin to the two Harvard students stuck in the cabin that is being torn apart piece by piece. 
Harvard Student #1; "Cmon buddy, we are both borderline geniuses, we can figure a way out of this predicament"
HS#2; "Maybe we can blast through the door and out run him"
HS#1; "No, a grizz can run 40 mph and we can't run that fast"
HS#2; "Lets just stay here"
HS#1; "No, That bear wants at us and he will be in here shortly"

HS#1 takes off his hiking boots and is putting on his running shoes

HS#2; "What are you doing, it was you that said a grizz can run us down easily"
HS#1; "Yeah, but the way I figure, I only have to run faster than YOU"


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## deersmourn (Sep 24, 2013)

*Deers Mourn*

You guys should know that deers mourn. Yesterday a hunter 500m from my house shot a royal stag and this night I can hear a lot of deers mourn very loudly for hours. So consider deers to have feelings of loss and mourning, when you shoot them.

Scientist in Austria recently discovered that wolfs howl not because of stress level, as previously considered the reason, but because of the loss of a group member. They found out that the howling intensity depended on the rank of the missing group member. Have a look here: 

http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(13)00823-3

Man is the most arrogant and cruel species on earth. Please the next time you aim to kill an herd animal remember that it has feelings and sibblings that will mourn and reconsider your decision. Do you really need to kill them?

By the way recently was discovered that even plants recognise close family members: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeX6ST7rexs (37:30min)

Please stop guessing and ask science, before you get to your conclusions. Animals (and plants) are live worth saving!

Keep calm and reconsider killing animals! :shade:


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## Jewles (Oct 22, 2021)

DMAX-HD said:


> I hope they don't think that! Otherwise I'm gonna start feeling real guilty.


Yes they do. And I have fed deer and they are very smart. I can call them by name and they come out of the woods to me. And they are beautiful I actually have a pic of a deer eating a carrot from my mouth. And she is so sweet and she trusted me. And then her babies started to trust me.


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## muzzypower (Sep 14, 2005)

.


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## df06 (Jun 9, 2007)

Who knows.
They have a great survival instinct, but I doubt they miss or care about the well being of their fellow deer.


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## Juneauhunt (Aug 3, 2010)

Jewles said:


> Yes they do. And I have fed deer and they are very smart. I can call them by name and they come out of the woods to me. And they are beautiful I actually have a pic of a deer eating a carrot from my mouth. And she is so sweet and she trusted me. And then her babies started to trust me.


If you slice that carrot thin, then wrap your friend in bacon.......mmmmmm boy!! No leftovers tonight!


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## solohunter (Feb 22, 2005)

Jewles said:


> Yes they do. And I have fed deer and they are very smart. I can call them by name and they come out of the woods to me. And they are beautiful I actually have a pic of a deer eating a carrot from my mouth. And she is so sweet and she trusted me. And then her babies started to trust me.


Talk about straight up anthropomorphism, deer don't have babies, they have fawns...geesh, may I call you Tim? Or Timothy?


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## Oldloggy (Nov 8, 2020)

Jewles said:


> Yes they do. And I have fed deer and they are very smart. I can call them by name and they come out of the woods to me. And they are beautiful I actually have a pic of a deer eating a carrot from my mouth. And she is so sweet and she trusted me. And then her babies started to trust me.


My daughter does the same thing. Dont let solo hear you say this!!!! Youll be in the dog house


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## lunghit (Aug 5, 2005)

Jewles said:


> Yes they do. And I have fed deer and they are very smart. I can call them by name and they come out of the woods to me. And they are beautiful I actually have a pic of a deer eating a carrot from my mouth. And she is so sweet and she trusted me. And then her babies started to trust me.


Can you come hunting with me? I’d love for you to call them by name and they walk over!


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## horsehands (Jul 25, 2012)

I'd love to be about 25 yards from a deer at their friend's funeral.


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## jogr (Oct 2, 2010)

Jewles said:


> Yes they do. And I have fed deer and they are very smart. I can call them by name and they come out of the woods to me. And they are beautiful I actually have a pic of a deer eating a carrot from my mouth. And she is so sweet and she trusted me. And then her babies started to trust me.


Do carrot fed deer taste better?


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## MeArrow (Oct 5, 2014)

Yes, I think they notice


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## pa.hunter (Jan 3, 2008)

SplashOfPee said:


> I guess this question is about deer reasoning and thought process.
> 
> When an elephant in the herd dies all the elephants mourn for that dead animal.
> 
> ...


answer is no i had 2-3 pet deer/does they was free to do what they wanted went on hill every night , came down each day ate cake ice cream/ cake at birthday parties it thought I was its mother because i bottle fed it . i put orange vest on them in deer season they hunted with me -shot deer- deer was beside me when i was gutting the other deer didn't care one bit that the deer was dead ! was curious that's it smelled it , so i say no


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