Texas Hunting Forum

Walk around the deer?

Posted By: kingofwylietx

Walk around the deer? - 02/06/10 07:18 PM

Okay, I'm new here, but not new to hunting. I don't hunt deer but I see a lot of them at my feeders while I'm waiting on the hogs to come in.

My question:
Does anyone ever get down and walk around the deer? I've done this quite a few times to put down more corn, scout for hogs, and sometimes to run them off if I'm running low on corn. I have to do this with cows sometimes too. I've heard that a lot of people are injured/killed by deer each year. Is that from injured deer or do I need to be cautious around them while on the ground? I always carry my rifle & sidearm with me, so I feel pretty good about being able to put one down if he ran at me. Also, I don't intentionally get too close, I always keep at least 30 feet away from them.

They usually just keep an eye on me and continue to eat the corn on the ground. I've never had one charge or get aggressive. It's almost like they know I'm not hunting them.

So.......is this dangerous or safe?

Posted By: Curly

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/06/10 09:30 PM

It's unheard of! LOL
Welcome to the THF!

Posted By: CitySlickerHunter

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/06/10 09:33 PM

welcome

Posted By: Lone Ranger

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/06/10 09:49 PM

I think the chances of you being attacked by a deer are very, very slim!! Usually they will take off as soon as they see you or pretty soon after.

I have never been able to walk up on a wild animal within 30 yards and have it stand there and eat corn and look at me. Usually they dissappear in a split second!! You must be a great stalker.

Posted By: rifleman

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/06/10 09:58 PM

they know they are safe.... I can shoot within a few yards of ours and them not leave a corn pile. The only way I can get them to leave me alone when I go out walking, looking for hogs, is to park the four wheeler and pour out some corn for them. If I didn't they would follow me around blowing and stomping until they get what they want. But these are deer on the "behind the house preserve".

Welcome to the fire!

It's safe to walk around them, they seem to know their limits.

Posted By: TreeBass

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/06/10 10:01 PM

welcome

Posted By: Justin T

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/06/10 10:05 PM

I'd be a lot more worried being run over by a hog than a deer. Had a couple close encounters with pigs.

Posted By: poisonivie

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/06/10 10:39 PM

Are u serious?

Posted By: Justin T

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/06/10 10:53 PM

Originally Posted By: poisonivie
Are u serious?


Yeah, when looking for sheds, we've spooked a few and they just haul arse out of there. They don't come for you, they just run. You better get out of their way if they're running.

Posted By: TreeBass

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/06/10 11:45 PM

Originally Posted By: Justin T
I'd be a lot more worried being run over by a hog than a deer. Had a couple close encounters with pigs.


especially in south texas

Posted By: kingofwylietx

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/07/10 12:08 AM

Thanks for the welcomes! Treebass, this is in South Texas, just outside of Uvalde.

I'll have to post a video of a small 8 pointer that came out and walked right behind me when checking a feeder. There were 2 of us and the truck was right behind the guy that did the video.


Don't get me wrong, I know how this works. I want to shoot a hog, the deer are all around me. Then I get back to the ranch house and the guys that were hunting deer saw all the hogs. Somehow they know.

I didn't think much about walking around near them, until I read that a lot of guys get hurt or killed by deer each year. That's what got me thinking about it.

My concern has always been about the feral hogs and javelina. I'm glad I'm not the only one that's walked around near the deer without them running off. I was a little concerned about being called a troll since I'm so new here and wasn't sure if anyone else had tried to walk around with the deer around.

The guy that took the video of the 8 pointer behind me is on here, he's KellyAsh. He put the video on Facebook. I'll have to get him to post it on here too.

Posted By: TreeBass

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/07/10 12:11 AM

I'd be more worried about the hogs than the deer. I mad ethe mistake of shooting one down in GW several years ago with a muzzle loader...seems I was right in the middle of their excape path! not many trees down that way to climb...never left camp without my pistol after that smile

good luck

Posted By: rifleman

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/07/10 12:12 AM

I think I've seen it if it's the one where "ppl" are messing/filling a feeder and the buck is hanging out at the edge of the feed pen.

Posted By: kingofwylietx

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/07/10 05:26 AM

Originally Posted By: rifleman
I think I've seen it if it's the one where "ppl" are messing/filling a feeder and the buck is hanging out at the edge of the feed pen.


No, he took this one last weekend. I was putting him in a stand for hog hunting and we walked down to the feeder to make sure there was corn in it (it was empty, so I decided to take him to one that had been feeding regularly). We were talking and walking back to the truck when I saw a buck walking towards us, coming out of the woods. I just assume that he thought we put corn in the feeder. I pointed the buck out to him and he pulled out his camera and started taking the video. The funny thing is that I wasn't decked out in camo or anything (well, camo pants, but normal shirt). He taped it walk behind me and down towards the feeder we just left.

Posted By: Nate C.

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/07/10 05:50 AM

As long as you don't have any Indian corn in your pockets, it is completely safe.

Posted By: Sirrah243

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/07/10 08:16 AM

I've been run over by cows but never deer. Hey could you come walk around my feeder next season. The deer run away from me.

Posted By: TxAggie10

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/07/10 05:54 PM

Ive seen a doe stand within 10 feet of me while filling a feeder. She didn't care. This was the same doe that would walk towards the stand everyday to see if you were inside of it or not before she decided to eat corn.

Posted By: CBHunter

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/08/10 01:56 AM

Originally Posted By: Nate C.
As long as you don't have any Indian corn in your pockets, it is completely safe.


This is very true. They like it way better and they will follow you much longer. Be careful when using Indian corn. It's not for everyone.

Posted By: Texas Proud

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/08/10 02:19 AM

I guess they get use to you and know you're not a threat. I'm sure if one of the other guys hunted your stand they think differently the next time you hunt it.

Be careful. Ya never know about them during the rut. This is usually when the bucks go crazy. He might think your hitting on his girl!!

Posted By: ILUVBIGBUCKS

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/08/10 02:55 PM

I've seen wild deer act this way on several occasions. It is usually when they are either very, very hungry or where there is little, or even no hunting pressure on them.

My advice would be just to watch them closely and if they are showing any aggression towards you DO NOT turn your back on them, especially an older buck. Usually bucks will not become very aggressive until the reach 3 years old or so and by that time they are usually pleny wary or humans, at least on ranches that are hunted.

Posted By: pokerj2

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/11/10 03:25 PM

They are way more scared of you than you could ever be scared of them. BTW what makes you the king of wylie lol

Posted By: RDub

Re: Walk around the deer? - 02/11/10 06:11 PM

worry about those little piggies and just enjoy the deer.

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