| Under some conditions, deer walking in the woods will | | | | Difficult travel conditions and greater visibility in the |
| blend into their surroundings so well that the hunter | | | | more open woods force the successful hunter to use |
| who sees them will be uncertain as to what he has | | | | glasses for spotting game at a distance, and |
| seen. In bad light the deer even just disappears. The | | | | long-range guns equipped with telescope sights are |
| deer seems to understand that man rely on their | | | | needed in order to shoot deer which are often in, or |
| eyes to sight them. In the few localities where the | | | | across, ravines where any chance of a close |
| Virginia deer is found, it is necessary to use slightly | | | | approach would be almost impossible. Similar |
| different hunting methods. And hunting in different | | | | conditions exist in the open, near desert country of |
| climatic conditions could also influence the way you | | | | the southwest where most of the deer will be found |
| hunt. | | | | in the brush-filled ravines, and cover for successful |
| Deer seem to know that humans depend on eyes to | | | | stalking is almost nonexistent. |
| locate game and consequently the deer will often | | | | I have heard that the use of sticks or antlers to |
| depend on natural camouflage for protection instead | | | | simulate the noise of a fight between two bucks has |
| of resorting to flight with its attending danger of | | | | been successful in attracting deer to hunters along |
| running into other unexpected danger. They seem to | | | | the Mexican border. This may be successful in that |
| be especially reluctant to leave their beds while they | | | | area as deer act differently in different sections of |
| are digesting a recently eaten meal and a hunter can | | | | the country, but I doubt the effectiveness of this |
| often approach them by walking on a course that will | | | | action in the northeast. Most of my hunting has been |
| bring him within gun range, but which is not directly | | | | done in this area and I have been fortunate enough |
| towards the animal. If they can be persuaded that | | | | to be a spectator at several buck fights. I have also |
| the hunter has not seen them, and is not interested | | | | examined the arena where other such contests have |
| in them, their reluctance to move may permit quite a | | | | taken place and I have never seen any evidence to |
| close approach. Feeding and traveling deer are not as | | | | show that other deer were attracted to, or showed |
| apt to depend on camouflage and will usually resort | | | | any interest in, these fights. If this is so, it would |
| to flight as soon as they have positively identified | | | | seem to be a waste of time to try to attract deer |
| any approaching danger. | | | | by such a noise. |
| The hunter who knows the location of the deer | | | | The deer sometimes seem to be especially reluctant |
| trails, how and where to find deer at different times | | | | to leave their beds while they are digesting a |
| of day, how deer detect danger, how they react to | | | | recently eaten meal and a hunter can often approach |
| different situations, should be able to take advantage | | | | them by walking on a course that will bring him within |
| of the weak spots in their defense system and | | | | gun range, but which is not directly towards the |
| should be able to avoid the strong points in that | | | | animal. The hunter who knows the location of the |
| system. This is deer hunting reduced to its basic | | | | deer trails, how and where to find deer at different |
| simplicity. | | | | times of day, how deer detect danger, how they |
| In the mountain area of the west, the whitetail gives | | | | react to different situations, can used this thing to |
| way to other species. The former have never | | | | their advantage. |
| learned to make the annual migration that is | | | | Hunters can gain more advantage if they can find 2 |
| necessary in a region of heavy snowfall and as a | | | | deer fight, as the deer will not pay their attention to |
| result the mule deer is in possession of the area. In | | | | the hunter. This will give some space for the hunters |
| the few localities where the Virginia deer is found, it | | | | to make their position to shoot the deer. |
| is necessary to use slightly different hunting methods. | | | | |