Really small does act as scouts?

[olddogrib]

Miguel,
I first observed similar behavior to what you are describing in back to back hunting seasons about 5 years ago and I posted about it here.  It had to do with maternal does allowing yearlings to apparently act as "decoys" and I observed it too often to not believe that is exactly what was happening.  I think it's simply their learned reaction to being legally baited and hunted from tree stands.  Deer used to never look up either!  Not so long ago, any yearling so anxious as to try to get ahead of its mother to rush into a place she associates with danger would surely have received a swift kick.  Now yearlings coming in first is not at all unusual.  I've watched "wind sprints" across my shooting lanes, knowing full well mommna is 50-75 yds behind my completely camoflaged stand in a tree I've never hunted before. I can accept that it was easy to let jr.'s youthful exuberance take over(just don't kick him upside the head). I'm just completely stunned at how she trained him to do the wind sprints before "go live"!  What I observed was not merely playful behavior, it was precisely choreographed movement directly under my stand to get me to betray my presence.  The only time the yearling stopped and rested was when it was safely behind brush.  This was...dare I say it....teamwork!  
P.S.  The last episode turned out poorly for jr., I learned to snap shoot from a sitting position and drilled him the second she blew. I cannot abide conspiracy!

[elknutz]

Sounds like a breakdown of the moral fiber  going on in the deer community.  Mothers sacrificing their children to save their own hides. Whats the deer world comming to.    

[Warberg]

Though I did not read all comments, I wonder myself from my high and low country deer and elk hunting experiance. If there is comunication that is not picked up with our hearing decimal level. Kinda simular to a dog whistle. Its only a theory based on stomach and muscle movement with younger siblings quickly responding. none of which was in a tree stand. Just being very close and wind in my favor. And I have good hearing. With pics posted above, noticed several times Mom(doe) was able to stop these fawns pictured above from getting any closer to the road. Again small chest and stomach twitching and immediate responce.. Anybody else experiance this? Or just a well known fact I never knew???

[Warberg]

 
These are 10 yard or less pics. The fawn in middle we called tripod as u can see it was hit by a car on back leg. But we simply share the property with them, and learn alot from them. Curious on others feedback..

[Traxx]

In the OP's case,i agree with the whole over energized and inexperience of the youngster.BUT>>>

I have on many ocasions witnessed an older doe leading the way and scoutin out the situation for the Bucks.I once watched it happen with a doe and 2 other bucks,comming off a mountain to water .I watched em for 3 days doing the same patterns.The doe would move ahead,watch wait test the waters and then look back to the bucks and they would then come as far as she did.then she would proceed further.This whent on 20 or 30 times untill they reached the water.

[Fidelios]

Mind blowing stuff guys! Thank you!!