Can deer smell tension?

[LimBender]

Interesting Friend, was he a smoker?    :D  

A nice deer can get the breathing going to (I almost hyperventilated a few times).  Don't think it's as mysterious as some make it out to be though - sixth sense and all.  Seems like if there were some adrenline "smell" and the wind weren't right they would be on to me anyway.

Just a thought, but a lot of it could be great peripheral vision and them picking up on us when we think they can't see us, or them being on edge because they sense something is out of place in their world.

[park]

I have a 1 year old son and as far as observation goes he can and will find anything that is out of place.It really amazes me how nothing gets past him even the stuff I try to hide.I think maybe since his other senses are deprived his eyes and observation are heightend or maybe he is just plain good at getting in to things because thats all he does all day.I see alot of that in a deer.

[GRINCH]

I believe they have a survival instinct that makes them exstremely aware of their surroundings,if they have been hunted hard they are more alert.

[calgarychef]

Try this, walk past your cat or dog....nothing happens they are totally calm.  Now go into "hyper stalk mode" and act like you're stalking them, they will turn inside out!!  I don't know if it's the stalking movement or if we'actually do project brain waves but it's sure a fun activity.

[Mike Mecredy]

Until animals can talk and speak a language we can understand, we won't know answers to question like that.

[hvyhitter]

If the high pressured deer I sometimes hunt get just a wiff of "tension", bad breath, a popcorn fart, or anything else human they are "GONE,GONE,GONE"...... other deer in more urban areas seem to know what are the "safe zones" in the open around houses and roads and will often let you get in easy bow range before taking off......I think its more conditioned response than ESP........

[JMR]

Call it whatever you want to, deer seem to be able to tell when something is up. I do believe they feel us watching them or staring at them. If you try it on humans after awhile the person you are staring at will usually feel it and look at you. I definitely agree with not looking them in the eyes. They freak right out! I hope we never figure out what makes deer tick, that would take some of the excitement out of hunting.

[Fisher Cat]

Once a deer knows you're there, I don't think they care if you are tense or not.  As for discovering your presence because you are tense, I doubt it.  I do know the staring / eye contact thing is real though, and for me, thats freaky enough.

Who knows?  Have you ever watched a bobcat or couger stalk?  They will often doze off briefly (cat naps?) while watching their potential prey. - John

[bucksbuouy]

I think you are giving deer too much credit. When you're relaxed and in the zone you hunt better.

[Southern Sam]

I think the ol' mature doe's are harder to kill in most cases than a mature buck.  I have been after a certain nanny now for 3yrs with a bow. I have named her "The Queen" and she seems to get by or not give a shot. I always get tons of pics of her but everytime I have seen her, she beats me.  I had gun in hand once determined to kill her and she stayed amongst the group of deer with no shot.  she will prolly die of old age cause no tellin how old she really is, I doubt she has any teeth anyhow!!lol  Maybe this year I will beat "The Queen"

[Yeoman Bowman]

A really interesting question.

I did some digging and found this article (Bowhunter magazine, September 2010, page 62) that suggests that deer are very sensitive to the electromagnetic fields given off by other animals. A sixth sense, if you will.

I'm not saying that it's true, but if it is, then along with their other senses of smell, sight and hearing, this "extra sense" would make deer hyper-tuned to their surroundings. And very hard to hunt.

Here's a link that downloads the article as a PDF file. (I hope this is OK to post.)

   "Do Deer Have a Sixth Sense?" Bowhunter, Sept. 2010

[Friend]

LimBender-- My partner then and still great friend detests smoking and is a clean and organization fantic. He always went to the extremes to be scent free. His craftsmanship is quite admirable and his perfectionism is tough to take unless you become immune to it. He would always go the extra mile- far more than most hunters. One deer season he hunted 58 out of 60  days and still managed to work 50+ hours a week. His internal drive kept him going. He was always taking extra precauions in his stand approaches and exits.

He is just so hi wired that tension is easily and readily sensed even when he is calm for him.

[Arwin]

Thanks Yeoman, good read.