Stalking a Deer
A deer browsing at the edge of an open field is not the easiest thing to stalk. First thing you need to do is spot the deer before it spots you.
A deer’s life depends on constant vigilance. That’s why it’s so hard to get the first sighting when walking out in the open. But if ya do just remember to freeze when the deer’s head comes up for a look around.
Once the deer starts browsing again – move slowly. Remember we’re playing a slow version of ‘Red Light – Green Light’, rushing the deer won’t get you anywhere.
RED LIGHT!
Here’s where it get interesting. I had Pookey with me and she doesn’t know the rules. Let me zoom out so you have a better idea.
To say ‘That dog don’t hunt’ is an understatement. I figure she actually sees only 3% of the deer I do.
I figured wrong. I didn’t expect to get any closer but the deer was so focused on the clueless dog that I was able to inch forward.
Pook was so busy following her nose around I was actually able to leave her behind a ways. The deer was so focused on her I thought I just might get close enough for a good shot.
That’s when Miss Fearless had a panic attack and came running back into my ‘cone of protection’. The deer finally had enough and was gone in a flash. In the end I managed to get within 200 feet of the deer. Pook never did see it but she did have a nose treat when we got to the spot the deer was standing.
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June 14th, 2010 at 6:54 pm
You have to train Pookey before going back to the field.
Or at least, to understand what is red light or green light.
June 14th, 2010 at 7:29 pm
I feel so lazy…the last deer I stalked (in my post this morning) was from the comfort of my office chair. A doe, and twins LOL. For some reason the office here seems to be a perfect blind. I love how Pookey was so oblivious to this deer…my older dog is like that. Even around the poultry here, she just sort of looks at me like ‘chicken schmicken…who cares?’ Our younger puppy though…she’d have been after your doe like a shot!
June 14th, 2010 at 9:15 pm
I have bird feeders, and messy birds, so the deer usually come up at dusk to see what has been dropped on the ground for them. Right now, the only one is see is a young buck, still with the velvet on his antlers. The does won’t bring their fawns out into the yard until high summer.
My cats don’t chase. They just look out of the window with very big eyes, craving all that good food on the hoof.
June 14th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
Very good deer stalking tips. Your pictures are pretty good, even if you didn’t get as close as you wanted.
June 15th, 2010 at 3:57 am
Maybe you need to do your stalking in the suburbs. I can barely get the things to run away from me when I shout at them, and if I’m in a vehicle they seem to want to run directly at me and my front grill. I think they do the stalking, waiting at the edges of my gardens and then rushing in to taste everything after I’m gone.
June 15th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
I had one I raised on a bottle. He was a real sweetie. He was completely house trained. He slept on my bed. He loved to eat pumpkin pie with whipped cream. He also loved cheerios and apples cut up.(-: He was a tad bit spoiled to say the least. (-:
He grew up and left when he was 1 year old. We saw him at times after that but he would never come up to me again. I still miss him, it was a wonderful experience. (-: