Old wives tales

Beowulf

Well-Known Member
I was informed on my DSC1 course that highseat are excellent for shooting deer from because 'deer don't look up'. Well I wish I had a pound for every time a deer did extactly that! Just this weekend I shot a yearling muntjac buck and the mother doe looked straight at me, ran off stopped and took a second look!
Do any of you know of any other deer folk law that doesn't hold water? I'd be interested to hear.
 
That`s a tail I was told aswell. :lol:
There was a place that i used to go to in the borders with a big old quarry on it and which had ceased to be used for quite a number of years and which was overgrown. On the approach to the top of this big basin i used to crawl and look over the edge, and on the odd occasion was spotted :oops: by the roe in the bottom which had obviously had to look up to be able to see me. That blew that theory that they don`t look up right out of the water. :confused:

wadashot
 
Beowulf
Yeh sure they dont look up :rolleyes: Ive had a muntjac buck walk up to the ladder stop then look all the way up the steps until it looked straight at me looking down on it. :eek: Then the little bugger decided to trot off behind me stopping me from getting a shot :D
Try telling me the little sods dont look up :rolleyes:
 
All deer will look up, I think in particular woodland species. However it is fair to say that in general when stalking Reds on the open hills of Scotland, one should always try and be above them if you can. This is for two main reasons.

Firstly the wind which is and can be ever changeable somedays, and if you are above the beasts, the chance of their winding you is not so great. And secondly Reds when on the open hill most of the time look down hill, there is no cast iron gaurantee they will do this all the time, but in general they seem to in my experience. Therefore your approach if you know your ground should be from above a great deal of the time.

But an old yield hind will more often or not be the one that see's or smells you in a herd of Red's, they often look up, especially if a Raven or Hooded see's you stalking in and starts calling over head. Or you spook a Red Grouse which will also draw her attention.
 
Smoking

I recon the best one I have heard is that smoking does not bother deer!! A creature that has a particularly good sense of smell that startles at anything out of the ordinary!! I recon who ever wrote that smoked more than they shot.

Dave
 
I was always told thet deer dont like being in the same place as sheep.

I often see them crossing a field with sheep in, to get to the next field.
 
bobt said:
I was always told thet deer dont like being in the same place as sheep.

I often see them crossing a field with sheep in, to get to the next field.

i was told that it was roe deer that don't like sheep that is why they are never found grazing in the same field together, my roe don't mind sheep that much and i know fallow and muntys don't care as the sheep seem more bothered about them than the other way round
 
Devilishdave, I seem to remember that question being in the Level 1 series of questions, and the answer was to use cigarette smoke to test the wind :lol: :lol: fine by me but you will be stalking on your own and not with me. :eek:

Red Deer dont mind sheep, especially on the open hill. In fact sheep will often give the game away. Red deer pick this up staright away, and I have on the odd occassion had sheep screw up a stalk, by running off and drawing the attention of the deer. Even on the open hill you should always wait after you have dropped your beast, always let the rest of the herd wander or run off without trying to show yourself, it keeps the ground more settled.

The Roe areas I have stalked in England, Sheep do not seem to sit well with Roe, they prefer to be in a field without them, but this is in areas I have stalked. In Northumberland where I have stalked a fair bit, they seem to avoid the Wooley Maggots as much as possible.

But Wooley Maggots do have their uses (apart from tasting good with mint sauce) they hoover up parasites like ticks !!
 
Re: Smoking

devilishdave said:
I recon the best one I have heard is that smoking does not bother deer!! A creature that has a particularly good sense of smell that startles at anything out of the ordinary!! I recon who ever wrote that smoked more than they shot.

Dave

If they can smell your smoke they can smell you - same result! The main disadvantage is the visual signature - smoke is just another form of movement that gives you away.
 
Yep...... they look up allright !

July last year in Sussex about 5:30 one morning taken from a ladder seat


DSC_0261.jpg



BUT she had these two in tow...

DSC_0257.jpg


ATB
 
Bobt,

Roe in my experience (in the North West) do not like sheep, and I have seen them go out of their way to avoid them.

The only time I have seen them in the same field is during a pheasant shoot and they have been moved. Reds seem indifferent.

Sheep dont pay much attention to deer, unlike bullocks who can give chase, so I think it is the smell of them, as roe generally avoid the fields they have been in for weeks after the sheep have gone or until a good spell of rain!

JH
 
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