Welcome guest, is this your first visit? Create Account now to join.
  • Login:

Welcome to the NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.

Darkness Terminator


User Tag List

+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 10 of 10
Like Tree6Likes
  • 4 Post By Rushy
  • 2 Post By PerazziSC3

Thread: how long before red deer return to pattern after spooked?

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Canterbury
    Posts
    98

    how long before red deer return to pattern after spooked?

    Hi

    How long does it take a red deer to resume there normal pattern after you spook them? I know there is no right answer but I am curious what other hunters have experienced. Should you leave it for a couple of weeks ?

    Pops
    Rule 4: Identify your target beyond all doubt

  2. #2
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    lower hutt
    Posts
    1,048
    I was talking to a guy a while back he reckoned if you spooked one, sit there for an hour or so. He reckoned 9 times out of 10 they came back.. Dunno if that's true or not.

    I ususally give it a few weeks, cause it depends on how far in I was, what the weathers gona be like ( for me) etc

  3. #3
    OPCz Rushy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Nor West of Auckland on the true right of the Kaipara River
    Posts
    33,557
    I do not know the answer but here is what I would suggest is the case from observing there behaviour on my farm over the last seventeen years. The flight instinct is deeply ingrained and if you have spooked a deer and it has gapped it, it will stop and check for the threat once it believes it is a safe distance away. If it still perceives danger it will gap it again. Once it has put sufficient distance between itself and it's perceived threat it will settle but remain wary for quite some time but within an hour or so it will slip back in to normal activity. Certainly after a period of sleep it will not awaken still harbouring any concerns of a threat.

    Translating this to the wild I would not imagine it to be any different. That said the issue with return to the scene of the incident or immediate area will be the potential for leaving of scent odour markers left by the hunter and the fleeing deer that may deter deer (not just the one that gapped it) from return. The time for this to dissipate will depend much on environmental factors (e.g. if it pissed down with rain the time elapse period would be much shorter than if it had not).
    veitnamcam, pops, 308 and 1 others like this.
    It takes 43 muscle's to frown and 17 to smile, but only 3 for proper trigger pull.
    What more do we need? If we are above ground and breathing the rest is up to us!
    Rule 1: Treat every firearm as loaded
    Rule 2: Always point firearms in a safe direction
    Rule 3: Load a firearm only when ready to fire
    Rule 4: Identify your target beyond all doubt
    Rule 5: Check your firing zone
    Rule 6: Store firearms and ammunition safely
    Rule 7: Avoid alcohol and drugs when handling firearms

  4. #4
    Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Auckland
    Posts
    2,182
    I guess it would be hard to give a rule of thumb when there are so many variables: sometimes when they spook they haven't smelt you, that would make a big different, you've probably scented up that area, how much rainfall there is will make a big difference in how long that scent stays around. To be honest I wouldnt have a clue, someone with lots of trail cams might help, hit up Ivan Kane haha.

    Today I was crashing through some thick stuff when I heard a deer crash off a bit further on, I carried on in that direction and I found a deer bed that had a pretty strong smell still on it so I figured I must have spooked it from its bed. I was about to carry on when I smelt deer real strong on the wind. I stood there for probably 15 mins, smelling deer when the wind changed in the right direction. In the end I tried to move in on through the windfall and thick crap it but I never saw it. The wind was good so it wouldn't have smelt me at all I don't think and it probably didn't go that far either. Just a smart arsed deer who knew to be cautious I guess.
    Yeah nah bro

    Rule 4: Identify your target beyond all doubt.

  5. #5
    Almost literate. veitnamcam's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Nelson
    Posts
    24,745
    How long is a piece of string?

    I think it would depend on how they were spooked,and the situation. Ie if they heard or saw you walking up a river flat in the evening they might be back half an hour after they were sure you are gone...maybe there are no hard and fast rules.

    likewise if your pestcontroling a crop for instance and there are lets say 7 on it and you shoot 5 it is unlikely they will be back for a day or two.
    Last edited by veitnamcam; 24-06-2014 at 09:54 PM.
    "Hunting and fishing" fucking over licenced firearms owners since ages ago.

    308Win One chambering to rule them all.

  6. #6
    Gone But Not Forgotten Toby's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Wouldn't you like to know
    Posts
    11,099
    On fb there was a trail cam pic of a guy and then another pic of a stag that walked right where he was earlier on that morning.

    Make of that what you will
    VIVA LA HOWA

  7. #7
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Canterbury
    Posts
    98
    I can across 6 deer in total in a day, but could not get a clear shot . When I saw 3 they barked a ran off, so me being me I ran after them thinking they will stop and check and i might get a go. Not in this case. Other two did not see me just heard me.

    I was climbing through two tree trunks and saw another hind but could not get my rifle up on time as she looked , barked a ran off. I was happy to see the deer with in 30 meters as I have been working on my stalking a lot.
    Was thinking about leaving the spot for a week or two depend how much rain comes in.

    Boy can they run fast
    Rule 4: Identify your target beyond all doubt

  8. #8
    Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Christchurch
    Posts
    4,413
    Quote Originally Posted by Toby View Post
    On fb there was a trail cam pic of a guy and then another pic of a stag that walked right where he was earlier on that morning.

    Make of that what you will
    think i have one somewhere of some deer milling around 5-7min after i had been there.

    and then other times takes a few days for them to show up.

    They are where you find
    veitnamcam and Toby like this.

  9. #9
    Member Rusky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Tauranga
    Posts
    885
    Ive shot a red yearling one evening and returned to the same spot 2 evenings later to drop the hind that was with it.

  10. #10
    Gone but not forgotten Gapped axe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Lake Tarawera
    Posts
    4,044
    To me if you spook them by your self they will normally be back in a day or two, but if your Dog spooks the ,then it's bye bye for some time.
    "ars longa, vita brevis"

 

 

Similar Threads

  1. Kaimanawsa-the return
    By Rusky in forum The Magazine
    Replies: 21
    Last Post: 21-02-2014, 08:25 PM
  2. Spooked Deer
    By GravelBen in forum Hunting
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 06-06-2013, 03:19 PM
  3. Return to Zero
    By hillclima in forum Firearms, Optics and Accessories
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 14-07-2012, 01:35 PM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Welcome to NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums! We see you're new here, or arn't logged in. Create an account, and Login for full access including our FREE BUY and SELL section Register NOW!!