Originally Posted by
Bagheera
I think deer are a bit like humans - having different temperaments. Some will be nervous and run a long way. A great strategy if the predator has a long range rifle. Some will run a short way and save themselves a lot of energy. I don't think this is entirely heritable either as deer would get warier and warier over a few generations but they do seem to revert to placidness if not hunted for a while. I'm not sure that much abstract learning as we know it goes on. With random behaviour, the predator has some uncertainty whether to pursue the prey in expectation of finding it again or whether to just cut their losses and look for another one. With reds, I've often heard them barking apparently nearby for quite a while, perhaps trying to intimidate you or luring you into wasting more time and energy. But I can't recall ever seeing or shooting a deer that has barked at me. Sika on the other hand quite often run just a short distance, squeal loudly and then let themselves be seen and shot. Reds often move about restlessly for a minute or two before trotting off, so you have a chance of a shot even after they are a little spooked.
You wouldn't expect that deer would change their flight behaviour much after a death experience either. Two deer are standing together and one gets shot dead and its mate runs off. One of them never gets a chance to learn and do it differently in future. But does the surviving deer become accustomed to gunshots and easier to hunt next time. Great scenario !! Goats and pigs are very vocal before they die and warn the rest of the mob something has gone badly wrong but I don't think deer do ? A rifle shot is a bit startling up close but some distance away, certainly not the most alarming thing a deer could hear (eg dogs barking). Most likely there are some instinctively alarming signals that make deer more nervous after repeated encounters and they modify their behaviour to avoid them: stealthy footfalls and twig snapping (so different from the louder noises deer make moving around), human smell, voices, perhaps deer blood ? Would finding a deer carcass make other deer sh*t bscared and vacate the area ?