Deer and Chainsaws LOL

[Johnch]

The field by dads woods is frozen enough
So I headed back to cut down some dead 18" - 24" Ash trees
I took the Stihl chainsaws , gas , bar oil, Noise canceling ear plugs and muffs .... Oh the ax just in case
My Lady took my crossbow as Ohio Deer Bow season goes out Sunday

I start dropping the trees ( some how I got them all to fall just where I wanted them LOL )

8 trees down and I feel a tap on my shoulder
There she stands with a plastic bag with a deer heart in it and a big grin

How come 10 min after you start cutting with a chainsaw .... making all kinds oh noise
Do the deer come to watch you work

But make 1 small noise 99% of the time and they head the other way ??

Oh well SHE is grilling Back Straps and I am relaxing :lol:

John

[shredder]

Ha Ha nice!! I spent an entire evening once slowly silently stalking along a patch of brush. When I got to the end and had seen no deer, I walked back to my truck paying no heed at all to the noise I was making. I happened to look up at my truck as I neared it and there stood one of the biggest whitetails I have ever seen. Right beside the driver's door! Needless to say I was not expecting to see any deer with the wind now at my back sounding like D3 going through the brush, so I was not ready. When I saw him we locked eyes and he ran. I will never forget that lesson.

[tomme boy]

Deer are used to the noises they hear. You should try combining corn! They don't move! More than once we had to dig a deer out of the head.

[DougGuy]

Deer associate the sound of chainsaws with trees falling which brings them browse they could not normally reach. Acorns, Apples, Walnuts....

[starmac]

Years ago my wifes grandad shot a bear less than a hundred yards from where another guy and I had chainsaws bucking firewood.
Just last week three moose browsed for a while right out in front of my log truck while I was getting loaded, finally ambling off towards where the feller buncher was dropping trees.

I have heard loggers claim that deer would wait till they dropped a tree to get at it, even while they were limbing it on years with a lot of snow.

[Bob in Revelstoke]

I don't know how many times we have had to call a cease fire at the range because of deer walking out on the range. There is a lot of grass and clover on the range and they stop to feed on it. Usualy does with their fawns.

[dragon813gt]

Deer are used to the noises they hear. You should try combining corn! They don't move! More than once we had to dig a deer out of the head.

Combine is the dinner bell at the field I hunt. Didn't get the call the past two years when they were running it :( They come out in large numbers while it's running and for a day or two afterwards. It's almost cheating. But then again I'm sitting and waiting, not hunting.

[Hickory]

Most animals are curious and will check out a familiar sound that seems non threatening to them.

[tomme boy]

Combine is the dinner bell at the field I hunt. Didn't get the call the past two years when they were running it :( They come out in large numbers while it's running and for a day or two afterwards. It's almost cheating. But then again I'm sitting and waiting, not hunting.

When we were kids, we would ride on the combine and shoot pheasants as they jumped up. Nowadays there are no pheasants here.

[dragon813gt]

Nowadays there are no pheasants here.

Same here. Only reason we have a season is because they stock them. I'm right by the game lands where they stock the greatest number. It's not the same, they barely get off the ground. Modern farming practices have decimated their populations. But you never hear about this.

[tomme boy]

N, S Dakota have programs that if you take $ from the state you have to plant a certain amount of CRP type land. From my friends that go out there every year, they say there are still lots of birds. And The farmer has to let the general public onto the land also if they take the money. There are some exclusions the hunters have to follow but there is a ton of land available to hunt

[starmac]

Growing up in Texas, it was illegal to shoot from a tractor or combine, for just that reason.

I used to live close to a rice field, I do not know how many miles I have crawled on my belly through mud trying to sneak up on geese feeding in it. I was never successful enough to get in shotgun range, but you could get on a tractor and drive right up inthe middle of the flock, or even on horse back.

[CastingFool]

I have heard about deer responding to chainsaws before. My guess is that they figure if you're running a chainsaw, you're too busy to shoot at them.

[country gent]

Deer, Pheasants, woodchucks, squirrels and most animals are curious creatures in reality. A new smell or sound that isn't "out of place" and they have to see what it is. We have deer and one year a pheasant that came out every time we fired the saws up cleaning up fence rows and woods edges. They just watched us while we worked. Combines are the same. Working ground with a diesel tractor as long as it dosnt break routine you can get with in 10-20 yds of wood chucks. Deer will stand and watch it also. That old wily wood chuck will fall to a tractor working ground every time LOL. We had a old timer that burnt sandal wood insencense in his stand and took a deer every year

[rondog]

I live in a suburban neighborhood, but there's a large creek bottom running through here, and greenbelts & trails all over, deer are common here. Lately I've been seeing 3-5 really nice mulie bucks nearby, they hang out in a grassy area about 35 yards off a pretty busy road. Lots of noise and danger, they just lay there and watch the humans zooming by.

[44man]

Deer in MI would be near pole cutters and feed after they left. Common to see a herd waiting.

[MaryB]

One of our best deer stands was the deck off the kitchen that overlooked a ravine the deer used. They were used to doors opening and closing and people moving around. Best buck I ever got was from the kitchen deer stand in my stocking feet. Slide open the patio door, step out and shoot. Go put boots on and process deer after dragging it up with the tractor.

[Plate plinker]

Curiosity killed the cat or deer.

[jonp]

Most animals are curious and will check out a familiar sound that seems non threatening to them.

Try walking quietly and not making noise on the crispy stuff and they will be long gone. Make a racket and they seem to be curious as to whats going on

[jonp]

One of our best deer stands was the deck off the kitchen that overlooked a ravine the deer used. They were used to doors opening and closing and people moving around. Best buck I ever got was from the kitchen deer stand in my stocking feet. Slide open the patio door, step out and shoot. Go put boots on and process deer after dragging it up with the tractor.
lol, that's funny. Best deer my step father ever shot was from the kitchen door. He went home after a week of unsuccessful hunting at camp and was sitting at the breakfast table drinking coffee when he saw a nice 8pt at his pond 50yrds from the back door. He said he got up, went downstairs and got his rifle, loaded up stairs and then opened the door and shot it in his bathrobe and slippers. I still have the picture where he got his hunting woolens on, took it out to camp and took the pictures there. We know the real story and it's always good for a laugh.

[10x]

When we were kids, we would ride on the combine and shoot pheasants as they jumped up. Nowadays there are no pheasants here.


Zero till farming?
Locally the fields that are zero till are devoid of any wildlife, they are not even birds and mice.
Before zero till, a drive down the road between crops would flush hundreds of songbirds in a mile. Now a person is lucky to see a dozen in a mile

[10x]

Try walking quietly and not making noise on the crispy stuff and they will be long gone. Make a racket and they seem to be curious as to whats going on

Way back in the 1960s an older fellow had the theory that if you made noise the deer didn't see you as a predator, they would be curious to see what the commotion was about. He got his deer and moose in very short order every fall.
When hunting with him I had to almost run to keep up. His cardinal rule, no smoking, and no talking - seemed to work.

[Echo]

I used to see deer browsing on the berm between a couple of our Sabino Canyon range, while we were plunking away at the 100/200 yd targets. Sadly, Billy Clinton had that range shut down - some neighbors complained about all the noise. There were no houses near when the range was built...

[Goatwhiskers]

Shredder, tell us you didn't have to restrain yourself from shooting that deer with the truck right behind it. GW

[Hardcast416taylor]

A neighbor farmer back in the `60`s had two sons. During pheasant or deer season when crops were being combined or corn picked he would operate the equipment and a son would be at either end of the field ready to get `spooked` game.Robert

[Plate plinker]

Zero till farming?
Locally the fields that are zero till are devoid of any wildlife, they are not even birds and mice.
Before zero till, a drive down the road between crops would flush hundreds of songbirds in a mile. Now a person is lucky to see a dozen in a mile

I would imagine the insecticides kill off the food source. The round up wipes out natural seeds that the birds eat as well. It is the price we pay for cheaper food.

[bullseye67]

Good evening.....Happy Superbowl Sunday! When I was first hunting we would try sneaking around the hay fields and ravines trying to get a shot at a "BIG" buck...OK..anything with antlers we could see. A doe in the first 2 weeks was considered poor sportsmanship with the other guys at school. My father said "why don't you boys throw your rifles in the truck while hauling hay" we were convinced we would not see "ANY" deer let alone a buck. First few loads before lunch no deer. After all the experts in Field & Stream said deer slept all day....right? Stop for lunch and start hauling again. Second load after lunch the field had deer in it like cows. We counted 8 bucks, 3 with 6-8 points(12-16 east count) and over 50 does and younger deer. No wonder we couldn't get a glimpse in the first light of dawn, they were all sleeping. My brother got the first shot and I got the second shot. We both got reasonable bucks. The funny thing was we were gutting them out and the deer all came back and were grazing again. My Dad said he debated with the hired men how long they were going to wait before telling us we were wasting our time by getting up early. By the way that was the last buck I shot. I learned very quickly that young deer taste better and the antlers need dusting!

[Dave18]

they hear the mower/tractor running they come out, and stand around
/ chainsaw or splitter, at my wood pile, they will keep their distance but stand and watch from about 50yds, ,
and if my dogs are with me, they trot out to about 100yds in the hayfield and stand and graze,

and if I got a rifle or pistol in hand, well, they are gone with the wind:roll:

[jonp]

Whitetail will habituate to whatever their surroundings are. Put them next to a park with people running around and they will stand there used to the noise. Try sneaking through the woods after them and they are gone. Drive by in a car/truck and they will stand on the side of the road but stop and open a door, gone. Out for a walk as usual and they will stand they and watch, try to approach them and gone. No people and they will be out in the day, people show up like in deer season and nocturnal they are. They are very smart.

[MT Gianni]

I had 60 across the road from me Sat morning. I started the truck and the bunch that was 1/4 mile away left on a dead run. The larger group of 45 that were 1/2 mile away just stayed there knowing they were safe at that distance. This on property that has not been hunted in 15 years.

[44man]

I mow grass with deer in the yard. They get used to it. If we get apples I can get 10' from deer to feed them and my little dog is with me to sit and look. Deer don't care about her at all. When mulberries are out, they walk right to us. I have a strange dog that watches squirrels run from bird feeders. Never chases or barks.

[starmac]

I do not know how many times I have driven through inks lake state park in Texas, and see deer all around the tents, even 2 or 3 at a time standing on top of the picnic tables right in an occupied camp.
there are literally hundreds of deer there and they know they are safe from hunters.

[Freightman]

We were at a campground in Rocky Mtn. Son had to go to the facilities, heard him holler he tripped over a big elk cow. She got up and moved off the trail and laid back down.

[historicfirearms]

Here in the north when the snow gets deep, the sound of a chainsaw is like a dinner bell. They come running to eat the tops. I have seen loggers bucking the tree and deer eating the top at the same time. Its sad how hungry they can get in winter. Thanks to loggers lots of deer survive the winters.

[skeettx]

Yes, they will find a way to forage
Well said
Mike

[starmac]

Here in the north when the snow gets deep, the sound of a chainsaw is like a dinner bell. They come running to eat the tops. I have seen loggers bucking the tree and deer eating the top at the same time. Its sad how hungry they can get in winter. Thanks to loggers lots of deer survive the winters.

I have never seen that, but have heard many loggers talk of it on bad years.
My logging days have only been in this area, and we do not have deer, I have seen moose close and paying no attention, but not browsing on the tree they were working on.

[KenT7021]

I had a nice buck cross a street in front of me in Lakewood,Wa. last year.He even used the cross walk at an intersection.

[starmac]

I had a moose blow through a redlight on a dead run at a major intersection here in town this year.

[mcdaniel.mac]

I had a moose blow through a redlight on a dead run at a major intersection here in town this year.
There's never a cop around when you need one, ya know?

[Rally]

There have been more than a few deer harvested from the seat of a still warm skidder in this country.

[shoot-n-lead]

There have been more than a few deer harvested from the seat of a still warm skidder in this country.

You got that right...

Several years back, we had one break the front glass of the NAPA parts store and go inside. Seems that he was sparring with the deer in the window....:smile:

[blackthorn]

We have a bunch of Deer around the house here. I have seen as many as 14 on the back lawn at one time. In winter Gail puts out birdseed for the small birds. We put a tarp down on the deck and put the seeds in a shallow container. A couple of years ago we had a small buck that would come right up on the deck to lick up the birdseed and if I walked out the back door he would just raise his head and then finish up what he had started. Once done, he would sort of saunter past me (5 or 6 feet away) and jump off the deck at the stairwell. The Does will not come up on the deck and we keep our Halloween pumpkins around and when there is lots of snow we throw them out on the lawn. The Does and fawns love to gnaw on them and will eat everything but the stem.

[shredder]

Shredder, tell us you didn't have to restrain yourself from shooting that deer with the truck right behind it. GW

Never got the chance! I was feeling defeated, making a ton of noise and not in any way expecting to see a deer. Turns out if I had just sat in the back of my truck all evening I would have had a very nice buck! But yeah you are right, if I had taken a shot it would have also harvested a front door and maybe a steering column!

[Blackwater]

Deer learn by trying stuff, just like all creatures, including us. And yeah, sometimes they make a mistake and get themselves killed. But all the onlookers learn from that one's mistake, and like us, try hard not to make that same mistake ever again. And they also come to associate certain sounds with either safety or danger, and by dumb luck, they'll find out sooner or later what sounds to be alarmed at, and what sounds don't represent any known danger to them.

And as to deer coming to downed oaks in hard times for finding food, their tummies provide lots of "motivation" just like ours do, and hunger often overcomes our fear of danger, and theirs as well. Most of us will never know the kind of hunger animals do sometimes. And thank God for THAT!

[BigMagShooter]

next time I go hunting I'm taking my chainsaw and a gun...

[starmac]

I went with dad once way before I could carry a gun in East Texas. There were several of men in the party and if I remember right 3 pickups parked. We hunted that morning then they all met and was probably 50 feet from the pickups, just shooting the breeze. I looked over and there was a whitetail buck that really appeared to be tiptoeing past the pickups. I told them, but when they turned and stopped talking he took off just waveing a flag and was gone. lol

[jonp]

There have been more than a few deer harvested from the seat of a still warm skidder in this country.

I know lots of loggers that keep a rifle on the skidder during deer season. Get a lot of deer too