Surburban Deer

Crossbow Hunting

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ko4nrbs
Posts: 969
Joined: Sun Dec 02, 2012 7:09 pm
Location: Madison, Alabama

Surburban Deer

Post by ko4nrbs »

The deer at my Church Buddy's place sure seem to be more alert to their surroundings than the deer I have hunted on Public land. Now this is only 3.5 acres that connects to a few other properties that add up to around 10 or so acres of woods. It sweeps around the back of four different houses but quickly goes downhill to a creek. The hill is pretty steep behind some of the houses so the deer have an excellent corridor to travel undisturbed.

One of the family groups is a group of 4 does one of which is about double the size of the other 3 and is obviously the matriarch. These deer are very skittish and very difficult to catch in the daylight. The old doe is a real pain in my a@#!! She is conscious of every tree and leaf in the woods. If anything is out of place or different she avoids the area. I have a lot of respect for her instincts!! I do see an occasional lone doe passing through but not consistently.

There are several bucks on the property as well, 3 spikes, 2 four points, a big 8 point and a 6 point. Though not as skittish as the does their movements mask those of the does so they are nocturnal as well. Every once and a while you will see a buck or two in the daylight but it is very inconsistent. May sit a week and not see anything then one day one appears. Makes for a lot of dry periods!!

For it's size and location there are a lot of deer here.

How does this match up with your experiences?

Bill
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grouse
Posts: 830
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: Missouri

Re: Surburban Deer

Post by grouse »

You have to have 3 acres to hunt and a $2 million liability policy to bowhunt where I live, so there is nobody hunting. The deer are nearly fearless. There is lots of open school district property behind my house and I walk my dogs (bird dogs) off leash there. Frequently deer are grazing on clover in a nearby field and if I tell my dogs "NO" sternly (and they obey me and don't chase) the deer just keep on feeding. They would be easy to hunt initially, but I'm sure they would learn quickly.
axiom
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robertyb
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Re: Surburban Deer

Post by robertyb »

grouse wrote:
Mon Dec 23, 2019 9:37 am
You have to have 3 acres to hunt and a $2 million liability policy to bowhunt where I live, so there is nobody hunting. The deer are nearly fearless. There is lots of open school district property behind my house and I walk my dogs (bird dogs) off leash there. Frequently deer are grazing on clover in a nearby field and if I tell my dogs "NO" sternly (and they obey me and don't chase) the deer just keep on feeding. They would be easy to hunt initially, but I'm sure they would learn quickly.
Who requires you to have a liability policy to hunt?
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grouse
Posts: 830
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: Missouri

Re: Surburban Deer

Post by grouse »

robertyb wrote:
Mon Dec 23, 2019 10:33 am
grouse wrote:
Mon Dec 23, 2019 9:37 am
You have to have 3 acres to hunt and a $2 million liability policy to bowhunt where I live, so there is nobody hunting. The deer are nearly fearless. There is lots of open school district property behind my house and I walk my dogs (bird dogs) off leash there. Frequently deer are grazing on clover in a nearby field and if I tell my dogs "NO" sternly (and they obey me and don't chase) the deer just keep on feeding. They would be easy to hunt initially, but I'm sure they would learn quickly.
Who requires you to have a liability policy to hunt?
The city where I live.
axiom
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Timbrhuntr
Posts: 533
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Re: Surburban Deer

Post by Timbrhuntr »

robertyb wrote:
Mon Dec 23, 2019 10:33 am
grouse wrote:
Mon Dec 23, 2019 9:37 am
You have to have 3 acres to hunt and a $2 million liability policy to bowhunt where I live, so there is nobody hunting. The deer are nearly fearless. There is lots of open school district property behind my house and I walk my dogs (bird dogs) off leash there. Frequently deer are grazing on clover in a nearby field and if I tell my dogs "NO" sternly (and they obey me and don't chase) the deer just keep on feeding. They would be easy to hunt initially, but I'm sure they would learn quickly.
Who requires you to have a liability policy to hunt?
We have some of that here . There is a forest where you can hunt but you have to have be a member of Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters which is bs but if you want to hunt it. I assume its because they have liability insurance added to your membership but still bs.
Timbrhuntr
Posts: 533
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Re: Surburban Deer

Post by Timbrhuntr »

ko4nrbs wrote:
Mon Dec 23, 2019 9:19 am

One of the family groups is a group of 4 does one of which is about double the size of the other 3 and is obviously the matriarch. These deer are very skittish and very difficult to catch in the daylight. The old doe is a real pain in my a@#!! She is conscious of every tree and leaf in the woods. If anything is out of place or different she avoids the area.

Bill
Sometimes I enjoy targeting a doe like this more than big buck as they can be a greater challenge.
xcaliber
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Re: Surburban Deer

Post by xcaliber »

I am surrounded by woods, hundreds of acres with no legal hunting allowed. The deer here tolerate a lot human interaction. They are still deer, and will watch you very closely but they won’t bolt unless they feel you’re advancing towards them. I think they would be easy to hunt until one or two get killed, then they would wise up real fast.
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DuckHunt
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Re: Surburban Deer

Post by DuckHunt »

I certainly see similarities. This year I literally threw my orange hat at a spike to try and run him off. He totally didn't care. He watched me climb down the tree not 25 yards away, then when I reached the ground and picked up my bow, he put his head down and kept eating acorns. :lol: I wasn't bothering his breakfast at all. It wasn't until I started walking his direction that he took offense and trotted away stopping a few steps from my daughter in her stand.
Image
But that's how the young ones behave. The old doe are quite the opposite. I've shot them out from in front of a small buck and I'd do it again. They are far more challenging to hunt.

There are hundreds of acres of grain fields within a half mile of my area. On years when they are planted with corn, I can go a month without seeing a daytime deer. Those are the tough years. The situation improves once the corn is cut. Then cover becomes the deciding factor. Once all the leaves fall off around Thanksgiving, the deer vanish. I checked my trail cameras yesterday and December 8th was the last daytime photo of a deer. There aren't many at night either, so it becomes a dead zone once the thick cover is gone.

That's why I hunt the area heavily starting on opening day. I know we over hunt it, but it has seasonal lifespan. The opportunities end about a week after Thanksgiving whether we're hunting it or not.
Last edited by DuckHunt on Thu Jan 02, 2020 9:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
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ko4nrbs
Posts: 969
Joined: Sun Dec 02, 2012 7:09 pm
Location: Madison, Alabama

Re: Surburban Deer

Post by ko4nrbs »

One thing for sure they like Nose Jammer!! Been chewing up the log I sprayed it on. I first thought they may spook and avoid the area I sprayed it in but they have taken a liking to it.
Bill
Excalibur Exomax Crossbow Twlight DLX scope
Excalibur Firebolt Arrows
NuFletch Ignitor Nocks
Carbon Express Torrid SS 100 gr. Broadheads
Summit Viper SD Climbing Tree Stand with Sherpa Hunting cart kit
U.S. Navy 1969-1973 USS Truxtun DLGN-35
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