Pressure?

at1010 · Aug 23, 2015

Hey all! Been a bit since my last post!

Anyways I wanted to know what you all think about pressure on farms and how it effects deer. I always believed in lowest pressure possible. However at times I think I and others might take it way over the top.

Example is not wanting someone else to shoot a deer early season cause it might spook other deer.

Example two. Don't shut doors too hard might spook deer etc.

So what do you all think? Do we need to worry about every branch we break or are we all too damn paranoid to scare that 170 that's arund every tree in Ohio hahah

Diablo54 · Aug 23, 2015

It's easier to hunt a deer that doesn't know your there, than it is one that knows your there.

finelyshedded · Aug 23, 2015

If a hunter can get to and from his treestand or blind without bumping deer or leaving scent on his trail along the way is success rate will skyrocket! Hunting sets where the wind is favorable and deer can't get downwind makes it even better. So in my opinion, pressure is very important! So the less there is the better! Very much better! That's why it's been proven that your best chance of killing is your first time in a certain set.

Just my two cents...

giles · Aug 23, 2015

Location, location, location... If I hunt behind my house, I don't even worry about scent control. Those deer are so used to me being around that it ain't funny. I can mow within 20 yards of them and they won't even stand up. Now, if I need to go to place that is secluded, I need to be secluded.

I guess what I'm saying is that some deer are always pressured and some are not.

themedic · Aug 23, 2015

Big bucks won't frequent places that routinely get infiltrated with human scent....just my experience.

Noise, early season you can get away but late season....better stay silent. Noise carries farther in winter too.

Jackalope · Aug 23, 2015

Prior to peeling velvet they tolerate a ton. If a buck has good reason to stay there they will within reason. When I go hang stands, dump bait, check cards I try not to be sneaky. Just act normal. I want those deer to know I'm there and know when I leave. It's conditioning. They begin to associate those sounds and smells with me and know I'm not there for them. They have ample time and opportunity to either stay put and listen or slip out.

Come time to hunt I sneak in like a mouse at the crazy cat lady's house. The deer are expecting me to come in like an elephant, but I come in like a mouse. They don't have the comprehension to understand an elephant can be quiet. Deer make associations through experience. Condition them.

giles · Aug 23, 2015

Jackalope said:
Prior to peeling velvet they tolerate a ton. If a buck has good reason to stay there they will within reason. When I go hang stands, dump bait, check cards I try not to be sneaky. Just act normal. I want those deer to know I'm there and know when I leave. It's conditioning. They begin to associate those sounds and smells with me and know I'm not there for them. They have ample time and opportunity to either stay put and listen or slip out.

Come time to hunt I sneak in like a mouse at the crazy cat lady's house. The deer are expecting me to come in like an elephant, but I come in like a mouse. They don't have the comprehension to understand an elephant can be quiet. Deer make associations through experience. Condition them.

I agree 100%, well put. I really like it when I have pics 10-15 minutes after I dump bait. That tells me my program is working! Lol

themedic · Aug 23, 2015

Jackalope said:
Prior to peeling velvet they tolerate a ton. If a buck has good reason to stay there they will within reason. When I go hang stands, dump bait, check cards I try not to be sneaky. Just act normal. I want those deer to know I'm there and know when I leave. It's conditioning. They begin to associate those sounds and smells with me and know I'm not there for them. They have ample time and opportunity to either stay put and listen or slip out.

Come time to hunt I sneak in like a mouse at the crazy cat lady's house. The deer are expecting me to come in like an elephant, but I come in like a mouse. They don't have the comprehension to understand an elephant can be quiet. Deer make associations through experience. Condition them.

Conditioning a deer in the instance of baiting I agree. Hunting his bedroom, or pass through it often is what I was more eluding to.

Jackalope · Aug 23, 2015

themedic said:
Conditioning a deer in the instance of baiting I agree. Hunting his bedroom, or pass through it often is what I was more eluding to.

Same can be said for hanging stands or checking cams. The reason for the intrusion doesn't matter. It's conditioning them to where they don't see your intrusion as a threat. They start to think they can outsmart you because you're always noisy and predictable. In their mind, if they don't hear you you aren't there. Now obviously stumble fugging through their core area all the time during season isn't a good idea. But I've seen some pretty big bucks in some noisy and busy areas who could care less. It's all about perceived threats.

"J" · Aug 23, 2015

There was a median In between a highway in Youngstown that used too hold a nice buck years ago, on my drive home I'd see him all the time... Trucks, cars would go screaming by and he wouldn't bat an eye.... Get a ODOT grass cutting Crew.... He'd high tail it outta there....

Jackalope · Aug 23, 2015

"J" said:
There was a median In between a highway in Youngstown that used too hold a nice buck years ago, on my drive home I'd see him all the time... Trucks, cars would go screaming by and he wouldn't bat an eye.... Get a ODOT grass cutting Crew.... He'd high tail it outta there....

How many slammer bucks have we been told about that were killed behind a walmart, gas station, golf courses, residential neighborhoods, and other disturbed areas.

hickslawns · Aug 23, 2015

Esker boys wouldn't be known if it weren't for suburban/urban hunting. Big bucks can survive in pressured areas. Of course shooting a crossbow out my bedroom window at a 200" deer wouldn't make me feel like an accomplished hunter.

Jackalope stated it well. I agree with his line of thinking.

at1010 · Aug 23, 2015

Some great responses! I agree with almost all the posts.

So they are putting in a gas/oil pad about .5 miles from my farm. Do you all think the loud noise and traffic will effect the deer in a negative way this year? There is a 400 acres clear cut between me and the gas well going into the farm. This will not be direct pressure on the deer but will be a lot of noise.

bowhunter1023 · Aug 23, 2015

Jackalope said:
Prior to peeling velvet they tolerate a ton. If a buck has good reason to stay there they will within reason. When I go hang stands, dump bait, check cards I try not to be sneaky. Just act normal. I want those deer to know I'm there and know when I leave. It's conditioning. They begin to associate those sounds and smells with me and know I'm not there for them. They have ample time and opportunity to either stay put and listen or slip out.

Come time to hunt I sneak in like a mouse at the crazy cat lady's house. The deer are expecting me to come in like an elephant, but I come in like a mouse. They don't have the comprehension to understand an elephant can be quiet. Deer make associations through experience. Condition them.

I agree with Joe.

themedic · Aug 23, 2015

I agree with Joe aswell. It's funny how each senario can be different. I was listening to The wired to hunt podcast with Don Kidky last week snd was disapointed with many of the things he said because I didn't agree with a lot of it. But I can relate to suburban bucks that are tolerant of pressure but I also know bucks in my deeper timber areas where I haven't tried that approach and doubt it would work. I guess I find it hard to figure out how a buck gets like that. I would think he would have to grow up in that environment. I doubt I could go find a 5 year old in deep timber that has never seen a human and condition him to me....or at least I wouldn't dare try.

"J" · Aug 23, 2015

at1010 said:
Some great responses! I agree with almost all the posts.

So they are putting in a gas/oil pad about .5 miles from my farm. Do you all think the loud noise and traffic will effect the deer in a negative way this year? There is a 400 acres clear cut between me and the gas well going into the farm. This will not be direct pressure on the deer but will be a lot of noise.

If you have good habitat I'd imagine it would be in your favor too have that ruckus a half mile away....

Huckleberry Finn · Aug 23, 2015

at1010 said:
Some great responses! I agree with almost all the posts.

So they are putting in a gas/oil pad about .5 miles from my farm. Do you all think the loud noise and traffic will effect the deer in a negative way this year? There is a 400 acres clear cut between me and the gas well going into the farm. This will not be direct pressure on the deer but will be a lot of noise.

Doesn't seem to bother them. Riverdude had some photographic proof too.

hickslawns · Aug 23, 2015

themedic said:
I agree with Joe aswell. It's funny how each senario can be different. I was listening to The wired to hunt podcast with Don Kidky last week snd was disapointed with many of the things he said because I didn't agree with a lot of it. But I can relate to suburban bucks that are tolerant of pressure but I also know bucks in my deeper timber areas where I haven't tried that approach and doubt it would work. I guess I find it hard to figure out how a buck gets like that. I would think he would have to grow up in that environment. I doubt I could go find a 5 year old in deep timber that has never seen a human and condition him to me....or at least I wouldn't dare try.

I would certainly agree. Doubt you find any to disagree with this. Deer with zero to minimal human interaction are a different animal altogether.

Al- I agree with Huck. I think the pressure will send them from the clear cut to your area. I don't know the area, but logic says they aren't heading toward the noise if they aren't used to human interaction. Maybe you see some nocturnal activity on camera, but I think the most mature bucks will shy away from it. Doesn't mean they are necessarily heading your way. Could be another property more inviting in the area which is not seeing the drilling? Or. . . .maybe they end up on your property. Who knows? Deer are the most unpredictable pain in the butt creatures to walk the Earth since God created woman.

teej89 · Aug 24, 2015

Jackalope said:
Prior to peeling velvet they tolerate a ton. If a buck has good reason to stay there they will within reason. When I go hang stands, dump bait, check cards I try not to be sneaky. Just act normal. I want those deer to know I'm there and know when I leave. It's conditioning. They begin to associate those sounds and smells with me and know I'm not there for them. They have ample time and opportunity to either stay put and listen or slip out.

Come time to hunt I sneak in like a mouse at the crazy cat lady's house. The deer are expecting me to come in like an elephant, but I come in like a mouse. They don't have the comprehension to understand an elephant can be quiet. Deer make associations through experience. Condition them.

I agree with this absolutely. I even read an article about how the one guy would wear a cowbell in the woods preseason while spooking because it gives the bucks an alert you're there and then they can spot you a ways off and assess the situation and realize you're not a threat. However if you sneak around laying bait or cams and you bump him he'll absolutely boogey outta there.

Hogmister13 · Aug 26, 2015

Touche" Agree 100% I like to drive the four-wheeler to my feed site, the deer know its me coming and they know im not a threat. They know when I leave and they are back in the corn within minutes of me leaving. Now if I changed it up and rode a horse in to my feed site it would throw the deer off and more than likely keep that mature buck from coming in as much. Be consistent conditioning them in early season.

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