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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Bonebuster on November 08, 2008, 08:02:00 PM
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Do you all believe that deer, or other big game sometimes exhibit the ability to detect your presence even though they do not see , hear, or smell you?
Throught the years, I have been detected many times and did not ever figure out how "they" knew I was there.
Today, my thirteen yr old put in a full day hunting. He got to witness some rut action, as two bucks chased the same doe around his perch, and never came within range. He also learned yet another lesson.
This evening, after repositioning his stand, he had a "cruiser" angling towards him only to stop just out of range. A steady southwest wind was taking his scent away from the buck, and he never looked up. After a couple tense minutes, the buck did a 180 degree turn and headed the opposite direction. I told him it was the "sixth sense" they have, and that he should not have looked into the bucks` eyes.
If they do have a sixth sense,(which I believe they do) why does it sometimes fail them.
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I am fairly certain that there is a physical over "metaphysical" explanation for it but I did read that most of the animals survive a tsunami by moving to higher ground before the wave hits! Amazing whatever the explanation!
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I don't know the science behind it; or if there is any, but over the years I have had quite a few older, larger bucks (and does) lock up for no reason that I could tell and retrace their steps. I definitley believe that some older deer have developed some type of sixth sense that alerts them to my presence and intent. I try to avoid thinking harmful thoughts until the shot presents itself.
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Ever walk into a room and feel that something just isn't right? Usually we will rationalize, think to ourselves that its nothing and continue on our way.
I think deer do the same thing except they just react, without the rationalization.
I think humans are sensitive to a lot of things but we are just not accustomed to reacting to it, or we rationalize it away.
I don't ever want to really know exactly what a deers sixth sense is, that would take the fun out of hunting them.
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oh yeah, without a doubt, i believe 6th sense and "instinct" are one in the same. however i also believe we are at fault a lot and do not realize it. slight movement, noise or scent that we did not realize we did lead to many of the 6th sense misshaps. just my 2cents.
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I don't buy into at all. If that old deer had a sixth sense then it would get out of the way of the 73 buick with the bright lights, horn blairin' taveling at 60 mph right before it gets wacked!! And we've all seen some pretty nice ones on the side of the road. Yes they are smart and get big and old for a reason, but I have to agree with Ken.... our slight movements, noise or scent tip off older deer to our presence and younger ones dismiss it and get themselves into trouble. dino
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wind currents carry scent in ways we dont understand ........... sometimes an eddy or swirling effect take just a whiff of our scent in a direction we THINK is impossible ......... all a mature deer needs is a whiff ........ a less experienced deer might ignore it , but Mr. Big takes no chances ............. I have NEVER seen a young deer ( buck or doe ) demonstrate the 6th sense ???????????? ..... 8^)
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A long time ago I read a description of a deer that someone had written... it said a deer is an animal that walks around 24 hours a day just looking for something to run from... :readit: ...so whether or not God has given them a "sixth sense", I agree with what was said above, that they are just looking for an excuse to run.
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When you are out deer hunting it is not just you and the deer. There are millions of other creatures in the woods surrounding you giving off signals to your presence, older animals have learned to tune into these signals, younger ones haven't. The ones that learn best survive the longest and become very good at it.
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It's doubtful that deer or people have a sixth sense. They pick up on many different cues and respond to them, whether it's an odd smell, sound, or visual cue. Humans do the same, we just don't know it's happening. Have you ever been sneaking through the woods and just stopped for no apparent reason, only to look around and see a deer, grouse, elk, or some other critter? I have and firmly believe we unconciously respond to these cues, we don't conciously recognize the cues for what they are, we just repond to them.
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i would think "unconciously responding" is EXACTLY what 6th sense is. don't get me wrong from what i wrote above, i firmly believe ceratin animals have a 6th sense, as do certain people.
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Gene Wensel, in "Come November" gives this example. When your dog is asleep just walk past him and he probably want respond, next time try to purposely sneak up on him and watch his eyes open Joe
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Good question, and food for thought. It reminds me of parsing the meaning of "instinctive", however, in that the terms used mean different things to different people. To me, a "sixth sense" is not dependent on cues from the other five. It is an independent input to the critter's consciousness.
Do I believe in it? Yes.
One of my favorite games while growing up on Naval bases was the bratty device of convincing the SPs that I was up to no good. I never was, really, but that didn't matter. One night, I saw the truck coming, and took off running from the direction of the swimming pool. Sure enough, they gave chase, and the driver left the truck to run after me. I slipped through the inky night, ducking branches that I couldn't see. I ended up near the back fence of a neighbor, SP-less and triumphant. Flopping belly down in the cool grass, I closed my eyes and inwardly reveled in my exploit. I felt a beam of light cross my lower back and leapt back into full-out run.
I later heard from my friend who lived next to the neighbor that they had heard a ruckus and come outside to investigate. They briefly saw someone in the light of their battery torch as whoever it was booked out of town.
:bigsmyl:
Many times, I read or hear a story where the teller says that the deer looked right at them, and yet made no indication that they had been seen. I believe that the deer did indeed see them, but kept cool so as not to trigger a reaction. The deer walks on, and his head goes behind a tree.. The slightest brush of a limb tip on a leaf, though, a natural sound that happens thousands of times in a deer's day, will turn him inside out as he scrambles to get the yell outta there. Or he turns ninety degrees and walks directly away from you...with the tree between you and he for as long as you can hear his steps.
Maybe on his way toward you, he crosses a coyote's strong scent trail and turns aside, or back the way he came. We cannot smell the scent of the coyote's paws, and we came in from the other direction anyway, so we have no clue what must have alerted the deer to danger. We attribute that to a sixth sense, as we cannot discern a trigger.
These are instances that I would not consider to be exhibitions of a sixth sense, as the deer is reacting to stimuli that we are unaware of or discount.
When a deer doesn't catch on to me, I consider it part of the divine conspiracy that allows me the opportunity to accept this most precious gift, life. I may not know the particulars of the gifting, but my gratitude flows out in all directions.
Killdeer :campfire:
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I know of someone that uses "wide-range" vision when hunting... which is simply the practice of purposely focusing on the peripheral vision and somewhat blurring what's in front of you. The idea is that it gives you better movement detection from the wider view. He also believes merely focusing on the animal can bring it to alert. He had an incident where simply switching from wide-range vision to normal focussed vision seemed to trigger the animal into full alarm. Unless it were coincidence, only a 6th sense could perceive this.
I myself don't know about a 6th sense, but the processing of the combination of known senses can be pretty amazing. In any case, I prefer to minimize the time I spend staring an uneasy animal in the eyes, I think it can cause triggers in its brain, even if it doesn't yet have your location pinned down.
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Yes, I have had this happen many times over the years.
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no doubt critters have a 6th sense, and so do we... it is just that most folks ignore or deny it.
the two best examples i have experienced are with bears here around the house, and when spearfishing.
every year either my wife or i will have a "bear mojo" feeling, and without fail we will find evidence of a bear around at that particular time... we walk in and out from the house 1/2 the year, and are at the end of a road bordering miles of wilderness, so we try to stay "in tune" with our woods all the time.
when freediving i have always noticed that the fish respond differently when i am hunting them than when i am just goofing around... critters know stuff we don't...
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I honestly believe all living things give off energy , good or bad and animals can pick up on this. Drew
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Many times I have been hunting and told someone that "something is about to happen"...and it did.
I was hunting on a closed dirt road- with my grandson and son; and told my grandson that something would happen around the bend in the road ahead; and my son told him to be ready. Well he missed the buck; but it was the only buck we saw that day.
At last light; I was watching 4 does walk across a field towards me. I stood behind a willow tree; a big willow tree; and waited.
I sensed something behind me; and turned around slowly to see a buck at a hundred yards walking to intercept the does. He walked right up to this 'antlerless only tag guy' and stood there staring. That buck knew there was something going on. The wind was not in his favor; and the does approached.
That buck looked up; he looked left; he looked right; he watched the does every once and a while; but kept sniffing the air; and trying to figure out what was going on.
I stood so close to the buck; that my broadhead was a half inch or so from his nose- and all the while; that buck looked left and right; his ears would pin back; then go forward-- he knew something was up.
I was totally in the open; standing on a manicured lawn in front of that willow; with the buck absolutely convinced something was amiss.
That is an example I think of a '6th' sense in him. He could not smell me; not only was the wind consistant; the rain was taking any ambient scent to the ground. Yet he was totally intent on figuring out the puzzle he had in his head.
My belly started to seize up; as I was having trouble containing my laughter; and only when I could not stop myself; and started giggling; did the buck take off like a rocket.
I have seen deer approaching; and thought; I will let them pass; then changed my mind; and at that moment; the deer will stop; and consider things... so yes; I think we can have a sense about each other; and both can use it to our advantage.
The approaching does last night- of course ran off.. I can't shoot while laughing anyway...
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I compare it to being in a crowded room and "feeling" someone staring at you. Maybe it's just being aware of what's around you. It's just that critters have to depend on it more becasue of survival so they're much more aware of it.
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I be leave we as humans have all the senses of other animals. We are predator not prey (this will soon change on our own soil if we are not careful) However we are desensitized as civilization usually does. If you work on your senses you can perfect them if you don’t they deteriorate.
Blueline
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I believe it is just a part of the "Great Mystery", part of the "spirit that moves through all things", we are all connected in some way, made of the same organic compounds, created by the same Higher Power. What is the true meaning of "Fair Chase"? I believe rational thought and logic can be just as much of a hindrance, as it can be an advantage. How many times have you been in the woods, and without hearing, smelling, or seeing, you just simply "feel" the presence of a deer, and you turn and look, and there it is. It happens to me often, esp. towards the later part of the season, when I am in "tune". If it can happen for me, I can imagine the deer rely on it for survival.
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Ever get a "hunch"? One of those " gut feelings"? I believe they be a 6th sense. I think animals have them also only more finely tuned.
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Yes no doubt, I think the old mature does especially.
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O.K. sorry if this is offensive but it is Sunday so it is fitting. I understand that each situation has a desired outcome. We were all put here by the Creator and as such He has constant input into our lives, even our thoughts. Now we as humans are supposed to be the only one with the free will to override those feelings (and boy do we!) The Bible says He sees the sparrow that falls. The way you know that's true is when a buck presents himself and then does a 180 without explanation. Don't get me wrong, sometimes it is something we missed but even that was for a reason. To the original post, it was not meant for your son on that day ... but one day he will wake up and it will be!
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I believe they do. I have a dog that can be asleep and I can get up several times to get a drink, use the bathroom etc and she won't even open her eyes but if I even think of standing up to take her outside she loses her mind.