So this may be a silly question, but here I go. :knothead:
This morning I went to a public hunting area that has a corn field which had been harvested last week.
Cows had been let into the stubble to feed on the waste corn. I could hear the cows as soon as I got out of my truck, which was parked a half mile from the field.
Do you think that the loud cows would keep deer from feeding in the field?
Jon
No, white tails live in farm country, it's part of their habitat.
Nope.
Cow and deer do not try to kill each other. I have seen Cows and Horses feeding along side deer for the most part.
The largest buck I ever saw, I couldn't shoot at him with a rifle because he was walking through a dairy herd.
Depends, when I used to hunt WV I have seen big bucks beded among cattle, however in Texas I have found that if cattle are around the deer will not mingle with them and most times will not come in where the cows are at. Have had deer in front of me and cows coming my way and the deer ran off.
Same thing for me as Danny Rowan.Here in Tx the deer leave when the cows show up.Not sure how it goes in Kansas.
I'd find somewhere else to hunt.
My whitetails don't like associating with bovines.
IMHO no it won't bother them plus it reminds me of a weird funny story from a few years back.
I was bow hunting a old abandoned farm which had several apple trees. I'm in my tree stand with a lone apple tree yards away and can see a herd of cows and knew they would eventually wander over and clean up "my" apples! But I was prepared and had brought several rocks up the tree with me. When they eventually came over I started throwing rocks scaring them away. Strategy worked and they stayed away from the apple tree and me.
About a half hour later a buck comes into the apple tree from the opposite direction. He and they stare at each other. Occasionally some cows would look up at me and then look at the buck. The buck eventually walks right in and on his second apple gave me the shot! He ran about 40 yards and piled up!
I get down and proceed to field dress him and the entire herd comes over and watches while standing with in feet of me and my dead buck! I'm talking probably 60 head have surrounded me and my buck!I have to shoe them away to get him and me out of there!
Fast forward next evening I'm back in the exact same tree stand and the same cows are out in the field about 75 yards away. After about a half hour, I'm settled in when they all start bawling and start my way. To my surprise they all walk in a straight line to where my buck had piled up the afternoon before. They all stand around in a tight circle with heads held low and not one made a noise for the longest time. Then they all in unison walk away as quietly as cows can walk away. Not one cow came close the apple tree or me! I'll never forget it and I've thought a lot about it, probably too much in fact! lol I'm not a betting man but I bet they knew each other really well.
I used to hunt a property that was great until the landowner started keeping horses(only 5 or 6 on 80 acres) on the property. Then I almost never saw deer.
That's a great story, LC. :D
I should probably spent the bulk of my time elsewhere.
I wanted to give this spot a shot because it doesn't seem to get hunted much, it's close to my house and it has food, water, and shelter, so I figured it had deer too.
I got pics of only 3 deer over the past month and was hoping that it was because of poor camera placement.
Last night was the coldest so far this fall and I thought they would be feeding in the field this morning for sure. Oh well. :dunno:
Thanks for everyone's input.
Jon
I had cows under my stand a couple years ago for a good hour. Oh was I mad, cussin the cows, right in the middle do the rut. This was in woods. Cows eventually fed out of sight and not ten minutes later I shot a buck cruising. He came from the direction they went. Who knows?
I've also hauled up hedge apples as defense :p