Do Bucks Dream?

Gene Wensel · December 16, 2014, 12:04:00 AM

A good friend of mine witnessed something very unusual this past November. While on stand on a hardwood ridge here in Iowa, he watched a 3 1/2 year old buck chase a hot doe all over a hillside. He has no idea how long they had been chasing but both had their mouths open and tongues hanging out. The buck finally gave up chase, all but exhausted, and laid down about 30 yards from his stand. Within minutes, the buck laid flat on his side with all four legs extended out and his head/rack on the ground. With binoculars, he saw the buck close his eyes and go to sleep. Within minutes, he noticed movement and verified the buck was moving all four of his feet, obviously dreaming about chasing that doe! Most of us have seen dogs dream of chasing who knows what but I never realized buck deer do the same. All males do I suppose! Too bad he didn't have a camcorder! Very interesting!

huntsfairchase · December 16, 2014, 12:12:00 AM

To say that's all that's all he has on his mind day and night in November is an apparent understatement!

I suppose, like you said comparing it to dogs, it makes sense.

Thanks for the story. Makes you stop and think a little...

jonsimoneau · December 16, 2014, 12:26:00 AM

Gene, when we were kids and just hunting, my buddy saw a big buck laying down on the side of a creek. He figured he could stalk his way up on him. He made his way within about 35 yards or so and noticed that the buck was laying completely on his side with his legs stretched out. Since this was a heavily hunted area he assumed the buck had been shot and was already dead and so he just started walking right up to him. He about wet his pants when the big guy opened his eyes, jumped up and got the hell out of there. There was no sign of a wound whatsoever. It was the peak of the rut and the big buck was apparently just all full up on "girl drama". No telling if he was dreaming or not but it was apparently a similar situation to what you have described with the buck laying on his side, legs stretched out and head and rack lying on the ground. He still talks about that one.

sheepdogreno · December 16, 2014, 12:55:00 AM

Sounds logical to me...if a dog can dream then i bet a deer does too...only he's dreaming of a hot doe not beggin' strips!

ejhorstick · December 16, 2014, 03:01:00 AM

I would say with near absolute confidence you were witnessing that buck dreaming. I'm a neuroscientist by trade, admittedly don't specialize in sleep, yet it's an interesting topic that I can add a few facts/opinions to the topic.

One neat factoid is that all vertebrate organisms sleep. Even marine mammals like whales that need to breath at the surface sleep by "shutting down" as it were one side of the brain at a time.

Now dreams are something all together different from just sleeping in within itself. Now getting more into just my opinion, till I do some more homework, but I believe dreaming associates with the cerebral cortex (the wrinkled part that is visible from any brain picture we typically see in pictures). A region well developed in all mammals. Other vertebrates like reptiles have some cortex, yet not to the extend mammals do.

But trying not to stray to to far from the original point, deer definitely have a well developed cerebral cortex, and therefore I imagine can have some pretty vivid dreams of delicate does. The unique part is just catching a buck exhausted enough to enter a deep enough sleep to actually be dreaming...instead of just dozing or on partial alert. But, when ladies are on the mind...caution typically does get tossed to the wind.

Sorry all about getting a bit technical, this is just something I find fascinating!

Jerry Jeffer · December 16, 2014, 05:19:00 AM

Some one shared a video of this exact thing recently. Pretty big buck totally stretched out on the ground. the guy really took that deer by suprise.

Tim · December 16, 2014, 06:39:00 AM

Very cool story, my dog does that all the time so it makes perfect sense. Have a great Christmas Gene.

Joeabowhunter · December 16, 2014, 06:53:00 AM

What a great encounter your friend experienced. I'm sure the buck caught the doe in his dream... lol.

hunt it · December 16, 2014, 07:07:00 AM

I like it when they dream about hanging on my wall :D

Cyclic-Rivers · December 16, 2014, 07:23:00 AM

Neat observation by your friend Gene. That's the kind of experience Non hunters seldom see or will ever get excited about. I feel sorry for them...

Great Insight Eric.

thump · December 16, 2014, 07:39:00 AM

Gene I would probably say that he was most likely dreaming of running as far away from Libertyville, Iowa as possible.knowing that you hunt there.

KentuckyTJ · December 16, 2014, 08:03:00 AM

I have seen them do that Gene, not laying with all fours stuck out though. That is really interesting. I had a doe bed close years back that fell asleep and her head twitches were interesting to watch.

Izzy · December 16, 2014, 08:14:00 AM

Anytime I had a dream like that while sleeping at my school desk I was always embarrassed to stand up too soon. If the buck was like me, your buddy could have walked right up on him and the deer probably would have stayed right there due to embarrassment.

DaveT1963 · December 16, 2014, 08:22:00 AM

I believe they do.... I once watched a buck dreaming and from what I can tell laughing in his sleep? I am sure it was the same buck I tried twice to put the "sneak on" earlier in the year

Friend · December 16, 2014, 08:30:00 AM

Credible!

monkeyball · December 16, 2014, 08:35:00 AM

I can't imagine what there dreams are like after "Gun Season" is over!!

Good Hunting,
Craig

Doc Nock · December 16, 2014, 09:28:00 AM

None of the scientists in the bunch mentioned motor control issues... I remember as kids, we'd strap on roller skates and skate all day...then fall on our face trying to walk with skates off that night.

Athletes speak of hard training and then ripping the bed apart at night going thru the same motions...

Might not a deer also, after running and running and running so long, that they fall into exhausted sleep still have motor control that tries to have them running?

Course, as for the initial question of dreaming... I'd believe it. Why not? I've seen snoozing deer snap awake wide eyed and in near panic, then look around somewhat sheepishly... like we've all done awaking suddenly from a bad dream... As perhaps suggested by Craig above?

Michael Arnette · December 16, 2014, 09:36:00 AM

I watched a young doe sleep about 30 yards from my stand in early season a couple years ago and watched her head bob up and down and twitch. The oddest thing was the stillness of her ears the whole time. I didn't think of it but she was probably dreaming. Thanks for posting!

December 16, 2014, 09:37:00 AM

Interesting. I would bet that, yes, they do dream.

Would have been neat to see

Bisch

Orion · December 16, 2014, 10:14:00 AM

Over a lot of the years, I've only been fortunate enough to see bucks lie down like that two times, sprawled out, lying on their sides, legs out, etc. I'm certain they were sleeping in both cases, and in both cases they didn't stay sleeping more than 20 minutes, a half-hour. Didn't get a close enough look at them to notice if they were doing some twitching, at least nothing I could pick up with the naked eye, but I don't doubt that they do dream.