One of our local smaller parks put out an announcement this week to remind everyone to be safe while out camping and hiking as well as when locals are commuting to work. It is that mating season now and I was just curious how many stumble across deer out in the woods when you are camping? A few years ago we had one come up to our sleeping area to sniff around and I remember we were hiding in the tent to try and get a few pictures of him but he took off too quick. We see them on hikes but I am still surprised we could have gotten an amazing shot but he took off too quick for us.
Hi... I've seen many of them (usually immature ones) on/near the roads lately...none with antlers yet, though...!! Can't say what's in the woods...haven't been there...!!
We do see them, but have never seen any come up close to us. Usually, they dart off whenever they spot us. Deer are pretty harmless, in my opinion.
I see deer all the time while backpacking. They are curious but shy. One time in the Uintas, we were cooking supper and some deer came by. One girl was so curious she layed down about 75 feet away from us and watched us eat. By and by she got up and walked off in the direction her friends had gone. Young bucks are actually even more curious. I've seen many little 2x2's peeking around a pine tree watching us while we were in camp.
I call it the camping jinks. Like I said in another post we often camp when hunting but never hunt while camping. We have been on an extended camping trip going on 5 weeks long. Up state NY helping son with the kids as he recoups from major shoulder surgery, the place is lousy with deer, not unusual to see as many as 10 on a half mile stroll around the camping area. Squirrels and rabbits abound the squirrels fussing at us from low branches as I walk Bo by in the mornings. This morning while taking Son Dan to therapy I passed a field choked with geese feeding on corn stubble they didn't even flinch when I wizzed by. Were this us camped out on a hunting trip we prolly wouldna seen narry a thing.
We see deer in our backyard often. I was telling my daughter who is afraid of anything bigger than a dog that they were harmless. We were standing at the window looking at a doe and her baby. All of a sudden the doe saw her reflection in the window and started stamping the ground and slowly moving forward. To this day my daughter thinks deer attack!
Deer? LOL! There are so many deer where I live (on the Jersey Shore) that they wander around in packs in neighborhoods and in farmer's fields and hang out in people's backyards. They even wander around near busy roads. You can see them lined up on the sides of the Garden State Parkway, nibbling on the grass. I went hiking up near the Delaware Water Gap last year and came upon some deer hunters. I asked if they'd had any luck. They told me they had nothing. I told them to head toward the Shore, that deer are everywhere, like squirrels. Ironically I almost never see deer when I'm camping or in the woods. I guess the deer are smart because they know no one can hunt them in the populated areas so that's where they are now Unfortunately the bears and coyotes are catching on too. It's getting ridiculous here. I see far more deer when I'm driving around at work going to customer's houses then I do when I'm camping alone in the woods.
Well, when I was driving home from skiing in upstate NY one of them darted right in front of my Jeep. I tried to steer away but it was determined to die and just about threw itself under my right front. It was no match for my Wrangler though but it did about $1500 worth of harm. Fortunately it was just cosmetic. I wouldn't call them harmless in that regard.
Last year I was on backpacking trip and decided to take a nap in a tent with the flap open. A large buck in velvet walked slowly by the tent grazing within 10 feet and never detected me. That is a great experience. My Mom was camping in Washington as a child. She was sleeping in a pup tent with no flaps. She woke up and felt the rough tongue of a Columbia black tailed deer licking the peanut butter and jelly off of her cheek. Deer are all over the place. When they get habituated to people is when the trouble starts.
There is one situation where I'm wary of deer--coming across a doe and her fawns. You don't mess with a mama and her babies. They'll trample a small animal to death.
I see some while camping and backpacking, but I normally see more driving around town or in my neighborhood park. I am more worried about hitting out in my car than coming across one on the trail or coming into camp. However, when it comes to spring when they start having babies then I worry a little more on the trail. My dog almost got her behind handed to her by a deer one time. We were out at the park when she decided to got have a dip in the creek, like she normally does, when all of a sudden a deer charges her from the tree line. She was luckly quick and got out of there. Next day in the same area saw what I am assuming to be the same deer with two fawns.
I almost hit one today on a busy highway in the middle of surburbia while driving to work. Good thing I saw it in time or it could've been a really bad day.
When I go camping I don't normally see deer. I think its because of where I camp. It seems like the deer tend to stay away from State Parks. I have seen a lot of deer while hiking though. I remember one time I was hiking and ran into a whole pack of female deer eating. That was a very memorable moment.
I worked with a guy in Wyoming that has hit 9 deer with vehicles in his lifetime. It must be some kind of record.
Bad luck to talk about hitting deer. Last night I added number 5 to my tally. Wiped out the front end of my chrysler 300. And it was a nice 4x5 buck too.
I have tapped several deer with vehicles but never injured any. Two years ago I killed a bobcat with my truck that made me really sad. I was towing a boat at high speed in broad daylight. On our side of the valley we get wild horses at the back fence and in the neighbor's yard eating apples off the ground, but few deer. On the other side of the valley there is more irrigation and more pine trees. The mule deer walk through town and bed down in peoples' yards. I have chased a herd of 20 out of downtown. We have the smallest capital city of any in the US. Recently there was a picture of the Governor of the State of Nevada walking from the capitol to the assembly building and 4 deer jumped out in front of him.
I have seen many deer when camping and hiking. I've ran into large groups of them around this time of the year. It's always incredible when you can get close enough to them to take a picture. It's so peaceful just watching them.
