I'm set up in a good spot this morning lots of gobbling. I have three deer right in front of me for the last hour. Im calling and they aren't scared off. I don't normally have deer hang around like this. Is this a good thing or are turkeys less likely to come into my calling position?
Deer are usually leerier of the Turkeys then Turkeys afraid of deer. Confidence decoys!! I had deer blow at me last Friday and mess up the hunt.
I had a gobbler strut right by 3 does and chest bump a turkey buzzard before I shot him. I didn't know the turkey buzzard was on the side of the ditch but the gobbler didn't like it and pushed him off.
I think it can be a good thing if they keep their distance. Personally I don't like deer in close proximity of me (30 yards or so ) while I'm turkey hunting. I don't mind if they are off 80 yards or more as I enjoy watching them.
Deer are beneficial for the freezer. The last thing I want while I'm turkey hunting is a GD deer blowing and causing a scene while I'm in the woods and especially when I'm fooling with a turkey.
I've watched deer and turkeys play together in the same field while feeding on clovers. I've watched turkey and deer travel together coming to the fields. But I'd rather not have them around me while turkey hunting etc.
It's fun watching as the deer get too close to how they chase them away or move them out of the way.
I called a Tom up a sendero in Texas once with a doe walking side by side with it. When I shot the Tom, I had to have peppered the crap out of the doe at the same time. About 30 minutes later a coyote howled as I was waiting on my partner at the truck so I blew a predator call and called up/killed a coyote. I need to get back to Texas again!
If you call up a gobbler it won't be because deer were there. It will be because you sounded like a hen turkey.
If you don't call up anything it won't be because deer were there.
Turkeys seem to be unbothered by deer... They will intermix with cattle as well... They like to turn over the cattle turds for bugs and such.
Horses do not seem to like turkeys, and apparently the feeling is mutual... I have seen them in the same area, but I have also seen horses run off turkeys... Also, horses often do NOT seem to do well with gunfire.
But in general, I find it easier to hunt when there are bovines around (wild pigs, deer, cattle, sheep, etc)... They are making noise walking through the woods, which likely makes (some of) the noises we make in the woods less worisome to the birds...
Depends on the situation, but I will normally make my presence known and try to spook the deer before they get down wind if in the woods.
Deer are a lot more apt to blow an alarm if they wind you, but if they just see something odd, they will usually just ease off on alert. Or at least in the areas that I hunt.
If I see deer in a field or I don't think they will smell me, I just let them go on by.
I love to see them in the fall and hate to see them in spring
Seen a thousand deer out west and zero snorts. I did have three different elk bark. I get ho.e to WV and the first deer I encounter snort.
I hate deer with a passion when it comes to deer hunting. I have drenched myself in bug spare now,that has always seemed to help.
They smell you from half a mile so don't come up and look at you and stomp and snort. Stupid
Deer are beneficial..... IF they don't bust you and cause a ruckus. Deer and turkeys often share the same area, and are used to each other. So the only issue I see is if they bust you.
I have taken my share of turkeys with multiple deer in view near by.
My toms fear no deer. In fact they will chase them out of the yard pretty quickly.
I have walked up on flocks of late fall/winter birds standing among herds of deer many times.
If a deer snorts at you, but can't see you, blow back at them. Not snort, blow. Now you're a deer. This has saved hunts for me.
I don't think turkey mind them at all. As I sit here thinking I am not sure I have ever seen a turkey while out hunting unless I have seen a deer first.
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