Center Feature:  

Understanding Suburban Deer
Cashing in on backyard bucks

By R. G. Bernier

The white-tailed deer is, and continues to be, the most adaptable and prolific big game animal inhabiting the Americas. Due chiefly to the species resiliency and commonality, it has become the most sought after quarry of the finest kind. No matter where you find yourself pursuing this grand creature, from the richly cultivated farm lands, to the vast forested wilderness, the back forty, or within the densely populated city limits, whitetails are whitetails. A deer cannot see any better than it already sees. A deer cannot hear any keener than it otherwise does. A whitetail cannot smell with any greater effectiveness beyond its olfactory capacity. And furthermore, a whitetail is incapable of becoming Houdini, although his illusional disappearing acts may have gained mythological notoriety, deer can only hide where they reside.

Behaviorally, whitetails are no different regardless of where they may be living. Other than the slight unique differences displayed by each individual deer, the species as a whole acts in accordance with its inherent qualities. They flee from perceived danger, investigate any and every disparity within their habitat, are quick to make adjustments and remain the secretive apparition they have always been. Whitetails cannot make calculated decisions; they only react to outside stimuli. Deer do not reason out the complexities of how to evade a hunter’s bullet, and they don’t run due to the potential lethal force of that projectile. They vacate the premises simply because of the sudden noise and associate that sound with danger.

Therefore, it seems that it is not so much the deer we need to investigate here, especially once you have a thorough and practical knowledge of its behavioral traits, but the diversity of the particular piece of real estate the animal is living within. To understand suburban deer is to understand how the whitetail has adapted to these surroundings and how he maximizes this land for self-preservation.

Imprinting

Unlike their big woods cousins, whom have very few interactions with man, suburban deer are routinely subjected to human intrusions. These suburbanite whitetails have learned, through experience, what to fear and are able to distinguish activities that are harmless. A tractor operating in a planted field has never had a detrimental affect on a whitetail. The bark of a dog at the end of his run has proven to be an accepted part of the deer’s environment. Kids playing in the back yard echoing their chorus barely solicits a passing glance as the deer have become accustom to such clatter. Automobiles racing past on busy roads pose no threat to whitetails,  until they attempt to cross at an inopportune time that is. In essence, the deer residing in suburbia have adapted quite nicely to their surroundings and have acclimated themselves to the normalcy of where they have chosen to live.

Rest assured, residency within the city limits doesn’t make a deer any more vulnerable, it merely calls for a different approach as to how we hunt him successfully.

Pushovers They Are Not

While whitetails may be more abundant in the “burbs,” that doesn’t mean they will be any easier to kill. The moment you step from the backyard into their world, the entire tempo of the game changes dramatically. The urbanized whitetail quickly reverts from its docile self to ultra-secretive strategists. These resident deer are keenly aware of all the sights, sounds and most importantly, scents that are associated within their domicile. When farmer Fred heads out to the field to pick some beans for dinner, his presence and scent are not alarming to the deer, however, when the first bow hunter, bedecked in his camouflage, takes the first few steps towards his tree stand, whitetails explode into frenzied affright with tails held high waving their white good-bye salute. The difference between these two scenarios is not that deer have any ability to distinguish farmer Fred from Joe bow hunter, their reaction comes as a result of being habituated to farmer Fred. Bow hunter Joe shows up in a location and time that is not consistent with what the resident deer have become accustom to.

City Sidewalks

Urbanite whitetails still have the same requirements as those deer living in more spacious settings. They have to feel secure, especially within their bedding sites, be able to access nutritional food, and move about freely without compromising their existence. Throughout their life, much like human city dwellers, whitetails have limited space to accomplish this. It then becomes imperative for the hunter looking to cash in on a backyard deer to acclimate themselves as to where the established trails are, what is the favorite food source, know the exact location of bedding sanctuaries and most importantly, how to enter this plot of ground without detection once the hunt begins.

Slight Of Hand

If, like a magician we can fool, or at least lead a deer to think that either we are no threat to him, or that what he hears is not actually a human, our efforts will become much more productive. Our approach must become much more creative and unconventional. Why? Because when an intruder breaks into a large building, he has the extra space to remain inconspicuous for a longer period of time than if he was to force his way into a two bedroom, single story residence.

Usually when hunting these small tracts of land, the hunter resorts to the use of a fixed or portable tree stand. The biggest hurdle lies in his ability to get into his stand, and remain concealed from a whitetail’s detection. Often a deer is encountered while the huntsman is in transit to his stand. The best advice I can offer, despite going contrary to conventional whitetail wisdom, is to be nonchalant and even carry on an audible conversation with yourself. You may be quite surprised at the reaction the deer has to this non-traditional method.

Another trick you might employ is to have a buddy walk in with you, and once you have arrived at your stand location, have him walk back out along the same route you took to get there. You may also try running, dogtrotting or at the very least, altering your cadence on the way in.

I have a friend who gained access to a very small parcel of city land occupied by some very nice bucks. The problem he faced was that the only entry from where he received permission to hunt from happened to cross a field the deer regularly fed in before first light. Not to be foiled, my buddy searched for a better approach. In his diligence, he located an obscure trail used by joggers that would lead him very close to where his tree stand was set. The path initiated from a paved road that unfortunately offered no parking. Being the intuitive hunter that he is, and given that he is married to a very understanding wife, he had her drive him 45 minutes from home and drop him off. The first morning that he set his new plan into motion, creeping in under total darkness, he was able to arrow a fine buck that hadn’t a clue that his domicile had been invaded. By sticking to the jogging trail, his scent certainly didn’t present any immediate threat to deer that had become accustom to such activity.

Conclusion

Understanding unlocks the door of knowledge and wisdom dictates how we use that newfound insight. By applying common sense and ingenious methods when hunting suburban deer, and having the courage to employ these alternatives, even if it defies everything you have ever been told, read or learned about proper deer hunting techniques, will assuredly put you in a much more favorable position for your next kill—and in the process, provide the ultimate in satisfaction.