OT: Do they know its not gun season yet?

[MattPair]

I swear the frickin deer know the exact date gun season comes in around here! This saturday morning I was at our land putting a few last finishing touches on some stands and such before gun season opens sat. the 19th. I had driven my truck down a old logging road that has several well used game trails crossing it. I had parked the truck, got out and was in the proccess of putting out a mineral block. I had dug a little trench, place the block in it and just started to pour out some "Buck Jam". This stuff can be found in most sporting goods stores, its basically a gel/slime like apple flavored mixture that once poured on the ground will turn into somewhat of a salt lick. Well, I had just opened the apple flavored stuff and been pouring the stuff out for like a min or two (its really thick and takes a while to get out of the jug) when I noticed movement out of the corner of my right eye. I stop and slowly turn to the right only to see 4 does stairing at me with there noes in the air, less than 15 yards away. In my mind I'm thinking, you've got to be kidding right? Here I am in blue jeans and a brown longsleve shirt, standing 10 yards from my truck not worring about sound or smell and I have 4 does (all shooters in size) pratically right on me. My thoughts then turned to the "Buck Jam" I was pouring on the ground... "this stuff can't be that good, Can it?" I knew I had a lot of work left to do, but didn't want to spook off the deer either... What was I to do? I figured to just go about the rest of my work like they wern't there and just watch and see what they do. After about 3 mins they got disinterested and walked off, calmly. There tails weren't tucked or flagged, they just slowly walked off along that same game trail. I swear its like they knew I couldn't shoot them! I've never had a deer act that tame that close to me before, expecially when they have a dirrect view of me. The place I'm hunting this year hasn't been hunted in like 5 years and one landowner that has property bordering this land feeds the deer year round and treats them like pets, I guess these deer have started to unlearn their fear of man due to that guy. Thats gonna stink for them come saturday :twisted: I'm thinking at 15yds the old 45/70 just might have enough umph to get the job done :lol: now just to deciede between a 405gr Beartooth or 300gr partition. I might even bring my 44mg SBH to get my first handgun kill, Whatcha think?

[padodge]

I've had a doe laying on the hillside about 50 yards above and slightly to the left of where my backstop is while I was the zero on my rifle for doe season which opened the next day. She was there the whole time that I was shooting and walking down to the target. The only time that she moved was to stand up and walk around for a few minutes and then she laid back down in the same place just watching me do my thing.

[RugerCal480]

padodge,
She was the spy for all those Bucks you won't see in PA when the season opens!! :lol:

[Jayhawker]

Growing up on a farm, it wasn't uncommon to see deer up close and personal while doing chores around the place. They tolerate you because they don't normally see you as a threat. Act like a farmer and they will treat you like one. However, once the season opens and the shooting starts, they will disappear like ghosts in the mist. You won't be able to get close to them until next June.