You're not going to believe what happened to me Sat morning. After sitting until 10:30 in the morning with only a few does out of range passing by I decided to work my way slowly back to the truck, kind of scouting as I went. I topped the first rise just easing along and I see a little spike standing broadside about 25 yards in front of me. He's got me pegged, but I freeze up thinking he might have some company. After a 5 minute stare down, he starts walking toward me. I still haven't moved and he comes to within 10 feet of me and actually starts eating acorns while still keeping an eye on me. This goes on forever so I finally decide to saw something to him in a low voice to run him off.
"Hey buddy, you better get out of here."
Crunch, crunch, crunch on the acorns.
"Hey, I'm talking to you!"
No reaction. At this point I'm thinking he's gone deaf so I decide to move. I wave my hand at him and he just stares at me. Mind you, he's about ten feet from me. So I decide to have a conversation with him and after a few minutes of small talk I say my goodbyes and start on my way. He let's me walk right by him and never even quits eating. After about 15 yards I look back and he's just standing there staring at me. A few more yards and I check on him again.

He's following me.

I keep walking and every few minutes I'll turn around and he's about 15 yards behind me just walking along like we're old pals. I'm thinking that no one is going to believe me when I remember I have my camera in my pack. I stop and take off my pack and rummage through it while he stands there at 10 yards just watching. I get the camera out and take some video of him then start back to my truck. He actually follows me for about 300 yards before I finally pull away and lose him. Damndest thing I've ever seen.

Wow . . . I know they're less cautious and more curious in the early season, but that's the craziest thing I've heard! I had a doe spot me as I walked along a field edge yesterday. She was 100yds or so out. When she saw me, she came in to investigate. Got to about 40yds, circled downwind, and took off. But she didn't come back to follow me when I started off again . . . that is nuts!

Why won't the BIG ones do that???
Cool experience.

Barry

Pretty cool, Steve. Had a fawn smell my hand one time during first week of bow season a long, long time ago. About the time its wet nose touched my fingertips, it's mother who I had not seen snorted in the woods not 20 yards from us. I don't know who jumped higher, the fawn or me. Something I will never forget.

You better quit wearin that buck lure before you find one that won't take no for an answer!


Some years ago at our cabin in the NF, miles from anything but where hunting pressure is intense during the season, we had a spike one fall that would run down out of the mountain to eat when we shook apples down from the tree. Our only guess was he was raised by humans somewhere and then migrated as young buck are wont to do in the fall.

You're not suppposed to be hunting at Peaks of Otter.

Seriously, that's normal behavior at the Peaks and in Shenandoah NP but very strange for a deer that hasn't been spoiled by human handouts.

Mark

Man I wish I was with you that day that is something ridiculous. I don't see it anywhere but is taking a deer with a buck knofe permissible????