Forest Squirrel Loc: Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England

Hi, If I see a wild deer, come out of the woods on the edge of a clearing and we look at each other, what frightens her ,my shape or my exposed skin? should I stand still, or squat ?
This might seem a silly part of the question but how long is a deer's memory ?, what I mean is, will the animal avoid returning for say five hours or so, or will it forget I was there and re appear after say half an hour?

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Your motion is the first thing that will frighten her off. Stand perfectly still. If she goes on grazing, raise your camera VERY slowly and take a shot if you can. Motion will scare her much faster than noise. Just don't sneeze! :)

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

icram2

I'd say motion, definitely. Scent/sound may precede or follow your detection. Don't squat. You're now a predator/mtn. lion trying to hide before an attack by a burst of speed. As a hunter, I've had a deer stare at me, after detection, for a loooooooong time. Looking away for just a bit, then returning to stare. If I can remain still longer than their curiosity, they seem (seem?) to forget me. They seem to "remember" for only the length of time it takes them to put you out of their "something's not right" state of mind. But if you ask me how long does that "memory" affect their learning, I'd say their storehouse of experience is naturally constantly expanding. Maybe to your benefit. They are naturally curious. Deer along roads seem to become oblivious to cars. Deer around people making noise, in urban settings, seem to lose their sense of danger. If deer really only "see" black and white, then my pattern is something not in nature. Camoflage definitely helps break up your outline, but straight lines (tri-pods?, rifle barrels?,) and especially anything reflective will put them in a scared, "maybe I should get out of here" attitude. How long will it take them to re-appear? Depends--In a real wilderness, it's a balance for them to weigh the desireablity to remain in their home turf vs. "high tailing" into the most remote canyon to be rid of that nasty, awful, and by experience, "dangerous", human scent. When they "blow" "sneeze" they're clearing their nasal passages to better catch a whiff of you and this apparently also works to warn their buddies.
Try a big sinus clearing blow of your own--blow forcefully out of both your nostrils at the same time. (No handkerchiefs--watch out for snot on your shirt!) It's about the only sound you can make in this situation that says--"OK, buddy, I'm into this situation with you." They will be looking for another deer near where you are. Now it's two of you who sense something amiss, and maybe we should both bug-out!! It's fun to see their reaction.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Au contraire! The exposed skin calms deer. When I go out to photograph deer, I go naked - just me and the camera.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

Only you! 8-)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Only me? Are you kidding? That's one of the more popular activities up here in the mountains. Dozens of people go out naked every night trying to get pictures of deer. Since they're nocturnal animals, you don't have much luck in the daytime.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

That's DEAR, not DEER Jerry.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

To each his own. :D

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

Be careful not to get to close to deer, especially a doe with a fawn. Deer hooves can kill you (and do so several times a year in North America).

DPFotos Loc: Pembroke, Ma

make sure the exposure assist light is off....I made that mistake and lost some good shots

Forest Squirrel Loc: Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England

Many thanks for the many suggestions and the laughs,perhaps jerry can post some photo's of his nigh time companions.
Went off early this morning to put some of what I had learnt into practice but as you might guess I saw nothing.
I guess that's (wild) Life.
Will try again tomorrow and in the meantime will continue to read the UHH

crimesc324 Loc: West Palm Beach, Florida

are you sure you're not shooting BARE?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I think you mean "bear." No, the naked skin attracts them. We found that out the hard way last spring. Poor Sue. :cry:

Boone Loc: Groundhog Town USA

Fact: A farmer that go's to his barn each morning at 5am to do his chores, and there are deer feeding near the barn, the deer just look up and then continue feeding. "IF YOU SHOW UP", from a different approach to the same barn at 5am, the deer flee! If you see deer in your back yard, and the deer feed there regularly, and YOU show up regularly, they KNOW you are no threat. Developing a "Regular Approach, and acting Normal" is the key!! (Not like JerryC41, deer are Leary of naked humans) Ask any farmer! (About the deer, "NOT JERRYC41") Thank, Boone 8-)