Would bird hunting/bird dogs cause deer to be primarily nocturnal?
Filed under: Hunting Tactics
I’m an avid upland bird hunter and bow hunter. My question for you is:
Does running a bird dog on Grouse affect the deer population, such as causing them to go Nocturnal?
Sean Headwell
Sean,
Deer are very conditionable or responsive to negative threats. I believe the primary motivation they respond to is fear. Deer in city parks often learn that joggers, etc., are not threatening and ignore them. However, deer often are very threatened by dogs. I have seen deer on quail shooting preserves where dogs and hunters are common and don’t harm deer. However, it probably took years/generations for deer to become conditioned to accept these dogs and hunters as non-threatening. I suspect that the same pattern will be true for where you hunt. Deer will probably associate the dogs with danger, especially during the first year or two.
Enjoy creation,
grant
October 12, 2015
