Do deer avoid cows?

[Mudshack]

I had the pleasure of walking into the herd under my stand and in my feeder pen an hour before daylight on Thursday. (note to self...bring extra underware for next morning hunt). They ran off, but only about 70 yards away. They then stayed there and the "guards" were constantly looking for what scared them until about 8am. When a few started to sneak back in I hit them with the sling shot, but they still didn't go that far away.

Now they were down wind of me, so I wasn't that concerned. But when I saw a doe started our way with a fawn, she looked right at the herd and changed course to go around.

I also saw two lone does walking in our direction but also circled wide. I know that I sit on a main corridor, because I have watched a doe walk under me, and the trails converge at my tree.

The question is.....do the cows deter the deer. My vote is yes. But I am open to other's opinions. Because the cows were still around me at 8am, I climbed down and took care of some lease chores and did some scouting. Do you throw in the towel when the cows settle in?

[jerp]

I agree. In my experience deer don't freely mingle with cows - at least on the places I've hunted. I used to carry a wrist-rocket and steel ball ammo in my backpack to keep them away from my hunting area

[Cull]

No doubt about it. I think all the noise and commotion cows make destroys a deer's ability to detect danger. Consequently, they avoid them like the plague.

[TX_Hoghunter]

Yep. While they might not really fear them they don't really like to hang out together either..


-john

[BrandonA]

It depends on how many there are. My experience has been that if it a couple it doesn't matter. But if you have a herd the deer will avoid them.

On a side note a few years ago we had a huge buck that hung out around the holding pens at the ranch. His home range was probably less than 50 acres. You could ride horseback to within 30-40 yds and as long as you stayed in the saddle you were fine. When you worked or moved cattle he would jump the fence and wait till you were through. We found his sheds one year and he scored in the mid 170's as a 12.

[MightyMouse]

no doubt.. They are a major pain. Horses too, I have to be real careful & quite heading to my stand, if my horse catches me he follows me out there & stands right by my stand all morning.

[Mudshack]

I guess next time I will walk them at least 100 yards off. A VERY NERVE RACKING thing in the pitch dark. They get pretty loud and mad. Especially with the little ones in the herd.

I just pray they won't be there tonight.

[PJ1]

Cows Suck

Ive Seen Them Hang Out With Each Other But Ive Also Seen Them Hate Each Other. I Think It All Depends On What There Raised On And The Experence They Had With One Another. Trail Cam Pics One Time Showed 3 Does And A 4 Pt Hanging With 4 Cows 4-5 Feet Away From Each Other Eating On Plot

[DWG]

Yep they screwed me out of shot on the deer I have been hunting for. I am finally in the stand when he shows up and just like that he was gone when the cows decided to come through. A heifer decides to stop under the feeder for a while and a couple of the deer circled back around and tried to come back to the feeder to have the heifer down her head and run at them.

[Deerhunter30]

I have had different experiences with cows. Most of the time the deer avoid them. Other times they mingle in with the cows. All that being said.....I HATE having them around when I am hunting.

[Mudshack]

I was 2 for 4 with the sling shot. (darn branches)

[william]

Cows will run deer off I have seen it several times. I have been thinking about getting me a sling shot also.

[Live2Hunt]

I hate cows, unless they are next to the mashed taters.

[KingsX]

Take a pellet pistol and give em hell. They will leave you alone if you do it consistently.
They do and will run deer off sometimes hanging around the feed on purpose to keep the deer out,I say wrist rocket or a few pumps in the pellet pistol should do the trick.

[cosmiccowboy]

I think cows bother does more than bucks...especially big bucks. I have seen a big buck eating out of a feed trough side by side with cattle and have seen bucks walk right through a grazing herd of cattle with no concern at all.

That being said, I still prefer not to have cows around, but I wouldn't go to the extreme of making additional noise with a wrist rocket or pellet gun to get rid of them.