I've seen several posts on bumping deer on the way in to your stand pre-dawn and whether or not it spooks them away. I can't answer that but I know I hate to do it. This morning's trip into my hunting area got me to thinking about something that I've seen on several occassions. I walked right by 3 different deer on the way in. I was as close as 50 feet. In the past I've approached as close as 15 feet before the deer turned and ran even when they were downwind of my approach. I've even had them approach me as I was walking. I don't think this is the old "deer in a spotlight" thing because I use a small, very weak light compared to some of the brighter lights I've seen so I'm not temporarily blinding them. I simply think the deer don't consider humans a threat in the dark. Granted I've had some leave blowing every step of the way and continued blowing from the next ridge over. Still I believe they aren't pressured and shot at (aside from night poachers) in the dark so they don't associate man with the same danger as in daylight. I know that I've never been able to approach the first deer that was aware of my presence the entire time anywhere near as close as I sometimes do in the dark.

Any thoughts on that theory?
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BONE HEAD HUNTER