Nice Buck, really close with pics

[True Sportsman]

You guys might like this. I was cruising timber last week and I was working in an area with lots of bear damage and bear sign. I heard some rustling in the bushes and I assumed it was a bear. This buck came sneaking through the timber. The neat thing was, I stayed still and he kept coming closer and closer. He got very close to me before spotting me due to the brush. He popped out at 27ft, and looked me over, but stood still.

The deer seemed almost tame. He let me move around, get my cell phone out and take some pics. I took about 20 pics of him, while he ate, scratched himself, and looked at me. The closest he came was 24 feet. All these pics were from my crappy cell phone and were about 25ft-35ft away. This whole scenario took almost 10 minutes. I still needed to measure some trees close by, some I slowly moved around him and got my equipment out. He walked a couple feet away and started eating Salmonberry.

He always watched me out of the corner of his eye. This buck was about 12"-13" wide and about 12" tall. A pretty heavy 2pt. It was one of the neatest things I have experienced in the woods, being that close to a good buck for over 10 minutes. I kinda wanted to try and pet him...

Oh, and this was out in the middle of nowhere, a long ways behind locked gates.

[wsucowboy]

good pictures 

[Button Nubbs]

he knows what time of year it is lol!

[Arrowhead]

He was just rubbing it in your face!   HAHAHAHAHA it aint hunting season yet!!

[Smith_22]

Awesome, sounds like a very cool experience.  Not a bad looking buck either.

[MLBowhunting]

very cool he is a nice buck

[pat riotic]

sweet

[Glockster]

That is awesome.  There is a well known local wildlife photographer (can't remember his name..I think Chuck Bartlett) who takes pics of WA deer and elk and has had his works published in lots of magazines.  Anyway i read an article he wrote in the WA state bowhunters association magazine about how he gets so close to animals (and not just National Park tamies).  His experiences sound just like yours.  There is a way to get close to them that once they allow him inside their comfort zone he's like a litttle buddy to them.

He even had one BT buck he photographed over several seasons in the high country of the East Olympics (not the park) that would bed down within 10ft and doze off.  That buck was on the front of our hunting reg books a few seasons back.

I had this happen on a deer hunt in the Chiwawa unit a few seasons back.  A doe and yearling fed within 15ft of me on a deer trail in dense cover.  I never made eye contact and they were so close they had to have smelled me.  Yet they fed and even nuzzled eachother for a good 10min and they acted like I wasn't even there.  ONe of the most amazing experiences I have had in the woods.

I believe animals really do know when (and when not) we mean them harm.

[singleshot12]

that's pretty neat.. betcha he never seen or smelled a human before and was trying to figure you out.

[True Sportsman]

That is awesome.  There is a well known local wildlife photographer (can't remember his name..I think Chuck Bartlett) who takes pics of WA deer and elk and has had his works published in lots of magazines.  Anyway i read an article he wrote in the WA state bowhunters association magazine about how he gets so close to animals (and not just National Park tamies).  His experiences sound just like yours.  There is a way to get close to them that once they allow him inside their comfort zone he's like a litttle buddy to them.

He even had one BT buck he photographed over several seasons in the high country of the East Olympics (not the park) that would bed down within 10ft and doze off.  That buck was on the front of our hunting reg books a few seasons back.

I had this happen on a deer hunt in the Chiwawa unit a few seasons back.  A doe and yearling fed within 15ft of me on a deer trail in dense cover.  I never made eye contact and they were so close they had to have smelled me.  Yet they fed and even nuzzled eachother for a good 10min and they acted like I wasn't even there.  ONe of the most amazing experiences I have had in the woods.

I believe animals really do know when (and when not) we mean them harm.

That is really interesting. I may just be lucky. It seems like when I am working, I get close to lots of animals and I get to see some neat stuff. I need to bring a better camera with me...

I never thought of it like that, that animals know when they are in danger around someone or not. I think you are onto something.

[Glockster]

I'm going to try dressing like a birdwatcher and carrying a concealed weapon.  LOL

I think animals are very in tune with reading body language of other creatures whether it be a fellow deer or a human.  When fishing on the Sound I tell my guests not to stand up and yell 'fish on' when they hook up because the seals  and sealions are keyed in to that .....they've learned to expect an easy meal when humans display that body language.

Here is the photographer I was talking about http://chuckandgracebartlett.com 

[True Sportsman]

I'm going to try dressing like a birdwatcher and carrying a concealed weapon.  LOL

I think animals are very in tune with reading body language of other creatures whether it be a fellow deer or a human.  When fishing on the Sound I tell my guests not to stand up and yell 'fish on' when they hook up because the seals  and sealions are keyed in to that .....they've learned to expect an easy meal when humans display that body language.

Here is the photographer I was talking about http://chuckandgracebartlett.com

Thats really cool. I checked that guys website and hes got some great pics. I think I recognize the blacktail pic that was on the cover of the regs a couple years ago. Thanks for sharing that.