How close has a deer got to you

Just thinking about it. This year I hunted a new place in a big pasture round 150 yards wide by 500+ long, that once I started I always saw deer at, some coming very close. It was the middle of deer season in a big pasture so I just sat a lawn chair up under some cover, had does come within 10 feet of me but couldn't figure me out. Pretty cool having them that close. What's the closest they've come to you

Grayson Co. VA a few years back, had a buck chasing a doe. The doe stepped over my leg when I was sitting on the ground. The buck stopped and went a wide semi circle around me and continued on.

Smyth Co Va, on my lease, had a doe sniff my boots.

Pretty cool stuff right there.well here's my hunting story' I had planted some iron clay peas and Powe plant around shooting house.when I went back t [ plan/plant the greenfeild.there were a coutlet of Strips of kudzu growing up the steps of the shooting house.well I heard a deer coming from behind the shooting house sure enough a 6 point come up to the shooting house and nibble on the kudrug.
It was bow season so in oder to get a shoot I had to open the door.I could still see the deer. But instead of taking 2 steps past the door it went behind the shooting house and back in the woods. It was within 2 seeps the whole time.you good hear it eating the grass I thought it was cool.

Paging Bill "By God" Dillard.....

I was bow hunting years ago and was hunting around the intersection of a couple old logging roads. The area was kind of open at the intersection and there was a tree with a lot of grown up stuff around it. There was also an old milk crate someone had left there, so I sat on the crate leaning against the tree. I saw a young deer come out behind me and start walking down the logging road towards me. It walked up to the tree and starting eating leaves off a vine growing up the tree. Its head was about a foot from my head. It ate for a little bit, then saw me blink or something and it realized I was there. It took a few hops and walked away.

About 6 yards away while duck hunting and both times while wearing sour neoprene waders, parka that hasn't been washed in 10 yrs, and whispering/talking with my brother... go figure.

Seems they smell me at 40 yds, while up in a tree, wearing cover scent, and trying to play the wind right if I'm actually trying to hunt the jokers

I had a little fork horn buck stick his head in my ground blind one time at Cahawba. My mother still has me beat though, in Bogue Chitto, she had a 5pt kick her in the leg when he ran over her while she was sitting on the ground.

I shot an 8 point at 4 steps while sitting against a tree. I was hunting the down wind side of a thicket when another set up on the up wind side of that thicket. My guess is that that buck smelled him and bolted lucky for me.

I touched a doe in Sumpter Co with my shotgun bbl in late 60s, she came completely unglued and fell several times before gaining traction and leaving the state.

I grabbed the antler of a two year old buck a dozen years ago. He was hopped up with testosterone and unsure what I was as he came closer. At six feet he hooked his antlers in a vine and got tangled and in trying to get loose he stepped towards me. Younger and dumber I held onto a sapling and reached out and grabbed his antler. i held on for ten minutes, welll actually fou..two nanoseconds, but it felt longer. I wouldn't do it again but it was exciting as all hail at the time.

paging Bill......

Back several years ago I climbed onto a huge forked limb of a pine and it was less than 6' off the ground
Had been there just a few minutes when a spike came walking through and went right under me not once but made three trips around the tree.
I had thoughts of playing rodeo but smarter thinking got the best of me.
The spike never knew I was there and finally browsed out of sight

I've had them walk about two yards from me a couple of times once while sitting on the ground (guess wind was just right) I was young. Walked up on one about a foot but he was hidden in cattails on the edge of little stream. We were looking for one a friend had shot the day before on Parris island and we didn't have guns the next day (Sunday). Little six point held tight and never moved but he was twitching and shivering like crazy needless to say I left rather quickly. Funny thing was I was looking for fish at that moment and not paying attention to my feet and just happened to look down and see him laying there!

had a buck almost stick nose in ground blind this year.

Been sitting on the ground before against a huge tree on the edge of a field and had a doe walk up against the tree and then feed in front of me for several minutes. Close enough to reach out and touch. Pretty cool.

This past bow season I was in a tree and Momma came along with two fawns. I was 10 feet up a tree and they walked directly below me, within 2 to 3 feet of the tree.

I'm still ZERO with the bow kills so this was pretty hard to pass up but I just couldn't kill Momma with the fawns still having light spots on them so she got a pass. This danged group came by me two more times in the next few weeks, in the same place, same climber, same tree. I am a patient man ...

years ago I was sitting on the ground up against a tree watching a trail that ran right beside a fence. A doe was coming toward me on the trail, it got so close to me before it saw me, that when she did, she turned so fast that she fell down and slid right into my leg. That's as close as you can get. Freaked us both out

I had a spike brush up against the ladder of a ladder stand while I was in it once.

also had them walk within 2-3 feet of shooting house while I was in it a couple of times.

Perchjerker said he had one chit on his head once.

.....and he liked it.

I had a doe stick her face inside a shooting house where I was sitting. Maybe 2 feet away. She didn't spook and went back to feeding. I've had several come directly under me while bowhunting, a couple times I was only up around 15 feet.
Conversely, I almost stepped on a buck dozing in a patch of thigh- high gallberries years ago. We scared the shucks out of each other.

Actually had a small one trip on my leg, I was sitting on the ground.

I smacked a fawn on the hind quarter during bow season years ago. I was set up in a draw where they had been coming out of to feed in the pasture.

I seen bob White wrestle a young buck once. Damn near got both hind legs in his muck boots before it broke loose. Somehow bobs pants fell down during the struggle I guess. It was weird

Bet it was a spike.

Years ago in Coosa County. I was sitting on a stump on a dog hunt and I had a doe walk by so close I poked her with my shotgun barrel. No, I didn't pull the trigger.

This year I decided I'd sit at an interection of a trail crossing in what is essentially a cutover/extremely thinned area of timber. Only place to see down the trails I thought were active was right at the intersection. Apparently I guessed too good because a group of 5 came within maybe 3 yards or me. Luckily upwind. They couldn't figure me out and just stared for a minute or so. Then they just walked off quickly looking behind them every few feet. Neat experience

Sitting on the ground this year, I had a spike come by me about 4 feet away. I thought he was 3 feet away until I tried to touch him.

This all just reminds me how differently deer react. Some will blow at you from 200 yards away, others can't or will ignore your smell while 5 feet away.

around 20 years ago I touched one. It was a young deer, I was watching a big valley, and had some tinks 69 close to me. The deer came from behind me heading down to the valley. When it smelt the tinks it turned and came right to me. When I reached out and touched it, it jumped 3 or 4 feet hunkered down, and looked back at me like it knew it was about to die. Had two running right at me both kicked dirt and leaves on me. one died the other was my first hunt when I was nine. I missed. Also had a robine light on my gun.

He should stick to goats bwahahaha

Years ago I was walking in for a afternoon hunt. Walking down a ridge I saw a spike heading my way. I squatted down in the bushes next to a tree so I didn't spook him. He decided to walk str8 to me and at about 5 feet I stood up. All hell broke loose as he took off. Didn't see crap that afternoon. Should have killed him I guess.

15 feet while I was sitting on the ground leaned on a tree

I've had a yearling walk up to me one morning while squirrel hunting. I put my hand out and it touched its nose to my fingertips.

I shot a 12 point one step from the base of my tree with my bow.

Not very exciting, but that's all I got.

This is as close as I remember

That's pretty close

I wasn't hunting but I remember this. Back in my LEO days, I was dispatched to a deer/ car wreck. Of course momma was in bad shape. Had to dispatch her. About 20 minutes later her fawn showed up looking for her. I took an apple out of my lunch bucket and cut it up for it. After about 30 minutes of it eating small pieces I thought it would be neat to try and put it in the back of my car and take it home. Bad idea. I got my arms around it and started lifting and it went crazy. Kicked my chest so hard that it nearly took my breath and yes I was wearing my vest.

Had a doe this year come within ten feet. Sitting on the ground in an old green field.

2 closest for me. 1st is about 10 yards 2nd one is bout 10-12ft

The first one killed with a bow I had to watch her feed through the floor of the lock on and shot her dead center spine when she took one more step. I could have dropped a brick and killed her I believe

A few feet.

I was sitting on a log squirrel hunting a couple weeks before deer season opened up and I had this spike walk right in front of me. The video makes it look farther away, but I would guess it was less than 10 yards away.

Had one nuzzle my cheek once. I got a picture somewhere.

Several times I've had them so close I figured I could poke em with the gun barrel.
Sitting in a box blind on the ground last year with my grandson and had a little button buck put his face right up to the window and look my grandson in the face for several seconds. When he finally walked off my grandson said "it was like he was looking into my soul". We both laughed like hell about it the rest of the afternoon. Now we call that box the soul stealer stand.

Touched one

me and a couple buddies were stalk hunting a few years ago. We were walking through some briars which were thick. One of my buds stepped on a small doe. Took him a while to settle down.

I once had to hop off my climbing treestand over a buck I had shot at the base of my tree. He followed me in due to doe-in-heat on my boots. Shot straight down on him between the shoulder blades. Had a couple stick their head up to the shooting house through the years. Had a doe running straight at me when I was sitting on the ground about 5 years ago. She was being chased by a small buck and I got skittish the closer she got to me. When she was about ten feet away I put I moved and she slammed on the brakes and turned a 180.

I had a little button head rub his head on my ladder this past season. I was 15ft up. I saw him almost every time I hunted that stand.

close enough to stomp my azz..and make me say thank you!!!!

I've had a few do that. I've been on the ground and had them 6-8 feet a few times too.

Ive had plenty this past season come right under my stand, but of course they were all does, not during doe days, and I had a gun. If I have my bow, they don't come close. Weird...

I had a button buck come up to ladder stand this past season and lick the ladder rungs I just climbed, made for a funny video but I don't know how to post it.

I've touched two does with my shotgun barrel while turkey hunting. Why they responded to a turkey call in the spring I don't know.

The day after I bought by .44 (Super Redhawk) I killed a doe. I was in a box stand on the ground. The windows were covered with some 3-4 year old screen and it was mostly shredded. I nodded off and woke up to the sound of the doe eating right outside the stand. I looked at her and she couldn't figure out what I was and she stuck her head about 6" from the window. I shot her right in the head. I thought I had ruptured my eardrums. A .44 shot inside a shooting house is LOUD.

When I got my thoughts about me I looked up and thought I had missed and she had run off. About 20 minutes later I stumbled out of the stand to see her laying half up against the side of the stand. The shot was right between her eyes. The back of her skull was gone and it blew her eyeballs out of their sockets.

That was nasty, and I will never do it again.

I've touched several, but it was really frowned upon by the employees at noccalula falls.

Within a few feet on the ground

not in bama, but I was on a research capture in TX an we had 2 biologists takin data an me, another feller, an 2 grad students. helicopert was supposed to be catchin nothing but does an they accidently brought in a small spike so we had to untangle him from the net an turn him loose. well things didn't go exactly as planned spike got loose kicked the other feller in the mouth, the fruity little grad students jus turned loose an left me an the deer half tangled up in the net, he cominced to tryin to stomp me to death an I was tryin to untangle him at the same time. deer probly didn't weigh 75lbs but that son of a gun came undid an whooped my arse. I got him loose finally but I was bruised all over an bleedin where his little spikes poked me. that was too dang close for me

Twenty-five years ago my wife's cousin stopped by the house about 11 pm and is all tore up about a deer that is standing on the side of the road. She said that as they rounded a curve someone was shooting at it with a pistol but when their lights hit them they jumped in their car and took off. She said the deer was still there and that she wanted me to go "help" it. I went up there and sure enough there is a small six point that has been run over. It has skint places all over it and its bottom jaw is broke and hanging down and flopping. Didn't see any bullet holes. He was addled so I could walk right up to him and grab him.

It was obvious that he was going to die from starvation and I am not one to turn down deer meet, so I decided that I would cut his throat and take him in and dress him. This was the day after Thanksgiving and several deer had been killed at the club and my knife was used to clean three or four so it was dull as could be.
So when I started to cut its throat I couldn't hardly break the skin. I had it in a headlock sawing away but barely got a trickle. The deer kept taking steps so I couldn't bear down on the knife. I found a short piece of rope in the truck so I tied one end to the deer's rack and the other end to a root to keep him from moving. I kept sawing away on his neck for a few more minutes but didnt get any more blood.

I forgot to mention that this is on the side of a major highway. Which is why I didnt want to shoot it.

I finally gave up trying to cut its throat and decided that I would just stick it in the heart. I gave it a backhand to the heart with the knife. Up to this point the deer has not been alert. Well this woke him up. He jumped as high as he could but he is still tied to the tree root. I'm ducking and rolling and he is kicking and flopping like a bream on a hot dock.

He finally stops kicking and I jump in the truck to run down the road to the house to get a sharp knife. I get back and there is no deer. I shine the light around and see him standing in a creek just below the road. He still has the rope tied to his antlers. I walk down there thinking "alright I've got a sharp knife now". I get down there and I'm about grab the rope and he jumps up a six foot bank and takes off. I went back the next morning and looked for an hour but never found him.

That is the closest I have got to a live wild deer.

One of the red neck-iest things I've heard in a while

I was sitting in a lawn chair one time behind a felled tree and the rootball was just to my left. I had a mama doe take a dump just on the other side of the rootball. I could hear her breathing.

I was walking thru the woods one day and say a 4 point walking perpendicular to me. It stopped at a scrape and was working it. I was kneeled down. It was probably 15 feet from me.

Sitting in a ground level shooting house/blind about 8 years ago on the edge of a food plot. I hear something walking behind me so I scoot back in the blind to hide my silhouette and ready my gun. My heart is pounding as the footsteps get closer. Finally I see a nose so close I could reach out and touch it. The next thing I know I am eyeball to eyeball with a full grown nanny doe. I say eyeball to eyeball but we were probably about 2 feet apart. She sniffed a couple of times and I remember them being the loudest breaths I have ever heard. She yanked her head out of the blind, looked like she was going to bolt and then slowly walked out into the patch and started feeding. Right behind her was a fawn. I watched them feed for an hour before they finally winded me and took off. I have no idea why or how she didn't smell me as we were nose to nose.

Had one eat corn out of my hand.


Now this was February many years ago while baiting for hogs. Had a button head and doe twin that someone had shot their momma early season. They always hung out in that area. Would even walk between the legs of the tripod while I was hunting in it.

Had another encounter when I heard a buck chasing a doe up a thick draw to me. I was sitting on the ground. Heard him grunting the whole way in. The doe stopped 5 steps from me. The buck kept coming and all I could think about is when I move she's gonna absolutely freak. Once he hit the opening, I threw up for the shot, she fell down trying to get away but luckily ol bucky decided to stop long enough drop him. Absolutely the best hunt I've ever had.

This was at Berry College over in Georgia.








This was several years back. This buck wouldn't leave either. Fun watching him. He finally eased on off.






Had this fat doe underneath me a couple years back during the rut. She kept looking back and I figured a buck would follow. He never showed up, and she eased off - I let her go, thinking if I shot her that would run a buck off. Didn't see any other deer. Go figure.


There's been plenty of others where I've had 'em right under me. Most all of those times I had other deer around and I couldn't move to get the phone out and get pics. Its always fun to have them close by and watch how they act. Very curious, and very suspicious animals, for sure.

I've had them sniff me when I was sitting in honeysuckle (not 30 minutes after smoking a cigarette) and step over me several times. All on the ground on public land.

Had some that would eat apples within a few feet in the yard (including one huge old boy) but they don't count.

Most recently, one jumped over my legs and I shot the one behind it on Oakmulgee with Bait57 last year.

I've had a bucks & does walk within a couple of feet of me several times. Not sure who was more nervous, me or them. I had a nice 10 pointer catch me totally off guard one morning. He was all of a sudden in front of me and I couldn't move for fear of spooking him. He walked within a few feet of me headed towards my downwind side and still didn't spook after he passed me. I couldn't get a shot off due to other deer traveling with him. One was the largest doe I'd ever seen at that time. She didn't quite get to me before she knew something was"t right. She stomped & blew and steered clear of me. The buck on the other hand looked back at me then turned and kept walking. When they got about 50 yards aways, they both started blowing at me and hauled ass. Go figure.

I forgot about this one from a few years back at my sons football practice.

I have had one stick her head in my ground blind.

2 years ago, I was bow hunting from the ground. had a felled cedar at my back, still full of green. I could see the brown blob of deer coming, but nothing else. I drew, he walked past me at 4-5 feet. He was a spike, so I let him go.

I shot a 10 point last year in January - as I was filling out my harvest info I heard another deer walking my way. Had a young 8 point coming dead at me and the downed deer with all the hair on his back standing straight up. . I finally had all I could take at about 5 steps and “scared” him off. All he did was change direction and kept walking like a zombie deer.

I've had a couple get close enough to stomp my azz.

I shot a doe last year at 150 yards, I was on a hill the does were across the way on another hill, when I shot her they all ran down into the bottom where she crashed out, the other 3 kept on coming, they ran up the hill towards me they got with in 5 feet of me I was already standing up so I waved my arms and they stopped for a few seconds looking at me then they took a right and hauled butt out of there... I thought I was going to get run over..

Sitting on the ground, hada spike make a rub and scrape within 10 yards.

I have petted a deer before in my backyard. Must have been a rescue. A true wild deer, about 10'. Smelled the last rung of my ladder stand.

Close enough that I could have shoved the end of my barrel into his nostril.

Had a button head smell the bottom of my boots when I was sitting on the ground

Had a doe feed so close to a tower blind in Texas that I could hear her chewing. Later that day in another field, this buck fed within 5 yards of my blind, low fence, free range.

Had several within a few yards of ground blinds, and killed a doe with a bow 20+ years ago because she walked under my tree during bow season and stood there staring up at me. She was less than 10 feet from the tree when I shot

[img]https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...2c69a85ca086703c13a058e2&oe=5AE36E8A[/img]

edit: I had already posted this

I was turkey hunted two years ago and heard something walking behind me. I thought it was a turkey so I didnt move. I was sitting on its trail. When it go to me, it jumped right over my right shoulder and kept going. It was a small doe.

Had one today break bay and come running full speed right at me,threw the gun on my shoulder.he was about 15 yards from running me over.the movement I made putting the rifle to my shoulder made him Dodge to the side.saw his eyeball in the scope so I shot,hit him in the neck he did a complete summer salt and a nose dive,whew close one.

Had a doe in West Virginia in 2004 come within 10 feet of me sitting against a tree. She looked at me for a minute or so, didn't stomp or snort or head bob, and continued on.

Had another in Illinois about five years ago - again, I was at the base of the tree because the ladder stand wasn't safe - and I could smell it behind me, then heard a snap, and then she stepped around the tree within 10 feet. Same reaction, continued walking.

Numerous under stands when I could hear them chewing, making soft noises, etc. I've spit on a couple like that.