1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Wired to Hunt Foundations podcast, your guide 2 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: to the fundamentals of better deer hunting, and now your host, 3 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: Tony Peterson. Hey, everyone, welcome to the Wire to Hunt 4 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: Foundations podcast, which is brought to you by First Light. 5 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: Today's episode isn't really actually about Bambi the movie, but 6 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:36,559 Speaker 1: about funds in general and dear survival specifically. We think 7 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:38,879 Speaker 1: about the last six weeks they started popping up on 8 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: trail camera images. You might have seen a few of 9 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: them in your backyard or from the road while you're 10 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: head into the lake to do some fishing. They're adorable, 11 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: but it's also worth understanding them and how they survive 12 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: because the lessons they learn when they are a few 13 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 1: weeks old and covered with spots carry them right through 14 00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: adulthood quite often. Yeah, I know, I know. I said 15 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: I wasn't going to talk about Bamby the movie, but 16 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: I'm gonna have to. It's only fitting to this episode anyway, 17 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: and we might as well get a lesson in propaganda 18 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 1: that can be used against us as hunters, which probably 19 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: wasn't the intention of the original movie, but it sure wasn't. 20 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: Like the fine folks that Disney were interested in representing 21 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: real deer and real deer hunters. Anyway, did you know 22 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: that Bambi was released eighty years ago? Smack dab in 23 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: the middle of the Second Grade War, the House of 24 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 1: the Mouse released a movie based on a novel that 25 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: was actually written about a row deer, considering the author 26 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,559 Speaker 1: was Austrian. Since Bambi was set to be a big 27 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: hit in the United States, they ditched the row dear 28 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 1: look and they decided on a mule deer. No, really 29 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: they did. It was going to be a California mule 30 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: deer apparently, but one of the illustrators, and I can 31 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: only speculate here, but I assume he knew his ship 32 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: when it came to deer convinced the production team that 33 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: a white tailed deer would be more relatable and more recognizable. 34 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: The adorable little anime precursor with his big eyes when 35 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 1: the Hearts of Americans with his story of survival in 36 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: the face of the antagonist, a hunter aptly named Man 37 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: just Man, it's almost like, I don't know, almost like 38 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: that was a representative of how evil people are or something. Anyway, 39 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 1: the old Bambster is raised by his mom until Man 40 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,920 Speaker 1: made good on a shot and took her home for backstraps. 41 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 1: So then Bambi's dad decides to come back into the 42 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: picture and raise him to be the next great Prince 43 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:51,239 Speaker 1: of the forest, along the way to inheriting his crown 44 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,399 Speaker 1: under the tutelage of his father, who has a full rack. 45 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: Even when Bamby is just a newborn, the youngster makes 46 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: friends with a rabbit and a skunk. I can't prove 47 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: this because I wasn't in the writer's room, but I 48 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: don't think Bamby is based on a true story anyway. 49 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 1: It ends with the bad man bringing his vicious hunting 50 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 1: dogs into the woods, where not only does he shoot 51 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 1: Bamby non lethally, probably because he was carrying an a 52 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: r chambered in two twenty three or something, but his 53 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: campfire gets a little out of control and burns the 54 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: forest down too. So essentially humans are bad and destructive 55 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: and animals are pure, adorable and the rightful owners of 56 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 1: the forest, you know, Never mind that we are basically 57 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: just hairless apes and very much a part of nature ourselves. 58 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 1: I could go on and on about how hunters are 59 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 1: portrayed in film or television or hell. I don't know, 60 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: just popular media these days, but I won't because my 61 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 1: blood pressure cannot handle it. In fact, if my wife 62 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: and I are watching a show and a hunting scene 63 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: comes on, I know she's going to roll her eyes 64 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 1: and point out how I'm definitely going to bitch about 65 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: every stupid little thing I see. But to be fair, 66 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: she's a physical therapist who can't stand to see an 67 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: act or use a cane or a walker incorrectly, and 68 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 1: never once has she let that slide without bringing it up. 69 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 1: The lesson there for my young, unmarried listeners who think 70 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: they'll be the prince of the old household instead of 71 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 1: the forest, is that you won't. You'll be on the 72 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,840 Speaker 1: silver metal podium until you start having kids, and then 73 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 1: you'll just keep getting bumped down Cubert style. How's that 74 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,720 Speaker 1: for an obscure video game reference? Now, if you can't 75 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,720 Speaker 1: tell my real and prescription ran out, I'll get back 76 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: on task now. Fawns, they're cool, right, I mean, who 77 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:42,559 Speaker 1: doesn't love seeing them? Who doesn't love glassing a field 78 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: in a summer and seeing a dough with a couple 79 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: of youngsters in tow or who doesn't love having to 80 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: slow down on a gravel road that winds its way 81 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: through the big woods to let mom go, knowing that 82 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: any second junior is going to spring across the road 83 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:58,039 Speaker 1: to meet up with Mama. There need to see. But 84 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: what does that mean? It probably depends on where you 85 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: live and where you hunt. If you're in much of 86 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:08,159 Speaker 1: the White Tails range, seeing a bunch of fawns in 87 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: the summer is probably very routine. You're probably used to it. 88 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:14,840 Speaker 1: But you probably also always expect there to be plenty 89 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: of deer in the landscape. That's a luxury, my friends, 90 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,039 Speaker 1: one you can't really appreciate until you hunt a place 91 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 1: where the population ebbs and flows to the point where 92 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: the hunting might go from okay to downright terrible. If 93 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:30,039 Speaker 1: you hunt the North country, you know what I mean, 94 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: one bad winner and the reset on the deer population 95 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 1: might be like a fifty percent reduction. One wolf pack 96 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 1: moving in, and you might see similar results. Now they 97 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 1: might not all be turned into wolf poop, but they 98 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:47,480 Speaker 1: might be gone, And for the hunter who has lost 99 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 1: the deer, it's damn near the same thing. Now, if 100 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:54,279 Speaker 1: you hunt a region like that, seeing fawns is real nice. 101 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: I saw that recently in northern Wisconsin, and it made 102 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 1: me happy. And this is especially true if you're in 103 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:02,280 Speaker 1: an area where are single fawns are kind of the rule, 104 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,159 Speaker 1: and seeing twins or triplets, it's pretty damn rare and cool. 105 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: If you see that a fair amount of the does 106 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: have at least one fawn, that's kind of time for 107 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: some hope. I know this sounds like I'm being facetious here, 108 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:18,360 Speaker 1: but where I hunt in northern Wisconsin, like I just said, 109 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 1: we pay close attention to the fons. We like that 110 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: next generation. We also at least we hear is my 111 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 1: hunting buddies, and I we don't kill certain does who 112 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: seem to be pretty good at raising fawns. There are 113 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 1: too many predators up there and those bad recent winners 114 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:38,840 Speaker 1: that knock the herd down. They are always coming. It 115 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: might be every couple of years, might be every five, 116 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:44,280 Speaker 1: might be every eight. They're coming. Just like there is 117 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:46,719 Speaker 1: an asteroid out there somewhere with the address for Earth 118 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: written on it, and if Jupiter doesn't soak it up first, 119 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: whatever life is still here could be in real trouble 120 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 1: and that's coming. Side note, and I don't know if 121 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:58,160 Speaker 1: this is true or not, but I read about the 122 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:01,159 Speaker 1: other day there's an archaeological dig in North Dakota where 123 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 1: they found glass that they believe was thrown from the 124 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 1: impact that killed the dinosaurs you know where that hit Mexico. 125 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: Imagine the power behind that one thing hitting the earth 126 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: to toss physical pieces of the earth from Mexico to 127 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: freaking North Dakota. Anyway. Now, bad winter in the North 128 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: Country isn't quite that severe, but it does suck, just 129 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 1: like it sucks to have a c w D slaughter 130 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 1: fest in your county, or maybe a local e h 131 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 1: D outbreak, or hell, a neighbor who just breaks all 132 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 1: the laws and kills every dairy can in season or out. 133 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 1: In all those situations, and probably a ton more that 134 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: I'm not thinking of right now, a new generation of 135 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: deer is most welcome. That generation of fawns is a 136 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 1: new beginning. Sure, it'll take them a few years to 137 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 1: grow into big bucks and big does that make more babies, 138 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 1: But you can't be too impatient with this stuff. It 139 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: takes time. And you know what's cool about fawns, besides 140 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 1: what they represent for the future, how they behave We 141 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 1: see videos of newborn fawns playing with dogs and laying 142 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: in people's yards and gardens and not exactly exhibiting the 143 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: kind of survival skills that you'd want your dear to have. 144 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: But that's a short window. In fact, most of that 145 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 1: dumb behavior probably only the last a few weeks at best, 146 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 1: maybe a couple of months for the really slow learners. 147 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: But what's important is that they're always learning, and what's 148 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: interesting is that they might not have to learn everything. 149 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: Some of their behaviors seem to be almost like generational memories, 150 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: and we don't really know how that works. For human babies, 151 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:43,679 Speaker 1: it's a slow development. We take like a year to 152 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: walk and talk, and then how a lot longer to mature, 153 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 1: sometimes at least forty two years according to one mean 154 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: physical therapist I can think of. Yet when fawns hit 155 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 1: the dirt, they are learning. They're usually standing and nursing 156 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: within the amount of time it would take you to 157 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: watch a Simpsons on and they can walk within a 158 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: few hours, within like three weeks, they can outrun most predators, 159 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: and in the first few weeks of their lives they 160 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: spend their time bedded. This is because you guessed it, 161 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 1: they can't outrun predators. Yet if you can't run, you 162 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:21,559 Speaker 1: better freaking hide. And they hide well and they learn 163 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 1: valuable lessons from it. Now you know, there are predators 164 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 1: out there that are just good at mopping up babies 165 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: that are stashed away. I'm talking about bears. Of course, 166 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 1: there is an animal in the woods that is better 167 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: at reducing deer numbers in June and July than a 168 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:39,840 Speaker 1: black bear. Other creditors make up for it later in 169 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 1: a fawn's life. But if you want to not recruit 170 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 1: too many generations, a deer on your place make it 171 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: awful friendly for the yogis to live there. Even with 172 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: that threat out there, like we see in these northern 173 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 1: states and the big woods, there are still fawns that 174 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 1: make it. They make it simply by hiding where mama 175 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 1: tells them to hide. How do they do it? How 176 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 1: do they know just like where they should lay? Who knows? 177 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: Maybe some of them stand up and get eaten, which 178 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 1: is undoubtedly true. But most of them, and you've probably 179 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 1: seen this yourself, or I hope you have, they just 180 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 1: lay down across their hoofs. The danger will pass them by. 181 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: I've seen this dozens of times in my life, and 182 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:22,680 Speaker 1: it amazes me their resolve. But I guess you know 183 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 1: they don't have much of a choice. They also learn, 184 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 1: when they lay still and they don't get eaten, that 185 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:33,440 Speaker 1: there is real value in just hiding. I think dear, 186 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 1: especially older dear, understand this game so well that we 187 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:41,200 Speaker 1: can barely fathom it. I think they probably know tons 188 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 1: of spots in their home range where they can hide 189 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: while using their conditions to their advantage in ways that 190 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: would just blow our minds if we didn't have the 191 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 1: underdeveloped senses of a potato. Those fonts out there now, 192 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,760 Speaker 1: they're learning that survival skill, and they'll use it against you. 193 00:10:57,679 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 1: They are also learning how to communicate with the herd, 194 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 1: and who will tolerate them getting too close, and who 195 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: will throw a right cross at them when they invade 196 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 1: their personal space. If you're confused by that, listen to 197 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: a last week's episode about how animals are assholes and 198 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:13,319 Speaker 1: as far as communication is concerned. I want to tell 199 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: you a story I've told a few times in various podcasts, 200 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 1: so apologize if you heard this one before. But it's 201 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: one of those moments in the woods that changed my 202 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: way of thinking, and it comes back to me all 203 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 1: the time. I mean, I think about this a lot. 204 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 1: I was sitting in a wood edge in northern Minnesota 205 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: with binoculars in a spotting scope while the early August 206 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 1: sun beat down. I had obviously gotten out a little 207 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 1: bit too early for my nightly glassing session. But there 208 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: was a bachelor group of bucks with one really cool 209 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:41,800 Speaker 1: old seven pointer and a high and tight ten pointer 210 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: that I was super interested in watching but not spooking. 211 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,840 Speaker 1: So I had settled in real early and the first 212 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 1: hours ticked by, and then suddenly, out of the blue, 213 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: there was a deer standing right in front of me. 214 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:56,559 Speaker 1: It was a fawn. It was maybe ten yards away, 215 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 1: and I'll never forget the way the sun hit his 216 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: ear that I could see through the veins in it, 217 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: and it was glowing right through him. It was just 218 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: a neat look, and he was looking into the field, 219 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 1: and that's when I saw his mom standing at the 220 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 1: far end in a point of grass and brush. Then 221 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: from the farthest corner of the field, I caught movement. 222 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:18,559 Speaker 1: A different faun was running towards the dough and I thought, well, 223 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 1: maybe this is just a coincidence, But that's when that 224 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: faun that was close to me took off ran straight 225 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:25,719 Speaker 1: across the field of that dough. As well, and they 226 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 1: had a little greeting, tried to nurse, and they started 227 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 1: to feed in the field together as a little family group. Now, 228 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: the dimensions of that field were roughly two d by 229 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 1: four hundred yards, and the distance between the does and 230 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:40,679 Speaker 1: fawns was pretty far. The fawn closest to me was 231 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: probably two fifty yards away from his mom. Yet he 232 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: knew right when she stood up, and his sibling did too, 233 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: from the far corner of the field. And I thought, 234 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: you know, how the hell did they know how to 235 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 1: get up? Now, we know that dogs learn our schedules 236 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:00,680 Speaker 1: by the level of evaporation in our scent, like throughout 237 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: the day are sent lessons to a certain point and 238 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 1: then boom, we come home from work. Over time, they 239 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 1: recognized that level of evaporation as the time it takes 240 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:12,079 Speaker 1: for us to go to work and then come home. 241 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: But I promise you that dough doesn't pick up her 242 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:17,839 Speaker 1: fawns at the same time every day. She also probably 243 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 1: doesn't stash them away in the same spot. So how 244 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 1: did they know it was time to all simultaneously stand up? 245 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 1: You might be thinking, maybe the dough stood up and 246 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 1: the fawn saw her. I thought of that too, but 247 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: that faon was buried enough on the edge of that 248 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:37,199 Speaker 1: field that I never saw it for hours. From ten 249 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: yards away. It would have had to stand up to 250 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:43,079 Speaker 1: see her. And when he stood up, she was already up. 251 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: So was the other font I mentioned several times. And 252 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 1: I don't think dear have a sixth sense, and I 253 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:51,600 Speaker 1: believe that. I don't think they do, and there's no 254 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:54,560 Speaker 1: evidence to prove it exists, but there is something going 255 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:58,319 Speaker 1: on with them communication wise that you and I are 256 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 1: just probably not privy to. And what's wild about it 257 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 1: is that it's happening even when they are in newborns, 258 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 1: even when they are still super vulnerable to any set 259 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 1: of sharp teeth that happens to saunder pass their hiding spot. 260 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: I think that's pretty cool. And I also think it's 261 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,439 Speaker 1: pretty cool what fawns can do and how old or 262 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 1: deer hold tight to those survival skills. I mean, you know, 263 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 1: it's not exactly rocket science that prey animals either run 264 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: and hide, but they do it so well, and that's 265 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 1: pretty cool. And think about that fawn. In my area 266 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 1: in northern Wisconsin, bare numbers are high, coyote numbers are high. 267 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,840 Speaker 1: Bobcat numbers are high, and wolf numbers are sometimes high 268 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 1: depending on how close a pack gets. That's a lot 269 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: of hungry, cunning predators out there that, by most accounts 270 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:50,040 Speaker 1: are probably at least in order of magnitude or more 271 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 1: smarter than the average deer. After all, to hunt something 272 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 1: and catch it, you've got to get lucky or outthink it, 273 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 1: and luck doesn't carry you very far in nature. A 274 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: lot of both happens, though. I think at that loan 275 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:05,040 Speaker 1: fall in the north Woods Wisconsin, because somehow managed to 276 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 1: avoid getting caught and eaten by all of those predators 277 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: when it's likely they have an encounter a day, maybe more. 278 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: And even if I'm overshooting that number, what if it 279 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 1: was a couple encounters of predators close encounters of predators 280 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: I should say every week within the first year, I 281 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: don't know, they'd have dodged death. What a hundred times 282 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 1: how many hungry grizzly bears would you have to have 283 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 1: within say, twenty yards of you before you were featured 284 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: on the local news station in Bozeman. As a statistic 285 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 1: I doubt it would be a hundred. I think personally 286 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: I wouldn't make it into double digits before metetor was 287 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:47,240 Speaker 1: replacing me with another white tail writer. Yet those little fawns, 288 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 1: those little soft dyed bambies, they're out there doing it 289 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 1: every day. Then they get to the fall and they 290 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: encounter the deadliest predator of them all dogs Just kidding, 291 00:15:57,240 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 1: it's people, the dreaded Man and capital m Bamby man 292 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: with his out of control campfire, snarling dogs and propensity 293 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: for spraying and praying with those guns. They make it 294 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 1: through that too. A lot of them do, anyway, and 295 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 1: when they do, they're still young and by a lot 296 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 1: of accounts dumb. But we've talked about this before. Intelligence 297 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 1: isn't really like ubiquitous across animals the way we like 298 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 1: it to be. Well, hell, it's not really ubiquitous across humans, 299 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: but that's a different story. Survival is, though, at least 300 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: for most of us. Fortunately in dear, including little fawns, 301 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 1: it certainly is. And while they are cool to see 302 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 1: and encounter and know that they're out there growing into 303 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: bigger dear, it's important to remember the lessons they can 304 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 1: teach us. Running works, but so it does hiding, and 305 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: the more we understand how dear hide and where they 306 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: likely to do it, the better we are at hunting them. 307 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 1: That's going to be the topic for next week. Actually, 308 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 1: I want to get into bedding and what summer scouting 309 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: can do for you on that front. That's it for 310 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 1: this week, my friends. Thank you so much for the support. 311 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:06,400 Speaker 1: I'm Tony Peterson. This has been the Wire to Hunt 312 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 1: Foundations podcast, which is brought to you by First Light. 313 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 1: If you want more whitetailed content, feel free to check 314 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 1: out the meat eator dot com slash wired to see 315 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: our latest articles, or visit the wire to Hunt YouTube 316 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 1: channel to watch our latest how to videos.