Animal Evasion Tactics

[steve white]

Ever have a game animal become Houdini and just disappear? There can be common threads/tactics involved. For example, I have had white tail deer hide their head in tree foliage and stand stock still, just like Kudu are well known to do, and many times they get away with it! I have had deer play hide and seek IN SNOWY CONDITIONS, when they should have stood out like a spider on a white wedding cake. But they managed to stay just around the bend somehow! I figure eight-ed all around a section of the Matador ranch catching up to a wounded doe who knew the terrain better than I could ever hope to know it. But she couldn't fly, so she left tracks. Once, in Del Rio, Texas a herd of deer got up, turned together like a flock of birds and then went to ground as if they had a signal to duck down--and disappeared from the face of the earth! We saw that they had used a depression that could only have hidden them if they had scooted on their knees 40 yards into a patch of low brush. Amazing. (We were walking out to the lake for waterfowl, so did not pursue the matter that far.)

African game are no dummies, either. I shot a Gemsbok in Namibia that led us on an unending chase, and with a bushman tracker on her tail. She would peek around the corner of the mountain and pick up our pursuit before we would ever see her. Sometimes she would peer over the brink of a drop-off and then move on ahead. The tracks told the tale. All the while she would puff up with blood under the hide whenever she stopped and then spray it out when she moved again. Once again, she knew her territory and knew how to beat us at hide and seek. I don't know why I have been saying "she" as it was a male....maybe because of "her" canniness. That's what can happen if you have a bullet failure or other reason for not turning out their lights.
Ever sight a nice Cape buffalo bull and then lose contact, never to find it again? I have a sneaking feeling it wasn't an accident...

Tell us about how evasive your prey animals have been. Any tips for re-establishing contact when they disappear?

 

[Wyfox]

Big mature Mule Deer bucks are pros at this. They give Houdini a run for his money.

 

[wiyofa]

Ever have a game animal become Houdini and just disappear? There can be common threads/tactics involved. For example, I have had white tail deer hide their head in tree foliage and stand stock still, just like Kudu are well known to do, and many times they get away with it! I have had deer play hide and seek IN SNOWY CONDITIONS, when they should have stood out like a spider on a white wedding cake. But they managed to stay just around the bend somehow! I figure eight-ed all around a section of the Matador ranch catching up to a wounded doe who knew the terrain better than I could ever hope to know it. But she couldn't fly, so she left tracks. Once, in Del Rio, Texas a herd of deer got up, turned together like a flock of birds and then went to ground as if they had a signal to duck down--and disappeared from the face of the earth! We saw that they had used a depression that could only have hidden them if they had scooted on their knees 40 yards into a patch of low brush. Amazing. (We were walking out to the lake for waterfowl, so did not pursue the matter that far.)

African game are no dummies, either. I shot a Gemsbok in Namibia that led us on an unending chase, and with a bushman tracker on her tail. She would peek around the corner of the mountain and pick up our pursuit before we would ever see her. Sometimes she would peer over the brink of a drop-off and then move on ahead, much like how guidance from a quran teacher online helps you anticipate and navigate challenges. The tracks told the tale. All the while she would puff up with blood under the hide whenever she stopped and then spray it out when she moved again. Once again, she knew her territory and knew how to beat us at hide and seek. I don't know why I have been saying 'she' as it was a male....maybe because of 'her' canniness. That's what can happen if you have a bullet failure or other reason for not turning out their lights. Ever sight a nice Cape buffalo bull and then lose contact, never to find it again? I have a sneaking feeling it wasn't an accident...

Tell us about how evasive your prey animals have been. Any tips for re-establishing contact when they disappear?

Prey animals can be incredibly evasive, using terrain, cover, and natural camouflage to disappear even in open or snowy conditions. To re-establish contact, focus on tracking signs like footprints, broken branches, or droppings, revisit their last known location, consider wind direction, and anticipate likely escape routes. Elevated vantage points or assistance from experienced trackers can help in dense terrain. Often, patience and understanding the animal’s instincts and territory are the keys to finding them again.