Thread: Get 'em while they are sleeping ?

It's "sleep" but not as we know it. Apparently when bedded deer sleep in 5-10 minute intervals, typically head up, eyes open. As prey species all senses are barely less acute during this time than when awake, and as when awake, unusual movement, sound or smell, will immediately bring them back onto full alert. Little more chance then of approaching them when sleeping as when awake.

Any on here who regularly observe deer sleeping - I guess behind wire - who can add or correct the above ?

I'm not sure of how long a deer will sleep without stirring but I have stalked onto a few which have been asleep in the bush. They have all been with necks down tucked against the body and not fully alert. A noise or wind does get them up and going very fast though.

Originally Posted by K95

I'm not sure of how long a deer will sleep without stirring but I have stalked onto a few which have been asleep in the bush. They have all been with necks down tucked against the body and not fully alert. A noise or wind does get them up and going very fast though.

+1

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Same for me, came across what I thought was the dead body of a freshly killed deer (40 m from me). Grabbed my binos to make sure, and surely enough a long neck deployed itself and then the head of a hind appeared at the end of the neck.
by the time I shouldered my rifle she had trotted 10 m away, she stoped , looked at me before I shot her.

Originally Posted by Puffin

It's "sleep" but not as we know it. Apparently when bedded deer sleep in 5-10 minute intervals, typically head up, eyes open. As prey species all senses are barely less acute during this time than when awake, and as when awake, unusual movement, sound or smell, will immediately bring them back onto full alert. Little more chance then of approaching them when sleeping as when awake.

Any on here who regularly observe deer sleeping - I guess behind wire - who can add or correct the above ?

So I remembered this post yesterday while having lunch on the hill listening to a client tell me how awesome his 270 was.
I watching maybe 20 deer in a gully all spread out for around an hour.
I found 6 in deep sleep, that didn't stir the whole time, one was head down in crown fern in the sun, an old hind under a tree with her head uphill in a sitting position, 2 younger hinds sleeping together with there heads back on there front shoulders, and two spikers that where arse on to me just stretched out in the sun.
None of them stirred or moved the whole time I had eyes on them.
I'm pretty sure if you wanted you could ninja in and jump on one reasonably easy.
Sorry I didn't have my camera.



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Originally Posted by BRADS

I'm pretty sure if you wanted you could ninja in and jump on one reasonably easy.

@BRADS How much do you charge clients to watch you do that?

Originally Posted by 300_BLK

@BRADS How much do you charge clients to watch you do that?

Clearly not enough
I think we are one of the cheapest around for public or private land.


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I caught a pig the other day while it was asleep. Walking along in the bush, spooked it up, froze - it disappeared into the shrubbery for a minute, came back, spent a couple of minutes sniffing some crown fern, then went back to sleep. Then spent about 10 minutes very slowly closing the 5 metres between us, and grabbed it. Gave it a heck of a fright. It wasn't wildly alert while asleep.

I've seen wild deer sleeping multiple times - watched them for extended periods of time and they have't moved a muscle. Have nearly stood on deer asleep in tussock several times too.

I initially spotted these stags 500-ish metres away, snuck down a scree (not that quietly) and got within 30 metres of them. There were actually 5 stags together, but I couldn't get them all in one frame. Sat there for a good hour watching them - they were all sleeping until I threw a rock at them to wake them up.

I have a mate who walked up on a hind asleep in the tussock.
She caught his attention because she was snoring (no joke)

For me, it is the other way around, I fall asleep while having a rest in the bush and the deer don t come close because apparently I have been told that I snore very loudly !! :-)

I too have caught a pig asleep, numerous times actually!!


She normally tells me to piss off.

Shot a Urewera pig when it was asleep many moons ago. Thats my profile pic. Also nearly stepped on a white fallow buck that was asleep tucked up under ferns near Te Puke. We both got a hell of a fright and he lived another day.