Mule deer vs. sheep and cattle

cavemn5050

Active Member
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109
Went up scouting yesterday into a place that I've been looking at on maps and only saw one small two-point. All I can contribute it to is the fact that I saw lots of sheep and cattle in the area.

I've been looking for info on the internet but can't find much. What are your experiences when looking for deer and you find sheep and cattle in the area. Do you typically see deer or beat feet and head to a new area?
 
I've seen bucks live around cattle but I've noticed if there's sheep in the area there isn't any deer activity. There's an area I've been to that looks like great buck country but there's sheep so no deer are there.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jul-12-15 AT 08:25PM (MST)[p]Bucks that aren't used to the encroachment aren't going to put up with it if they have other options for cover/browse/water. Deer that deal with it 24/7 likely won't care as much, but will try to keep some sort of buffer zone.

The general rule where we hunt is if you see livestock, you might as well look for deer somewhere else. As soon as the cowboys drive them down things change drastically where the cattle had started pooling up.
 
My observation is similar. Cattle have no influence. Sheep tend to push out most deer. No doubt too much noise and odor. That being said, a couple of ranchers and some sheep herders have indicates that while most of the deer move out, they occasionally bust out a big buck that apparently stayed in the area.
 
What everyone has said is true with my findings. Sheep and deer don't mix and deer leave. But with cattle they don't. I've just found the deer like a buffer from them. On 2 springs I had trail cams on, the deer never came in with cattle at water or around the water. Once the cows left the deer poured in. Same with hunting it. The deer were all around the springs and drainages around it, but once the cows would come in whether to feed or drink the deer would move out a little bit.
 
I've never noticed cattle having an impact on deer but always see an impact with sheep. The sheep dogs will kill fawns for food a lot of the time as they are really not fed much.

Predators also tend to follow sheep herds in the areas Ive watched.
 
From what I have experienced and read...the flys/bugs, along with the people and dogs that accompany sheep will quickly drive out deer and elk. Cattle, not as much...but there are also not people and dogs constantly associated with cattle like they are with sheep. I generally assume it is time to re-locate when sheep are present.

-WB
 
I agree with most of the comments above.

Just the sheer noise and smell of sheep in an area has to bother the game let alone the fact that sheep mow down everything in their path.

It's a RARE occurrence to see sheep and cattle on the mountain but my observation is that cattle have little impact on deer and elk. Cattle will impact the habitat but the wild animals tolerate their presence.

Zeke
 

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