This doe had no idea this hunter was there.
It's hard to sneak up on a deer. Their sharp sense of smell and great hearing are their primary defenses against predators and these animals are always on alert to danger. It's not often that they let their guard down and leave themselves vulnerable.
While it may not seem like it in the trail camera photos that you get, deer do sleep sometimes. It's just that hunters do not often get to see it firsthand.
This video from Oregon shows a hunter's view when he spots a mule deer doe laying in the middle of an open area with her head down. It quickly becomes apparent she's off in dreamland as the hunter sneaks to within feet of the animal without her realizing. Her reaction to the realization that danger is close is quite funny to watch.
What a cool encounter! Comments from the user who uploaded this video, Oregon Unpaved, indicate that he took this video during the firearms deer season. We are a little surprised she wasn't more on edge during arguably the most pressured season of the year. It's possible she's a younger animal that simply does not know better just yet. She can chalk this up as a learning experience in the future.
Hunters do not catch deer napping very often, but there have been other instances of this being documented on the Internet. It seems the deer rely on their natural camo to hide them from predators when they sleep.
Aside from when they're asleep, it's not often that any hunter can get this close This doe was completely zoned out to the world. It appears she must have been pretty groggy when she first awoke. Hey, we can relate, that's us every Monday morning before work!
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
NEXT: THE AXIS DEER AND HOW THEY'RE IMPACTING PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES
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