The short answer is no.
Turkey-doggers and their dogs don’t usually interfere with bowhunters or ruin their deer hunting. Turkey dogging is a late morning mid-day activity, and the vast majority of bowhunters have already left the field by the time we start; although deer hunters should stay on their stands if they see or hear turkey doggers in the area. Deer have a tendency to bed down during full daylight hours, and as long as the deer don’t move, a stand hunter has little chance of seeing them. When mobile hunters such as turkey doggers, other small game or upland hunters enter an area, the deer will get up and move around. Deer are territorial; they do not leave their home range unless there is a lot of disturbance. If the deer leave, it is a short time before they will return, just like rabbits who circle the beagles and return to where they started. I see more trophy bucks within easy bow range when Vic is with me than I do sitting on my butt during “prime time.” Turkey dogs and other hunting dogs are trained not to chase deer. The dog may occasionally bluff a deer to get it away from the bird hunting area, but they rarely chase the deer for long distances.
Some bowhunters get upset about anyone else doing anything else in the woods perhaps it’s they start to feel ownership of a spot after placing their stand. Or more likely it’s because–
The scent control salespeople and inexperienced outdoor writers have convinced many deer hunters that leaving any scent in the woods will destroy the quality of the hunting area and all the deer will “blowout”. So they think if anyone walks around without a has-mat suit on the area is contaminated making it impossible for them to kill a deer let alone a trophy.
Oh well, what can I say about these guys? Except you need to get off your stand and out more. Come on think about it- If deer boogied out of all the areas with human, canine or a scent they don’t recognize, there would be no area holding any deer. Some scent is everywhere.
Turkey hunters are arguably the most considerate, sharing and easy to get along with hunters of them all. That goes double for turkey doggers. If you are sitting on your stand, a turkey dogger comes by, wave, so they know you’re there, and they’ll move out. Then stay alert, it’s likely a deer, possibly a trophy will be by soon.
Good hunting.
WrC says
Opening day of pheasant season is always one of the best days to be in the woods, for bowhunting. The hunters with their dogs will keep the deer moving all afternoon. The deer won’t leave the area, they just circle around and come back in a bit later. A lot of the scent control gimics are mostly a sales pitch. You can’t sucker someone into buying something if you can’t make them believe in what your selling.