Deer are not the most intelligent animals in the wild but they are still smarter than many domesticated animals. Deer are not as smart as dogs but they’re smarter than cows.
Some evidence for deer intelligence include the fact that they can adapt to food shortages and avoid dangerous situations.
Deer have found new ways to survive in our cities by foraging through trash to find something to eat and are smart enough to find secret places to give birth where predators won’t be nearby.
Are Deer Smarter than Humans?
Deer are not smarter than humans. Humans have metacognitive and critical thinking capabilities that deer do not seem to possess.
However, deer are still smart in their own ways. Deer have been known to look for ways overcome obstacles. For instance, deer can manage their way through obstacles to get to their destination or escape predators.
Most deer who live near motorways have also learned to use green bridges to cross over to the other side and avoid traffic.
Deer also have very acute senses. Their sense of smell is considered nearly as good as a dog’s. This strong sense of smell really helps deer in many ways like finding food and detecting approaching predators. It is hard to sneak up on deer because of this.
They also have cupped ears that pick up the faintest of movements from around. Their eyes are also placed on the side of their head giving them a very wide field of view.
Humans however are far smarter than deer. Humans have evolved over years to have the capacity to organize societies, create art, and experience deep emotions.
This has enabled humans to live on virtually every single place on the earth. Humans found new ways to survive in the extreme cold conditions like the arctic where it is considered almost inhabitable. They have also found ways to cope with the extreme heat of deserts in Africa and thrive.
Humans have also found ways to explore beyond earth. No other species on earth have been able to explore space and the rest of the universe. Through feats of engineering humans have found ways to send themselves to space and explore.
Are Deer Smarter than Domestic Animals?
Deer are considered smarter than some domestic animals like cows, sheep, goats and chicken. They are however not smarter than pets like dogs and cats.
One reason they are smarter domestic animals bred for food is that deer need to keep their wits about them to protect themselves from predators.
Animals like sheep and cows haven’t had to worry about predators for hundreds of years. This has made them lazy and unintelligent in comparison to deer.
Deer also have advanced senses compared to most farm animals. Deer are able to smell danger approaching from meters away even against wind. All they need is a whiff of scent to identify a predator in hiding an escape.
Their ears are also cup shaped and can move sideways to pick up the faintest of movements. Their eyes are also fairly well developed compared to other farm animals.
Deer are not as smart as dogs or cats. Dogs and cats can learn new things and solve problems in ways that deer cannot.
Dogs and cats have been known to learn new and better ways to overcome various obstacles and at a very fast rate. Dogs have also been used to hunt deer meaning that they can outsmart and catch the animals.
This makes deer less intelligent compared to dogs and cats.
Can Deer Outsmart Hunters and Predators?
Deer can sometimes outsmart hunters and predators and escape them. However, the possibility of this happening is low considering humans are smarter than deer.
The most important rule about hunting is to not be detected by the animal you are hunting. Deer are however able to easily detect danger and flee.
They are well developed sense of smell can pick up the faintest of scent alerting the deer to danger.
Their ears are also extremely sensitive. A careless hunter or predator can easily spook the deer by accidentally crushing a dry leaf making the animal aware of their presence and escape.
Their eyes are also placed on the side of their heads giving them a wide field of view. They are able to spot the faintest of movements and act accordingly.
Deer have also been known to change burrows if there are any signs of disturbance or any sign of a predator being there. They have similarly been known to abandon their favorite resting spots at the slightest sense of predator interference.
Studies have also shown that deer have found new ways to avoid predators. They have been seen moving to higher and steeper areas where it is hard for predators to hunt them down.
They also have other adaptations to escape predators and hunters. Fawn for example do not produce any kind of scent thus cannot be easily detected by predators.
Fawns are also known to stay completely still until their mother comes back from feeding. These adaptations make it easy for deer to evade predators and hunters.
Animals Smarter than Deer
- Dolphins
- Dogs
- Cats
- Wolves
- Whales
- Horses
- Gorillas
- Monkeys
Animals Less Intelligent than Deer
- Cows
- Sheep
- Domesticated Goats
- Chickens
Conclusion
To some extent deer are smart animals, or at least, smarter than many domesticated animals. This fact is often downplayed by many people who consider them to be stupid.
This is however not the case are several studies show that deer are capable of making informed decisions that are able to benefit them and the rest of their herd.
To avoid getting into trouble with deer always be vigilant around them. Take appropriate measures to keep them out of your compound as they might be able to find a way in and destroy some of your property.
The most important thing is to respect wildlife to be able to live in harmony with it.
Stuart is the editor of Fauna Facts. He edits our writers’ work as well as contributing his own content. Stuart is passionate about sustainable farming and animal welfare and has written extensively on cows and geese for the site.