BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 8, 2025
As most hunters are aware, Nature has blessed the whitetail deer with a danger detection system that is remarkably keen and effective. Experts differ on which of the big three, smell, hearing or vision, play the most prominent role in helping our November quarry steer clear of predators, humans among them. Dr. Leonard Lee Rue II, who is an American icon when it comes to deer photography and deer behavior, argues, quite convincingly, that a deer’s hearing, not smell, should be at the top of the list.