Can someone illustrate how a Raven or a bear knows that the guy walking through the woods is a hunter and not just a hiker. They just aren't that discerning. They can no doubt find a gutpile, but to say they follow hunters specifically because they are hunting is ridiculous...
That’s a fair enough request, especially if you haven't experienced it and are skeptical. Don't know if this will convince anyone but me but here is an example:
Still hunting for elk in second growth and reprod, I came on fresh tracks and started to follow the single animal. Thick stuff. A raven flew over me, flew on ahead, made a tight circle over a spot, squawked and flew back to me. When it got to me it flew down closer and circled and squawked at me, looking at me intently, then flew back to the spot ahead, circled and squawked at whatever was below. I had followed the elk maybe 150 yards when the bird showed up, and I had heard the elk quietly moving 60-75 yards ahead of me.
I ignored the raven and tracked the elk precisely to where the bird had circled ahead of me. The raven kept it up, letting me know where the elk was and which direction it went if it changed direction. Tracks I followed confirmed where and what the raven was circling. I had hoped to catch the elk moving in a spot where I could see ahead but no such opportunities came up and soon it moved out faster and I gave up.
Have had the same thing happen with a raven and moose. It has never worked out for me to shoot anything pointed out by a raven but it was not due to the raven. The one that kept circling the elk acted increasingly annoyed at me, a subjective assessment of bird communication I admit. We may interpret these actions however we want. What happened is fact. Why the animal did what it did is conjecture.
As to how a raven may know the difference between hunters and hikers: hunters carry a weapon, go into terrain off trails that hikers virtually never travel, actively follow animals, may still smell like the last dead critter that got some blood on their boots, etc.
