Long before picking up a crossbow I learned that deer moved more naturally and were much more relaxed before the orange invasion began. Not all that long ago I still-hunted to within about 20 yards of three bucks feeding on acorns and after I finally stopped one of them fed to within about five yards of me. None of them ever picked me off and they finally drifted off. I was squirrel hunting, but any of those bucks would’ve been an easy shot for my x-bow, or even my recurve, back when I was in practice anyway. That relaxed attitude is a huge advantage for bowhunting, maybe as much as the rut, and here the pressure from bowhunting (and squirrel hunting) is light enough that it remains for the most part until the opening of the rifle season, which is after the peak of the rut. Dog walkers and other “civilian” foot traffic probably are more disruptive then than hunters actually.
