Let’s say a deer senses a human in the woods. Would a vegetarian somehow – perhaps through scent? – seem less threatening than an omnivore?
Conversely, to wolves or other predators, would vegetarians seem more like prey?
Has this been studied through more than anecdotes?
I don’t think the coyotes who are chowing down on dogs and cats in these parts are too concerned about their diets.
No, no, no, and I doubt it.
But it was a very interesting question. I don’t know; I wouldn’t be surprised if a vegetarian had a bit of an easier time being trusted by herbivores. If there is a component to humans’ smell that makes them instinctively fear us, it seems to me that the smell of a meat-eater is a good candidate.
As for predator species, I don’t think it matters. Remember, they eat not just herbivores, but also things like birds, frogs and fish, which often eat bugs. (i.e., “meat.”)
Completely and totally anecdotal, but I’ve encountered vegans who claim that they can get very close to wild animals before they scurry away (the animal, not the vegan).
I’ve had deer so tame and unconcerned with my presence that I’ve had to spank them to force them to jump back over my garden fence. Same deer would flee the moment my carnivorous SO made an appearance outside the house. But I don’t know of that is because I spend so much time outdoors they are simply accustomed to my presence, or if they lack respect for me because we eat the same things and I have fewer horns.
Considering as vegans are probably also more likely to want to feel like they have an affinity with animals, I wouldn’t put any trust in that. More importantly, it should be noted that trying to sidle up to a wild animal is stupid and a good way to get yourself bit, mauled, or have a hoof implanted in your brain. You’ll almost certainly be lucky and get away with it several times, but at the end of the day it’s just playing the lottery. If your vegan friends are getting closer to wild animals than other people, it’s because they’re idiots, not because they have special powers.
Wild applause from domesticated species.
Anecdotal as all hell because I read it in a novel. But a supposed organic farming method of keeping deer out of your garden is to urinate around the boundary of the garden on a regular basis. The deer will come up, smell the urine, and leave the area because a predator (you) has marked the territory. But it supposedly won’t work if you’re a vegetarian; the deer will only avoid the area if it’s been marked by a meat-eater.
Personally, I have my doubts.
I would be quite surprised to learn that a real scientific study has been done to find out the answer to this. I would be far, far more surprised to find out that the study had actually found a difference.
I know vegans who claim they can’t stand the “rancid butter” smell of meat-eating humans. I call batshit on that one.
Anecdotally, our pet chinchillas are much less friendly if we go to see them right after eating a steak dinner. They don’t seem to care a few hours later, so if they’re reacting to the smell it needs to be fairly recent.
I am not a vegan and I also do a little bit of hunting and I smoke. Deer hunters spend a fortune trying to mask their smells. For some reason myself and a few other people I know seem to be able to get very close to deer with some regularity. I had one follow me around like a dog and pose with me for photos in a heavily hunted patch of woods. I have never actualy killed a deer even though I call myself hunting them, maybe they know I really don’t want to kill them anyway.
that was a behavior exploited by early hunters who were bad at making and using spears and arrows. they would eat corn for a week or two before hunting, their odor was now corny which is a favored food of deer. they were then able to closely approach the deer and beat them to death with a tree branch.
Rancid butter is harsh, but I definitely notice a difference between a vegetarian/vegan and omnivore when close enough to be intimate. The only time I have noticed an objectionally greasy smell is on someone with a poor diet, as in lives on fast food and Doritos. Unpleasant, don’t want to kiss or hug such a person, but certainly isn’t close to spoiled butter. That sounds more like a value judgement, and speaks more of the claimant than the omnivore.
The Smell of a Meat Eater:
http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110620/full/news.2011.375.html
I dunno - maybe not such a crazy idea.
Anecdotally - I can smell a difference in my urine depending on what I eat - it makes sense to me because all those proteins I eat get broken down and some byproducts are likely to be eliminated in the urine.
Favorite quote from article: “A Giraffe had to be trained to urinate in a cup”
This is an actual technique suggested in organic gardening books. The version I heard said male urine only, and didn’t mention anything about diet. I think it claimed that it was testosterone traces that could discourage other animals from the area, especially territorial animals. No idea if it works…
It’d be very hard to test for the effect of veggieness on animal behaviour anyway, as it really does seem to be barely conscious things that make most difference (how you move, where you look), some of which are basically instinct for some people, but are very hard to teach others.
Good point. I don’t eat deer and I’m accustomed to seeing several each day. I pay very little attention to them other than berating them and chasing them out of my garden. My SO the hunter lives on venison and assesses and studies them predator style. He tracks them, follows them into the woods, studies sign and tracks. I’m merely the crazy lady who claims the corn and tomatoes; he’s the creepy stalker.
If urine worked to keep deer out of gardens I think it would be sold in garden shops.
My experience and that of all the other people I know gardening in serious deer country is that deer fencing is the only thing that keeps deer out of gardens.
an even then they will attempt to jump.
the fence needs to be an obvious visual obstruction up six feet, just wires is not enough.
with an electric fence you should bait the fence with something delicious and stinky attractive. getting shocked at that location deters them for a while.