Whitetail deer are naturally intuitive and crafty creatures. For this reason, understanding their behavior can be tricky. However, the intricacies of their language make hunting them both challenging and exciting for any hunter. That’s because only experienced and skilled hunters can understand the meaning behind each sound they make. A seasoned hunter can figure out a way to mix up with a deer herd without making them curious.
In this article, we will try to decode small variations in the noises they make, so that you can understand the deeper meaning of what they are trying to convey. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
1. Grunts
One of the most common types of grunt sounds is a quick and low "urp" vocalization. This is also known as “social grunt” or “contact grunt”. This sound is produced by bucks as well as does to make other animals aware of their presence in the area. In simpler terms, it’s just like saying,” Hi, I'm here." While bucks usually make a guttural and deeper grunt, does’ grunts are typically a nasal and higher sound. It usually takes some time for every hunter in a stand or a blind hearing these grunts, observing the deer’s behavior to get an idea of the situation and determine what these sounds actually mean.
2. Doe Bleats
Just like buck grunts, Doe bleats have many variations depending on the situation. The most common one is estrus doe bleat. A doe in the heat makes this sound when it is unable to find a buck nearby. The intensity of the doe bleat can depend on the duration for which the doe has not been able to find a suitor. You can buy can-style calls that imitate this sound. However, apart from the mating call, does use this around all year round for many purposes such as for communication with the fawns. Furthermore, fawn bleating can also be used to signify distress.
3. Buck Grunt
Most of us associate a buck grunt with a saliva-inducing, echoing sound that is produced by bucks during the rut. However, there are different variations of the popular buck grunt.
Bucks make short grunts to intimidate their rivals and mark their territory. In some cases, they use this sound to show their dominance while chasing a doe. This sound is also called "trailing grunt”. It is filled with an exciting "urp-urp-urp-rup" sound and is usually accompanied by the noise of cracking branches and crunching leaves.
Another form of buck grunt is tending rut. It is a mix of guttural "urrrrrrrp" sounds and short grunt sounds. This sound is also used to establish ownership and dominance over doe or other bucks. Any hunter can imitate these sounds by using a grunt call. When used effectively, these sounds can help you attract your target buck almost effortlessly.
A little-known sound made by bucks to attract a nearby estrous doe is called "buck bawl". This sound is known by various other names such as "growl," "breeding bellow," "rage grunt,” and "buck roar.” This guttural sound is significantly lower and a new hunter may not even tell if a deer is making this noise. Rutting and lonely bucks typically use this sound to signify their frustration.
4.Snort-Wheeze
This is essentially an intimidation call. One of the most uncommon noises a deer makes, it usually sounds as if the deer is clearing up its sinuses. Mature ruts make this sound in rut and pre-rut phases. They use this sound to signify their dominance over the doe and to intimate their rivals.
As the name suggests, snort-wheeze is a loud, short sniff sound along with a long wheeze noise afterward. Sometimes, even experienced hunters get surprised and startled by this noise. The reason is that snort-wheeze is quite different from common sounds like bleats and grunts.
5. Blowing
If you're a new hunter, blowing is probably the first deer sound you're going to hear. A doe senses danger on several stages. After each stage, they escalate the sound a bit higher to make other deer in their area aware of the danger.
This blowing vocalization is mostly produced by big and mature does. That's because these does are old and experienced enough to know the warning signs of danger in the area. In most cases, if a doe detects any human, firstly it will give them a stare down and afterward it will start foot stamping.
As soon as the doe knows for sure that something is not right, it starts blowing loudly. Once you hear the blowing sound during your hunt, the hunt is pretty much over for you. This is the sound you don't want to imitate anytime during your hunt.
Inconclusion:
By understanding the noises that deer make in the woods, you can learn a lot about deer calling and what they want to say. Moreover, you'll also learn about what makes the deer behave in a certain manner during some situations. This knowledge and understanding of deer sounds can elevate your hunting abilities to the next level.
To learn more, get in touch with our Texas Landsource experts today. And if you’re looking for some great hunting land for sale in Texas checkout our listings by Texas’s top realtors at Texaslandsource.com.
