We still don’t understand a majority of deer vocalizations.
QUESTION: While deer hunting over the weekend, a doe and fawn approached my stand. The doe continually bleated and low grunted the entire time she was in sight. I was wondering if this was a sign that she was coming into estrus. First time seeing this.
ANSWER: In over 40 years of deer hunting, I’ve witnessed this once. It was peak rut in Missouri and a yearling doe approached my stand with her tail held out level to the ground, bleating almost every step. I figured a randy buck would arrive on scene at any moment, but I saw no other deer.
Research has documented a number of different whitetail vocalizations, although the bleat imitated by bleat can calls is not listed among them. While bucks often grunt when pursuing a hot doe, research also doesn’t identify any specific doe calls associated with being in estrus.
Scent is a far more important means of communication among whitetails, particularly during the rut. All that being said, I can’t say what you witnessed was a sign the doe was in heat, but I can’t say it wasn’t, either.
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