Blowing/snorting question

[oletimer]

It is just me or has anyone else noticed that deer do not seem to snort/blow like they used to. It seems for the past several years all the deer that have busted me just run off or wander off without any snorting. Years ago it seemed if they suspected anything they would start stomping and snorting and run off to the next county snorting every leap.
Maybe it's just our Virginia deer that have decided to shut up but thought I'd see if anyone else had noticed this.

[Woods Walker]

I think part of this may have to do with increased hunting pressure and human interaction. But I also think that they tend to blow/snort more if you catch them completey off guard and they have no idea what you are or where you are. They just know that something's there that's not right.

As we all know, deer rely on their smell, hearing, and to a lesser extent eyesight. If they hear a sound, but they can't smell or see it, they may very well snort/blow to ID it. Same if they see something but can't smell or hear it. But if they smell you...you will most likely never see or hear them at all.

I have also learned firsthand that deer who live in close proximity to humans will tolerate ALL of these detections to their senses as long as YOU ARE WHERE YOU ARE "SUPPOSED" TO BE, in the deer's context.

I can walk from my house to my barn twice a day everyday to feed the horses and have deer on my front lawn 30 yards away that will watch me but not flee. If I walk around the barn and come from the OTHER direction they high tail it out of there blowing, snorting and farting like satan himself was after them!

[oletimer]

WW,
 
I agree with all you have written. But it surely seems our local deer have given up vocalization as far as alert/warning.
 
I hunt in a rural wooded area with very little pressure. More than once I have had a doe group or smaller buck come through upwind of me but once down wind they smelled me up. Most never have picked me out in the tree but just walk around noses in the air trying to figure out where I am. In the past when this happened they would blow and snort but lately they just seem to scoot away. In fact the other day a doe and her yearling came by and I was doing my normal photographing of her. She picked out my movement and looked straight up at me. After her momentary freeze she bolted off without any vocalization.
 
Just my observation lately. In fact I can not remember hearing a deer snort away in several years. Apparently from what you're observing is that there has not been any change in your area.

[Woods Walker]

Yes, our deer still snort/blow. Most of the time it's when you are going in to your stand in the dark, and sometimes I hear them blow far away when I'm in the woods hunting. When they do this it's coming from an area that gets a lot of hunting pressure.

[oletimer]

I was sure their habits had not changed in most areas. Just wondered if anyone else had experienced this. Looks like I'm alone on this.
 
I have bumped them out on the way to the stands in the dark and still no alarm snorts or blowing ?
 
All I can think is that this seems to have happened over the past several years. The young deer learn from their mothers so snort/blowing may be a learned response not inherited.
 
Our deer are definately not stupid. In fact I have have had several 2 1/2 year old bucks come through that were very aware of something being wrong. Much more so that the younger bucks. Which is to be expected. They just slipped away but it seems bucks have always done less blowing the older they get. But past experience has been that the more mature does will still snort/blow.
 
Anyway it has been a great season and I'm always watching and trying to learn. Just love to be in the woods as the sun is coming up and the turkeys are talking to each other. And those darn squirels are running everywhere. 
 
 

[CoG]

I will agree with you.  I still hear blowing, but much less than I used to remember and I do hunt in VA.  I've seen many deer flee this year with no blowing, does and little bucks.  The blowing I've caught this year has been a nearby deer blowing constantly, but not fleeing.  The "I know something is wrong, but I don't know what, so I'll blow constantly".  The blowing while bounding off I have noticed a lot less.  So I'm with you.

[oletimer]

CoG
 
That's good to hear. I did not think I was senile yet. At least I know I can hear.
 
Enjoyed the coversations. I read the post here a lot but rarely post.
 
 
 

[CoG]

Today's deer experience.  I'd climbed over halfway up my stand and a nice buck busts up from the bottom not 40 yards from me.  He for sure watched me climb all the way up before he got nervous enough to bolt.  I catch a deer bedded in this bottom about once a year so it's rare they're there, especially a nice buck.  He bolted straight to the nearest batch of cover and stopped as soon as he got in it.  Never blew one time.  Just waited, bolted to cover, wandered off.  Best buck I've seen in a couple weeks.

On the way out had a deer hear me and it started blowing and blew as it bounded off.  Possibly an issue with see danger/hear danger and buck/doe.  I've had rough luck getting in and out the woods the past week.

[Cut N Run]

Wish I could say the same. Twice I had deer snort loudly at me during the hunting season. Both times were in the dark and that may have something to do with it. A deer that snorts in the daylight identifies it's location and may know it is putting itself at risk.

The first time was in October and I was hunting a saddle in a ridge that deer passed through regularly. It was the first day I tried using an estrous buck lure, which may have been too early in the season for such. Before it got light, one deer came in down wind and had a fit. It probably blew 15 times as it put distance between us, making sure that every deer within earshot knew something wasn't right in that area. It may have reacted as loudly and as long because it was still dark.

The other occasion was when I was walking to a stand, also well before light. I like to get in my morning stand at least an hour before it gets light to give the woods time to cool down if I happen to disturb something on the way in. Right as I got to a creek crossing, several deer (the resident doe herd) burst away from the other side of the creek and ran downwind snorting as they went. I heard a heavier sounding deer trotting across the ridge following the others and figured that was probably the buck. I hunted 7 hours and didn't see the first deer that day because I had pushed them out of the area they were comfortable hanging around in.

Jim

[DoeEyed]

I have noticed the same thing where I hunt. They only seem to snort or blow if I come across them at night or they can hear me or wind me but don't see me. It does'nt happen often. I have gotten much better at avoiding their eyes, ears and nose.