Question about some deer behavior I heard this morning.

[thomasmgp]

Rut is starting to pick up pretty good here and I put out a ton of corn at a stand that has high doe traffic and also has a camera near by thats been showing a lot of bucks ranging from small 4s to nice 8s or even 9s. I got in the stand about an hour before daylight as usual. I like getting in them early so if I spook anything close by an hour is usually enough time for them to feel safe enough to come back.

I had been in the stand maybe 20 minutes when I heard real loud blowing about 15 feet in front of my at about my 10 o'clock a little ways in the woods. At first I was like crap hes smelled me or saw my 4 wheeler. But then I heard another deer start blowing about 25 feet to my 6 o'clock on a trail that runs behind my stand. The one close to me sounded pretty big. They just kept blowing at each other. I could tell the one behind me was running back and forth on that trail as his blowing was at different places. The one close to me just stood his ground and I could also hear him stomping his front hoof into the ground.

Were these two deer probably bucks getting into a pissing match over whos territory that was? I never saw either deer once the sun came up. Had they started doing this say when it was daylight what should I have done to get them out in the open for a shot? It sounded like the bigger one was obviously looking for a fight because the other deer eventually ran off.

I have never used grunt calls or rattling but would either of those pushed one of them over the limit and got him out into the open looking for a fight? Just wondering so if the same thing happens again, and I cant see them, what I should do to draw them out.

[Bowriter]

First, there is garauntee they were bucks. I would tend to lean more toward mature does, they are bad about doing that.
Second, they may have been blowing at absolutely nothing but each other. Seen it many times.
Third, as to what you should do, if it were me, I would do nothing but sit there quietly. Since you don't why they were blowing, if they even had a reason, you would have no idea what sound to make. So, wherever in doubt, shut up.

In the dark, that is not an unusual thing at all. But I sure hate does that do that and I do everything I can to kill them.

[FindmeOutside]

I've seen this scenario multiple times hunting and scouting, actually heard it so much that I can do it back with my mouth now. Had a back and forth match with a 6 pointer one time for like 20 mins, he blew or snorted, I immitated it, and he kept on and on. I was in a field with a few doe taking pics and he came out in the corner and started that stuff, finally after roughly 20 mins he calmed down and peeked around a corner at me. My advice is to agree with bow, sit there and be quiet as well as listen and observe. Deer especially during the hunting season are on edge using all senses available all the time, in an area such as you described it could have been a number of things that caused it. Anything from the deer spooking another deer, a coyote in the area, a fox, a strange smell that's unfamiliar, or they could just be communicating with each other as they do use the snort/blow to verify if it's another deer or something else, that's why I was able to go back and forth with the small buck for so long....he was trying to figure out what I was and if it was ok. The only time I ever recommend using this technique is when on foot walking to the stand/blind/hunting spot, especially in thick heavy cover. If you are making too much noise walking in the deer will let you know often with this alarm as I learned often when I was younger. After time I decided to give this noise a shot cupping my hand and usually doing it in a direction away from the deer to allow it to travel a bit before they hear it. By doing this I found I was able to calm the deer to a walk rather than a run and even at times back to feeding along. It's better to practice during off season when you get the chance but if that's not possible the best time is when you get busted on your way in. <-----------my two cents at least.

[bobow]

Rut is starting to pick up pretty good here

Where is "here" as in state or area?

[charlie 01]

Without seeing what was doing what, it's anybodies guess. I have heard older mature bucks snort when getting my scent,and they are loud and sounding like they are pissed that some person is in their area. But they do not hang around for long. My guess is that they were does, with the likeness that one of them caught wind of you and started to blow, and another doe was passing on the info. If it were two rival bucks, they would not be blowing at each other, they would be hard at it. A grunt tube is an all around good tool to use. Just make sure that if you see something you want to call in closer to you, wait till it gets somewhat out of sight. If he is in sight chances are good that he can see you, and if you try to call him in, he is going to focus in on where that sound is coming from and that is you.