Whitetail 'barking'

Posted: 10/29/2020 12:08:35 PM EDT

Interesting to me. I've hunted elk and mule deer mostly and really haven't spent much time where there are lots of whitetail. Yesterday I was out looking for a cow elk and was on a ridge loaded with whitetail, several times I noticed ears and stopped to check them out. After just stopping and holding for a bit the doe would start stomping her front feet and then 'bark' at me. I've not seen that before - I've heard them take off and give an alarm a couple times, but never had one stand there, stomp their feet and bark.

Posted: 10/29/2020 12:27:29 PM EDT

[#1]

Let me tell you, that can be a pretty scary noise, when it's dark.

Posted: 10/29/2020 12:37:46 PM EDT

[#2]

It was kind of cool. All I could do to not start laughing. One time I probably stopped for about 10 minutes. She'd stomp, bark, work a bit closer to me and repeat. She was prob 40 yards away with a youngster in tow.

Posted: 10/29/2020 12:45:25 PM EDT

[#3]

I don't think I've heard a bark out them, more of a blow/snort accompanied by the hoof stomp.

I have a cat that's a Himalayan/Persian mix (think big fluffy cat) there was a large white tail doe that was in the feeder eating and this crazy cat was stalking/sneaking up on the doe. The doe was blowing and stomping at the cat but the cat kept creeping closer. I was sure the cat was about to get stomped to death, she was about 10 feet from the doe, but the determination of the big fluffy fur ball finally freaked the doe out enough that she blew/stomped one more time and took off. I wish I had captured video of it

White tails can be very animated, much more than mule deer IMO. At my place in Michigan I would get 20-40 white tail that would hang out in my yard all winter because we kept the coyotes away, it was fun to watch their antics.

Posted: 10/29/2020 12:55:33 PM EDT

[#4]

I've had a doe stomp and snort at me especially when I had the dogs with me (who didn't even notice them). Never heard one bark. It made me laugh because I used to have sheep that did the same thing. Always seems to be a bluff because both the deer and the sheep would run off. But I think I could take on a doe if it came after me. I've wrestled plenty of livestock.

Posted: 10/29/2020 12:55:41 PM EDT

[#5]

Doe is a customer of Rosetta Stone.

Posted: 10/29/2020 1:03:51 PM EDT

[#6]

I've had them bark and stomp at me but it usually after it gets dark and I'm walking back to my truck.

Posted: 10/29/2020 1:13:10 PM EDT

[#7]

Never heard a deer "bark". Yall got some strange deer! Deer around here will blow/snort/wheeze. But barking. That is just silly.

Posted: 10/29/2020 1:18:47 PM EDT

[#8]

it was kind of a measured sharp almost trilling sound - but she just stood there and 'barked' like a dog would. I have a midrange frequency loss - who knows what it really sounded like :/ ?

Posted: 10/29/2020 1:32:55 PM EDT

[#9]

We call it blowing, snorting.

Posted: 10/29/2020 1:45:07 PM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
We call it blowing, snorting.

View Quote

A deer blowing/snorting is different than what the OP is describing.
The "bark", to me at least, sounds like an incomplete crow call, but very shrill.

Posted: 10/29/2020 1:58:40 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:

A deer blowing/snorting is different than what the OP is describing.
The "bark", to me at least, sounds like an incomplete crow call, but very shrill.

View Quote

Blowing or snorting sounds like a 'no voice' thing. This was a definite shrill bleat or call sound.

Posted: 10/29/2020 2:05:41 PM EDT

[#12]

Never heard one bark. Heard does make a kind of bleating sound, like a sheep. Sort of a baaaaaah sound, but not exactly like a sheep. I was sitting in some brush on the end of a long bald point (not trees) watching down the point, across a big creek bottom and the fields on the other side of the creek.

Posted: 10/29/2020 2:08:38 PM EDT

[#13]

I have heard them back......saw a doe standing full erect on her back and legs barking at my son who was walking down a farm lane about 400 yards away.

Posted: 11/2/2020 10:49:16 PM EDT

[#14]

Had a doe in a group of 3 do that to me last year. I thought that there was a cat or something on the other side of them.

Definitely not a snort, wheeze or stomp.

The horrible sound of a Barking Deer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQB0vO4aE6w

Posted: 11/4/2020 12:25:17 AM EDT

[#15]

We call it blowing but yes it’s not an uncommon occurrence when they see or smell you.

Posted: 11/5/2020 9:37:03 AM EDT

[#16]

Seems to happen to me every time I go hunting.

Posted: 12/2/2020 5:15:59 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:

A deer blowing/snorting is different than what the OP is describing.
The "bark", to me at least, sounds like an incomplete crow call, but very shrill.

View Quote

Yep like a normal doe call just very sharp and fast. Heard it before, and saw it a couple of weeks ago when I was watching 2 does fight below my tree. Really neat to see, I have heard bucks fighting and have them on cameral sparing. I have never seen does fight before, they were going at it!

ETA: Pretty much like the video above. Not a blow, or snort wheeze either.

Posted: 12/3/2020 10:36:53 AM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
I've had a doe stomp and snort at me especially when I had the dogs with me (who didn't even notice them). Never heard one bark. It made me laugh because I used to have sheep that did the same thing. Always seems to be a bluff because both the deer and the sheep would run off. But I think I could take on a doe if it came after me. I've wrestled plenty of livestock.

View Quote

I've always taken it as an alert to other deer, rather than as a threat. There are glands in the center of their hooves, and that stomping spreads a scent that other deer will smell, besides all the noise they make.

Posted: 12/4/2020 2:21:57 PM EDT

[#19]

If you frequent the stand or area you need to shoot the bitch. She is saying I found something, it stinks and is not normally there. We all should check for this upon entering the area.

now every time she comes in the area she will have you pinned down

Posted: 12/5/2020 12:24:49 PM EDT

[#20]

Having grown up around whitetail, I've heard thousands of snorts. But after going out west and hearing a mule deer bark, it's quite different. The bark sounds very much like a dog. A snort is entirely different. Never heard a whitetail bark, but I wouldn't be surprised if they can.

Posted: 12/13/2020 5:29:10 PM EDT

[#21]

I think whitetail does do that as a warning to other whitetails. I have occasionally heard mule deer does make the same sound. I've never had a whitetail or mule deer buck do it.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Whitetail 'barking'

Outdoors » Deer Hunting

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