Things deer blow at

BryanOney · Post by **BryanOney** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 10:05 pm

Was hunting Saturday morning when I heard a deer about 200 yds upwind of me start blowing. It must have blew 20 times in 2 minutes then stopped. I was not aware of any other hunter in the woods that morning. Wondering what the deer might have been blowing at. I have never seen a deer blow at anything except a human. Has anyone ever seen a deer blow at something other than a human.

tcthomas · Post by **tcthomas** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 10:18 pm

This last Friday evening, I shot a buck with my Exocet with just a few minutes of shooting light left (which btw confirmed to me again the worth of the Varizone over the peep sights. With the Varizone there was no question there was enough light to shoot, with the peeps it would have been very marginal). I was sitting on the edge of a field, and after being shot, the buck ran down into the woods where I heard it pile up at what proved to be 60-70yds. After about 15 minutes of waiting quietly still in my ladder stand, I heard a deer blow 6-7 times further away past the spot were I had heard my buck pile up. The wind was such that I knew this deer could not have winded me. I assumed that maybe this deer could have been blowing at the downed buck? If not, I don't know what else.

Tim

BigUgly · Post by **BigUgly** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 10:21 pm

I've heard deer blow at Bluejays before. I think the deer find them as annoying as I do when I'm on stand.

CYCLONE · Post by **CYCLONE** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 10:27 pm

I beleive deer are like humans, dogs, cattle ect. Some are calm and collected, others are scared of their own shadows and get try to get all stired up.

Digger · Post by **Digger** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 10:48 pm

I've see them blowing at chipmonks that run across their paths.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:35 am

From my experience a deer will blow when it encounters someting it can't identify as friend or foe. If it's not sure whether to ignore the disturbance or run, it will blow and foot stomp to try to get a reaction from whatever startled it, be it sight, scent, or hearing that triggered the awareness. I've had them blow when I know they couldn't see, hear, or smell me, then hear a squirrel in the same area.
I'd say about any critter that moves through the woods can get a response from a deer at the right time & place.

JR · Post by JR » Mon Nov 14, 2005 1:59 pm

I've seen deer blow at foxes, pocupines, squirrels, and other deer. Cyclones' comment pretty much sums it up. I believe each one has it's own "personality". I've noticed that some deer will avoid swamps while others only come out of them to feed. Most does walk only on paths or trails while others prefer to walk through heavy swail. Either way, when hunting take all scent precautions you can, as deer will undoubtedly smell you before they see or hear you. Wind doesn't always follow the direction it's blowing in. As it enters the bush, it tends to follow channels and can swirl or even change directions depending upon the obstructions that are it it's way. It's never safe to assume that because the wind is coming from the west, that a deer south of you doesn't smell you. Just my 2 cents. -JR

chris4570 · Post by **chris4570** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 6:14 pm

wabi wrote:From my experience a deer will blow when it encounters someting it can't identify as friend or foe. If it's not sure whether to ignore the disturbance or run, it will blow and foot stomp to try to get a reaction from whatever startled it, be it sight, scent, or hearing that triggered the awareness.

My experiences concur. If you have a grunt call you can often have the deer relax after snorting at you(if you haven't been winded!) and perhaps come into to you. It's worked for me!

hockeyfodder · Post by **hockeyfodder** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 5:51 pm

I recently had a doe with fawn in tow stand and blow at my pop up blind for 10 minutes. She didn't run away, just stood there and blew and stomped her front foot.
I agree they seem to blow at anything that doesn't sit well with them.

Hoss · Post by **Hoss** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 11:27 pm

ME is what they blow at way to often walkin to my stand..I hate it.....and yes all things mentioned above....

Bstout you gave some good info on those bucks...Thats a good way to tell what you spooked up. They just soon sneek away and hope you dont know they where there. If your real close they will just let you walk by. The old cottontail trick but ifn he thinks your on to him often all youll here is thashin of the thicket and then the pounding of his hooves on the ground..I saw a buck sneekin away from me the otherday..Im sure he saw me first and was makin his way away from me quitely and swiftly but the ole binocs saw his hind end makin its way through the plum thickets.but he never blew. Thats ok for now cause now i know when he frequents that bed...it wont be long and I will catch up to him..mabey.....