what's that sound?

[mazzgolf]

A good friend from work who knows I hunt always tells me about the deer in his neighborhood. He just told me this:

"Last night on my walk I heard the weirdest sound. It turned out to be a deer.  It was making some wacky huffing sounds and I swear I saw it spewing something from it's mouth/nose.  No idea what it was but I navigated away. The last thing I need is some rabid deer charging me and the dog in some hallucination state."

I said, "Ahhhh, yes, the good ol' snort", and I explained all about it.

Which reminded me of the time (not too long ago, I must say) when I didn't know what that sound was either the first time I heard it. I remember the first time hunting out of a ground blind and heard it and remember thinking to myself, "What in the world is THAT???!!??" 

Do you remember the first time you heard a deer snort and not knowing what it was?

[Silkcitymedic]

There is a doe in my back yard that almost always snorts at me. I find it funny. One day Ill get her. 

[Recurve hntr]

That’s pretty funny. I remember my dad taking me hunting with him when I was like 8 yrs old. He would put me in a really low tree stand made out of a pallet. He would climb a tree behind me in his baker climber. It got dark and I hear something walking in and it was loud. All I hear is this crazy noise which was a deer snorting. I had no idea . I was shaking like a leaf when my dad finally climbed down and walked over to get me. It was pine barrens so as a young kid I thought the Jersey devil was about to eat me. 😂 

[JHbowhunter]

i knew a nice 8pt, 2019 I nicknamed "snorty".   He was the snortiest buck or deer I ever knew.  Solid 3 yr old - with great potential and I just wanted to get him in bow range ONE TIME to prove I could fool him and eventually I did. Gave him the pass and of course he snorted at me.   I pushed him out of the woods in dark opening day of 6-day that year and he ran across highway and got shot.   RIP Snorty!

last 2 videos - full snort alert

 

[Bonefreak]

2 hours ago, Recurve hntr said:

That’s pretty funny. I remember my dad taking me hunting with him when I was like 8 yrs old. He would put me in a really low tree stand made out of a pallet. He would climb a tree behind me in his baker climber. It got dark and I hear something walking in and it was loud. All I hear is this crazy noise which was a deer snorting. I had no idea . I was shaking like a leaf when my dad finally climbed down and walked over to get me. It was pine barrens so as a young kid I thought the Jersey devil was about to eat me. 😂 

Had the same jersey devil experiences in the pines as a kid!!  We hunted near the popcorn park zoo and heard some crazy stuff back there!!  Lol

[Greybeard]

First year bowhunting, going way back, had a doe near me that was making a noise like a squeaky door opening.  thought she had sinus problems.  Nobody in my circle of beginners knew about bleats or even grunts.  

Fast forward a bit, heard a pig going at it towards a barnyard.  Out comes a doe with the buck grunting like a pig behind it.

Fast forward a bit more.  Got to hear the long winded tender grunt.  Already knew that had to be from the buck that chased a doe in circles around me.  

Lastly, I heard a boom up on the hill during muzzy season about 300yds away.  Then another boom, and another. Was wondering how that guy could reload that quick. The booms got closer and started to sound more like a very loud, short grunt.  As it got closer I realized it was a grunt and they were coming down the hill toward me.  I was expecting to see a monster behind the doe as she came through a swamp in front of me at the bottom of the hill.  A spike came through right behind her, so I waited and waited.  Nothing.  No more grunts either.  Took me a year or two before realizing that little spike had to have been making those grunts.  Too many other hunters up where they came from and in the direction they went for nobody to have taken a shot.

[Bucksnbows]

10 hours ago, mazzgolf said:

Do you remember the first time you heard a deer snort and not knowing what it was?

I know mine. Vermont opening day of rifle season circa ‘78. I planned to spot and stalk in the snow anticipated overnight. Woke up to freezing rain and the entire forest encased in ice, so I found a tree I could climb and sit in (no stand) and waited for the woods to wake up. Sure enough, a big mature doe slowly walks through the forest and on my downwind side. As soon as she smelled me, I heard the strangest deer sound of all time or so I thought. 

[Rem Mag]

One or two snorts as a deer takes off is bad enough and cringe worthy.... but.....I really hate: 

 

That in the dark, either before first light or just after last light, on a super still windless day when it's more than most likely a big ole nanny doe and she just goes on a complete snorting and stomping rampage for like what at least seems like 10 minutes straight and you know the whole valley, mountain or swamp can hear it...