What Sound Does A Deer Make?

By: Mario
Updated:
Deer trying to talk by making sounds

If you’ve ever heard a deer, then you’ll have noticed that it makes all kinds of different sounds.

You might just assume that they’re random noises, without any reason behind them, but you may be surprised to know that each of these sounds are actually made because of certain causes. 

So, what sounds does a deer make and what do they mean?

The short answer is that they make a range of sounds, such as snorting and wheezing, and they are in response to certain circumstances, such as sensing nearby danger or the deer getting angry.

However, there’s so much more to learn about deers and their sounds.

And we’ve got the answers! In our fun guide below, you’ll find information on what sounds a deer makes and what the causes of them are. Read on!

What Sound Does A Deer Make?

A deer will make a range of different sounds, with each of the sounds carrying some specific meaning or being the result of a specific circumstance.

Though they have a wide variety of different sounds, the ones that you’re most likely to hear are:

  • Wheezing
  • Sniffing
  • Snorting
  • Stomping

With that being said, the sexes each have their own specific sounds too. For example, a buck (a male deer) has a specific grunt, while a doe (a female deer) will bleat, cry, and whine.

Each of these have their own meanings that can be understood from the noises.

On top of this, the sexes will make different noises when the males are competing for the female’s attention – known as “the rut”.

During these times, the doe will bleat to inform the bucks of estrus, while the bucks will act loudly to get their attention.

What Do The Sounds Of Deer Mean?

The common sounds of a deer will be a giveaway as to how the deer is feeling at a certain moment, allowing you to understand them better.

You’ll see that the sounds often represent different emotions or situations.

When A Deer Is Angry

If you ever hear an angry deer, you’ll be able to tell their annoyance thanks to a particularly explosive sound that they make, which combines a wheeze with a snort.

As you can imagine, the sound is quite propulsive and frightening, which is particularly effective since it should scare away the creature that’s making them angry in the first place.

Aa you might expect, this sound is made by bucks more than it is by does, with the bucks using it to show dominance.

When A Deer Is Smelling

This is one that you might have guessed – when a deer is smelling for something, they’ll make a sniffing sound

Just as we do when we smell something, a deer will sniff to get a scent.

However, deers will use this to their advantage, helping to alert them to threats that they can then avoid. This means that sniffing is a defense mechanism for deers. 

On top of that, though, a deer might also be sniffing so that they can find some nearby food and water. 

When A Deer Senses Nearby Danger

If a deer is sniffing and does detect a nearby threat, then they might begin to make a snorting sound.

This is because that’s the noise they make when they sense nearby danger.

The snorting sound acts not only as something for the deer but also as a warning signal for any other deer in the area, alerting them to potential threats. 

As for the sound, you’ll often hear a sneeze-type noise, then see the deer run away.

It could be easy to confuse the snort with the wheezing and snorting combination that a deer does when it’s angry.

However, snorting isn’t the only noise they make as a response to nearby danger, because the animal might also stomp its hooves.

This also acts as a warning signal to other deer, but it also helps to keep the threat at bay.

When A Deer Is Fearful

If a deer is fearful, you’ll hear a similar kind of loud snort.

What Specific Sounds Does A Doe Make?

On top of these typical noises, though perhaps not the snorting of dominance, a doe (a female deer) will make a few unique noises of its own.

Again, these are under certain conditions, and it’ll often tell you how the doe is feeling.

When A Doe Is In Estrus

During the mating or rutting season, a doe will want to inform the male deers that they are sexually receptive and able to conceive a fawn. 

In order to show this, they will make a specific kind of bleat that you’ll only hear during this season. 

When A Doe Signals Its Fawn

Similarly, when a doe has its fawn born, then it will make a certain kind of different bleat noise in order to signal to it.

On the other hand, a doe will also make a specific grunt when telling their fawn that it’s time to move.

When A Doe Is With Other Deer

A doe is also known to bleat in a high-pitched manner when with other deer. Additionally, they may also make a high-pitch grunt.

What Specific Sounds Does A Buck Make?

As for male deer (bucks), they also make certain sounds unique to their sex.

When A Buck Is Attracting Does

During mating season, a buck will compete with other male deer for the attention of does, and they’ll do a very loud grunt to do this.

When A Buck Asserts Dominance

When a buck is standing its ground and telling other animals to back off, it will also make a grunting sound.

When A Buck Fights

If asserting its ground doesn’t work, then a buck might end up fighting another buck!

In this case, the sound of their fight will primarily be the unpleasant noise of their antlers clashing

Final Thoughts

Deer make a variety of sounds, such as snorts and grunts, all with different meanings behind them.