Have you ever heard a buck “roar” before?
Most hunters are familiar with the basic whitetail deer communication sounds. Things like the basic grunt, tending buck grunt, the social and estrous bleat, the snort wheeze, and of course, that shrill, annoying alert sound that does make when they bust you. However, deer vocalizations are more varied than you may realize. It’s just that hunters rarely get to hear them in person because many are subtle and hard to hear.
Case in point is the buck growl or buck roar. This deer call is heard from rutting bucks when they’re all hyped up on testosterone and looking for estrus does. This call is often prefaced with a series of short grunts before going into a much more guttural and primal sound that’s downright creepy.
Just watch the video below to see what we mean. This video of a mature buck was taken at the peak of the rut and the buck ends up giving the hunters filming a show they won’t soon forget. Turn up the volume for this one, it’s a sound you’ll want to hear!
What a creepy sound. We won’t lie, that buck’s charge accompanied with the roar startled us a little bit.
The buck growl or roar is often considered one of the rarer sounds you’ll hear from a whitetail buck. In fact, many deer hunting enthusiasts didn’t know this sound existed until the last few years. It seems to be more common in areas where the buck to doe ratio is more even and there’s more competition for breeding rights. While we don’t know exactly what the big buck is saying to other deer with this call, most believe it’s either a sign of frustration or excitement for a hot doe because the sound is so much more aggressive than normal grunting.
Since the growl has come to be more well-known, many game call companies are starting to capitalize on it by marketing grunt calls that can reproduce the noise. Some of the more popular options right now include the Flambeau Mad Buck Growl call and the Primos Buck Roar. This would be a great call to try with a rattling sequence and attractant scents if rutting activity is especially tense in your hunting spot.
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NEXT: DEER SOUNDS: MAKING SENSE OF THE NOISES YOU HEAR IN THE DEER WOODS
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