What is a Deer Bleat (and What Does It Mean) for Hunters?

One such method of communication is through what is called a bleat. Both does and fawns use this noise to communicate with each other, while mature does will also add in what is called an estrus bleat, which we will talk about in a little bit.

The other two types of bleats are pretty simply named — a fawn bleat and a doe bleat. We discuss these three types of bleats and what they mean today.

Bleat #1: The Fawn Bleat

Let's start with the fawn bleat. This is a deer sound that you can hear throughout the deer woods almost all year long if you are able to have enough sits each year.

Fawns will bleat from early season to late season, and almost every time, it is for a reason only: they are trying to locate their momma.

If, by chance, a doe had twins or, on a super rare occasion, triplets, the fawns may also be able to locate each other as well. A fawn bleat is usually about 2-3 seconds long and will normally come in 2-3 individual calls. When does hear these calls, they will come looking for their fawns to make sure they are okay and safe.

What It Means for Hunters

This can be a huge advantage to any hunter trying to fill a doe tag either early in the season or late in the season.

I point out these two time frames specifically because during the rut or middle part of the season, mature does have pushed fawns away on purpose to prepare for the breeding season. But during the early and late seasons, when deer are back into family groups, using a fawn bleat can work wonders in pulling in does close for a shot.

Bleat #2: The "Regular" Doe Bleat

Next, there is the regular doe bleat. Again, this is another fairly common sound that can be heard throughout the season.

This form of communication is used by older or mature does throughout the deer woods usually signaling to other deer that an area is safe and free from any danger. A likely time to hear a doe or deer bleat is when multiple deer enter a food plot or agricultural field to feed.

You may also hear a doe bleat in response to a fawn bleat when looking for each other if they have been separated. They will bleat to try to relocate each other.

Then, there is one other type and time when you may hear a doe bleat. That will be towards the middle to end of the pre-rut. Mature does will have a little bit deeper (or angrier) bleat towards their fawns to push them away right before breeding season begins (the rut).

What This Bleat Means for Hunters

This could be an excellent time to use a doe bleat while hunting. Once does start to make this type of bleat towards their fawns, bucks also know what it means, and they will be ready for those first does getting ready to breed.

If you can time it out right, you may be able to pull in a big buck with this slightly more aggressive bleat, as he knows the fawns are leaving and the does are ready for him. 

Bleat #3: The Estrus Bleat

This brings us to the third type of bleat that you may hear, and that would be what is called an estrus bleat.

This call will be made from the older mature does in the area, signaling to the bucks that they are ready to breed. This bleat is slightly longer than a regular doe bleat that you would hear during the rest of the season, and it will generally last a couple of seconds.

You'll hear the estrus bleat at the tail end of the pre-rut and throughout the rut as does are coming into estrus and ready to breed.

What the Estrus Bleat Means for Hunters

It's a call that I will generally try out on smaller or younger bucks as the rut starts to approach to see where the deer herd is at in the breeding season.

If I can get a younger buck that I can see come into this estrus bleat call, then I know that the bigger bucks will not be too far behind in wanting to kick off the rut. It's a time that you will want to pay close attention to as you start to hear the very subtle differences in bleats from the does and as you begin to see more bucks cruising and start chasing does around more.

Learning how to use an estrus bleat at the right time of year and season can be a huge game changer and pay off big time!

Don't Be Afraid to Try Different Bleats

If you find yourself wondering if you should use any type of bleat call, don't be scared to give it a try. There are lots of different deer call brands out there, so pick one up, take it home, and play around with making the different sounds.

Once you feel comfortable with it, take it into the woods with you all season long. The wonderful thing about any type of bleat call is that you run almost zero risk of spooking deer with it because it is so common for them to hear throughout the entire year.

While there are subtle differences yes, the odds are you will not have to worry about accidentally making too long or too short of a call at any point in time. I highly encourage you to get one and add it to your deer call arsenal because it truly can be the best call that you carry into the woods with you because of how many different uses it has all season long.

Take a Deer Bleat Call and HuntWise Into the Field for Success This Season

We hope this guide to deer bleats has been helpful! Understanding these doe calls can really improve your success in the field, so embrace them and give them a try the next time you go out.

Make sure you also take HuntWise with you! It's the best hunting tool for tracking deer movement — including the rut season with the RutCast feature — and marking hunting areas, paths, where you hear deer sounds and see deer signs, and the best spots for your stand or blind based on wind direction and animal activity.

If you don't have the app yet, there's still time to put it to good use this season! Download it and start planning your next hunt — free — for your first week of exploring the app.