Whitetail deer spend most of their lives in groups, a habit that improves their chances of survival. With many eyes and ears on alert, the deer can easily detect an approaching intruder. When one deer senses trouble, it quickly communicates alarm to other group members.
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Once the deer is convinced the danger is real, it will flag while dashing for safety. The animal bolts away with tail upright, waving it back and forth and exposing the white underside and rump patch. Hair on the tail flares, making it appear larger than it really is. Deer flag less often in dense cover; where signals are not as easily seen by other deer; then in open country. Vocalizations are not as important as visual signals, but can still help predict behavior. Deer, especially does, sometimes snort when disturbed or alarmed. The short blasts of air made singly or in series are less common than flagging. |
Injured deer sometimes bawl, or make an intense, high-pitched, prolonged call. Bawls warn other deer to flee.
Deer living in groups may stomp their feet when alarmed to warn others. but foot-stamping can be heard for only a short distance.
During the rut, bucks produce two primary sounds. The most commonly heard call is the tending grunt - a low gutteral grunt.
Tail Wagging
Tail wagging is the casual side-to-side motion without hair erect, signals no danger. Similar to tail switching in horses and cattle, it is most commonly seen in warmer weather.
Tail Flicking
Tail flicking is the sharp side-to-side motion with the tail horizontal or upright and hairs erect, signals mild alarm. Tail flicking means the deer has sensed something wrong, but doesn't know how to respond. It may stop feeding and raise its head, or lower its head as if to feed and then jerk up again. If the animal doesn't detect anything, it will probably relax and resume normal behavior. But if the disturbance continues, it will take a flight.
A whitetail alerts others and quickly brings its group together by holding its tail horizontally or upright with hair erect, without waving it back or forth. This signal means the deer knows an intruder is close but doesn't know exactly where. Once the deer is convinced the danger is real, it will flag while dashing for safety. The animal bolts away with tail upright, waving it back and forth and exposing the white underside and rump patch.
Deer living in groups may stamp their feet when alarms to warm others. But foot-stamping can be heard for only a short distance.
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