Blowing vs. Snorting
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: Cornpone
27-Oct-20
Back in the day, say 20 years ago or more, deer never "blew", they "snorted". Never heard anyone say "blew" or "blow". Nowadays it seems to be the common referral. I kind of suspect it was some outdoors writer that started using it, because they like the notoriety, and guys picked it up. What say you? Any history surrounding it?
From: Bou'bound
27-Oct-20
The evolution of language is a funny thing. Snorted came to pass with the advent of The international cocaine Trade. Now with trump cleaning things up it has been blew
From: sticksender
27-Oct-20
Pretty sure they make that alarm noise by a sudden blast of air through their nostrils. That's the definition of "snort". Blowing is done via the pie hole.
From: elkmtngear
27-Oct-20
The correct terminology is: "Nervously agitated estrus grunt snort wheeze"...c'mon guys, you have to use the "politically correct" verbage!
From: Shotgunwilly
27-Oct-20
I thought this might be a Hunter Biden thread for a minute...
From: Shuteye
27-Oct-20
I have seen "steam" coming out of their nostrils when I spooked them.
From: Bou'bound
27-Oct-20
The evolution of language is a funny thing. Snorted came to pass with the advent of The international cocaine Trade. Now with trump cleaning things up it has been blew
From: sitO
27-Oct-20
From: ahawkeye
27-Oct-20
I live in southern Indiana we always referred to it as "I jumped a deer and they blew at me" for reference I'm 44 and have been deer hunting since I was 12. So doing the math that's ever sinse about 89 or 90.
From: JL
27-Oct-20
To me.....
Snorting is an inhale action while blowing is an exhale action. Having been busted by some crusty old does numerous times......I'll stick with blowing.
From: Cheesehead Mike
27-Oct-20
I use both terms interchangeably when referring to the noise deer make. I've been hunting since 1972 and my friends dad who helped me get started bow hunting always said "blow" rather than "snort".
From: Mpdh
27-Oct-20
You can call it what you want, snort or blow is all the same thing. It’s what a deer does when they see or smell something they don’t like.
From: Zbone
27-Oct-20
They actually do both if ya ask me... They'll snort when they first take off on a thumping run. (Have always wonder how they make that thumping sound)… Then they'll blow stationary or slowly moving about... Have heard some long, long blows too... Then sometimes after that they'll snort-blow three or four times with each bound as they're exiting out of the area...
From: Will
28-Oct-20
Same thing. It's like calling a sub sandwich a grinder or a hoagie... or calling soda, pop... or a milk shake, a frappe.
A deer blowing is snorting...same noise.
From: greenmountain
28-Oct-20
This is an interesting thread . When I was growing up They always blew when they were alarmed and snorted when it was lust driven. I think it was well after 1970 when I heard an alarm blow called a snort. It is regional. With the internet we are exposed to a lot more ways of saying things.
From: deerhunter72
28-Oct-20
I'm very similar to ahawkeye, except i live in Sothern Illinois. We've always refered to it as blowing. Was always told they are "blowing" to clear out their nostrils to smell better.
From: Buckeye
28-Oct-20
whatever you wanna call it.. I hate that sound !
From: KY EyeBow
28-Oct-20
Are we talking about deer or women.........................
From: TrapperKayak
28-Oct-20
I've been using the term 'blow' for snort since I was in high school (in 1970s). That was the term we used in our area...central NY. Mostly in reference to does alarming their young to our presence.
From: Empty Freezer
28-Oct-20
Where I come from you snort the blow... just sayin
From: TrapperKayak
28-Oct-20
Is that why the Empty Freezer? ;]
From: Empty Freezer
28-Oct-20
Gotta be sumtin, takin hand grenade lessons next :(
From: elkmtngear
28-Oct-20
"Blow" = exhale
"Snort" = inhale (at least for humans)
Just trying to play Devil's Advocate ;^)
From: Glunt@work
28-Oct-20
My Dad always asked if we heard that buck snort. My mom would roll her eyes. Ranked up there with "pull my finger".
From: Panther Bone
28-Oct-20
I see what you did there, semantically, Bou ;0)
From: trophyhill
28-Oct-20
The first time I heard it, I was elk hunting in CO and didn’t know what it was. And hadn’t heard the term snorting before that and called it what it sounded like. Blowing. Then the mule deer doe came closer investigating those calf sounds I was making. She kept circling and blowing. The things we see and hear while out hunting are truly amazing.
From: Zbone
28-Oct-20
Never really thought much about it but that brings up an interesting question... With only limited experience in mule deer county, have heard them kind of a snort type sound from mule deer at close range (pronghorns too) but it's not near as pronounced as of whitetails... Do mule deer snort?
From: Rupe
28-Oct-20
Like a few others I thought this was a Hunter Biden thread. My bad. Carry on folks.
From: trophyhill
28-Oct-20
What I heard that day in 2009 and have heard many times since was very loud and not subtle at all. Each time I’ve heard this is when I’ve been in cover and cow calling. My interpretation is that of a nervous grunt that elk make wanting me to show myself. They’ve only fled when they were close enough to see or smell me after they moved in. Interesting behavior. I’ve never heard or seen this while hunting mule deer in the desert high plains of NM
From: TrapperKayak
29-Oct-20
A deer 'blowing' is analogous to an elk 'barking'. Its an alarm call. I have a love/hate relationship with barking elk. I love the sound but I hate the implications of one, unless I'm not hunting. I've heard it all too many times while hunting, and bulls really bark loudly. Its a cool sound though.
From: Michael
29-Oct-20
I have always used the term “blew” since I started hunting in 1986.