Blood in the snow?

[jimmybc]

I was hunting up high in the snow this past weekend. I was seeing lots of fresh sign but then I saw something I've never seen before. I would be following some tracks and there would be a bloody patch in the snow in the middle of the deer's trail. I found 3 or 4 of these bloody patches. Do does get a "period?" (For lack of a better term) Kind of a strange question but it's the only answer I could think of. Is this something that would attract bucks? Thanks for the help.

[Shooter]

Absolutely does bleed when they come into heat. I have seen it many times but it seems a little early for that. And for the record.... if you find a hot doe.... stick with her! The bucks WILL come

[boxhitch]

And bucks can leak from fighting wounds, but its early for that too.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Could also be a wound from a predator. No set season for that

[Drillbit]

Bitch dogs in heat do it too. Normal.

[monasheemountainman]

Could be a bloody fart/shart from a deer too

[Looking_4_Jerky]

Could be a bloody fart/shart from a deer too

Too much hot peppers in the pepperoni? :razz:

[jimmybc]

Awesome. Thanks for a the info guys

[scotty30-06]

Yea I found some of that last season....late in the season.

[LBM]

And bucks can leak from fighting wounds, but its early for that too.

Watched a couple good mule deer buck fights all ready this year.

[LBM]

Could also be a wound from a predator. No set season for that

Could be wounds from hunters as well. Although there is seasons lots don't pay attention to them.

[.264winmag]

Early for estrous yes, impossible no. If it's right in the middle of tracks and not to the side I'd say so.

[juiceterboost]

I've seen two bucks with swollen necks and quite stinky along with multiple sparring sessions. Earliest I've seen this behaviour in these parts. Not sure if its due to the early colder weather or if its just practice. If the rut comes early in any buck season I predict a massacre out there.

[skibum]

Too much hot peppers in the pepperoni? :razz:

Possible I had deer eat all my drying cayenne peppers a couple of years ago -

[LuckyHorseshoe]

take that snow and rub it all over your boots! you'll have a buck coming up your tail in no time!!!!!

[brian]

There was a study conducted on road kill does where they removed the fetuses to establish the date of their conception. What they found was startling. They marked conception dates from September to late February with the majority of conceptions taking pace during the high rut. So it is possible for a doe to come into estrous early and mid October isn't that early compared to September. Its also possible that the blood was from an injury.

Last week I saw fresh evidence of where a couple bucks were sparring.

[RiverOtter]

Torn dewclaw is another possibility...

[Seeadler]

take that snow and rub it all over your boots! you'll have a buck coming up your tail in no time!!!!!

No no no, you have to rub it around your neck and behind your ears.

[Buckmeister]

Deer have also been known to bleed from tick bites.

[jimmybc]

Thanks again guys. That's a lot of great info. I'm pretty sure it was an estrous doe. Next time I find it in the snow make sure to hub a little behind my ears!