# Does a doe bleed when she's in estrus?



## jk hillsdale

I've found two different deer beds on two different farms in the past week where there's been a circle shaped pile of blood 8-10 inches in diameter near one end of the bed. In one case there was a minor blood trail for the 10 yards previous to the bed, and in the other case there was no blood trail entering or leaving. 

My guess is that these beds were from a doe in estrus, but I'm really interested in whether that makes sense, or whether there are other explanations besides the obvious of maybe both deer were wounded in the hindquarters and were only bleeding near or in their bed. 

Any thoughts?


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## bigrackmack

I was hunting a few years back and a buck was chasing a doe (that was in heat) chased her under my stand, and I meen right under my stand when see sqwated (sp) to take a leak under my stand, I could see blood coming out with her pee, it was red...then she ran a little further and the buck came over and was smelling where she took a pee really hard....Was just a little guy a 5 point but was cool to learn that.....man I thought to myself doesn't get any fresher then that....I'm no expert but just what I seen...Don't know if this helps ya or not....


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## Grouse Hunter

From what I understand, it is not common for a doe to bleed during the estrous cycle.


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## oldguy

Yes, more often than not, they do.


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## Letmgro

jk hillsdale said:


> I've found two different deer beds on two different farms in the past week where there's been a circle shaped pile of blood 8-10 inches in diameter near one end of the bed. In one case there was a minor blood trail for the 10 yards previous to the bed, and in the other case there was no blood trail entering or leaving.
> 
> My guess is that these beds were from a doe in estrus, but I'm really interested in whether that makes sense, or whether there are other explanations besides the obvious of maybe both deer were wounded in the hindquarters and were only bleeding near or in their bed.
> 
> Any thoughts?


I have also witnessed this in the snow.

I found the bed with blood in it, then followed the footprints and blood drops for about a half mile until I actually came across the source. A half-racked 8 point jumped up (from another bloody bed) with blood streaming down the side of his face from where the antler use to be.

I never did find any sheds.


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## FREEPOP

I believe dogs do sometimes when they are around the heat cycle.

I think rabbits do to, from what I've seen in the snow.


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## jk hillsdale

Letmgro said:


> I have also witnessed this in the snow.
> 
> I found the bed with blood in it, then followed the footprints and blood drops for about a half mile until I actually came across the source. A half-racked 8 point jumped up (from another bloody bed) with blood streaming down the side of his face from where the antler use to be.


That's a very interesting alternative to what I was assuming. Since the blood was at the far end of the bed, I assumed it was from the deer's rear end, but it just as well could have been from near its head. 

It also sounds like from several of your responses that it could have been from a doe in estrus. Another thought I had, since this occurred in the middle of December, is maybe bleeding is a more common occurence for a fawn that comes into estrus, as compared to an adult doe.


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