big game calls

[Deerstalker]

i just wanted to get everyone's take on big game calls (rattling bags, bleat calls, grunt calls, etc.) and try gauging their effectiveness.

i've personally used a grunt call for years with absolutely little to no luck. i actually scared a buck off this year. he was at 300 yards or so and i figured i'd try to lure him in. long story short: he took off in the other direction.

i've recently begun using a rattling bag and bleat call. little to no luck there either.

anyone have lots of luck with any of these calls? anyone out there not use any calls whatsoever, no matter the circumstance.

thanks all... just curious.

[fr0sty]

I have been trying various calls for the past three years. Blind calling has produced zero results. With deer in view (does) the grunt tube and bleat can didn't bring them in. They noticed the call but didn't leave or come closer.

[Bear55]

I've had a lot of success grunting in bucks over the years. Most often two short grunts will pull them in, most action has been early in the morning or just before dark. The little bucks usually come charging it, the larger bucks like to hang back a little bit - I might have to try a decoy to bring them in.

I have had very little action with bleating or rattling, however that doesn't mean they don't work. Just remember to use the calls the right time of year and try not to over do your calling.

[tracker x-2]

I have found that grunts and rattling work only on the bucks mood and the personality of each deer. I have had some respond and some just ignore it, never spooked any though. I always bring them with just so if I do see one I could try somthing to coax him closer.

[Deerstalker]

good to hear guys. i don't think i've never spooked any deer away necessarily, but i've never seen outstanding results. they've ignored the majority of my efforts. blind calling has been a complete bust as far as i can tell.

[buckhunter21]

They definitely work if you use them at the right time and place. I would say that 95% of the time you wont have the results you hope for but those few times they do work you will be glad you brought the call along. The most success I have with a call is a grunt call, usually right before peak breeding a grunt can work a majority of the time you use it or at least get there interest and bring them in a little closer to check things out at least thats been my experience. My next best call would be rattling antlers, I dont like rattle bags or synthetics because I think they just sound fake to me. Ive only rattled in maybe 5 deer in my life but when you do get one coming in full run looking for a fight its a rush and makes you forget about the other 100s of times it didnt work that year. Other than those 2 I really havent had much success with other kinds of calls but I always carry those 2 with me when Im out in the stand.

[Arctic]

Great discussion. I have had the same questions over the years, especially after seeing hunting videos where rattling and grunting seem to be almost a sure thing.

I've never brought in any deer by rattling. The only time I had luck with a bleet call was a couple of years ago when I could see a buck a good distance away across a swamp (luckily, there was snow on the ground so I could see him far away). I bleeted, and within 30 seconds that 8-pointer was on my side of the swamp looking for a doe. I had about two seconds to aim and fire as it appeared in a tiny opening.

He dropped dead as a doornail.

[propster]

It works often enough that it always pays to try, and I've rarely had one spook, except maybe a subordinate buck with a deep grunt. That's okay though. Often you get get those younger bucks to come right to the tree. This past Sat morning I was hunting in Wisconsin. It was foggy and the woods were damp and quiet. Right at first light (still pretty dim) I heard what I thought was antlers hitting trees or brush up on the hillside. I bleated three times and grunted once. I had a buck decoy out in the grass. Didn't hear anything for about 5 minutes, then one small twig snapped close. Couldn't see real well yet so put my binos up to look around and there he was, a giant at 25 yards, staring at the deke. He needed to go about 5 yards to get in the open. He stood looking for a couple minutes, then started walking out. When his head went behind the last tree I drew. His head and rack appeared on the left of the tree and his body still behind - and stopped. He continued to stare at the decoy while I switched to "maintain full draw" mode. I think he didn't like the lack of movement of the decoy and no other sounds being made, and he just turned and went back in and walked out of my life. An hour later I had an even bigger (gross 170)10 pt follow a doe in to 40 yards, where she laid down. I was tempted to grunt then in hopes he would come forward to get between the doe and me, but I decided to play it out. Turns out I should have probably called because the doe got up and led him back up the hill away from me with no shot. Then to top it off I had a giant 8 pt the next morning chase a doe down off the hill, she ran into the corn and he either lost her or didn't want to go in after her. Perfect time to bleat first, then grunt if that doesn't work. He ignored me completely, probably because he had a snoot full of the real thing and he knew she was in the corn and not over by me. Long story short he ran around the end of the corn, passing me at 60 yards, which is really no problem on a standing target but not a moving one. They too eventually walked out of my life for good. I experienced a weeks full of rut activity in 2 mornings, and had three good ones at 20, 40, and 60 yards and couldn't close the deal. I can't wait till next year! Calls work - sometimes!

[Arctic]

Are you saying that you can kill a deer at 60 yards with a bow?!

[pulleye16]

I've had mixed results with the doe bleat and buck grunt. I've called in one buck in the past three years using the grunt and two bucks using the bleat. The buck grunt worked great when I had does in the area and saw the buck...it came right in. The doe bleat brought in the two bucks that I never saw. But

I have also scarred a few deer using both as well. I guess timing is everything but It sure doen't hurt to keep both on hand. If you have a stuborn buck during the rut that just won't give me a shot, I'll use the grunt. If I haven't seen a deer for a long while I give my bleat a flip.

[BeezeHound]

I've had a lot of success the last couple years getting bucks to respond to the estrous can call. I would say around 20 to 25 percent of the time I will have a buck somewhere in sight anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes after tipping the can three to four times blindly. So far it only seems to be working on younger bucks (1.5 to 2.5 year olds). 5 days before gun season I had a big 10 pointer sneaking through some thick stuff about 25 yards from me going the wrong way, I waited until he was out about 60 yards and tipped the can a couple times and he never even turned his head, that was kind of disappointing.

[propster]

"Are you saying that you can kill a deer at 60 yards with a bow?!"

Yes, with today's equipment, proper form and practice, and a stationary target, no problem.

[spivak]

I'm starting to think that every hunter in the woods is carrying some sort of call. Wouldn't imagine it would take too many times for deer to associate grunt calls with hunters. I'm in the boat with the folks who haven't seen any positive reaction to calling. I'll vouch for the fact that I don't feel like I know what I'm doing with the call, but most of the deer will pause, look up, and then continue doing what they were going to do anyway. I would also say that the noises I've heard deer make don't come very close to what I'm able to reproduce with my call.

[96trigger]

The calls can be very effective if used during the right times. I take two grunt tubes with me, one around my neck, one strapped to my wrist. I have a rattle bag that I absolutely love. When the time is right, the deer will come running into the bag. This year I rattled in a decent 8 the week before firearm. He came in full charge. The grunts work well when you need to get the buck closer to try and close the deal. I don't think that they are that great for blind calling. The rattling antlers (bag) work so much better because deer can hear them from a mile away.

If I have a deer hung up and he is not responding to the grunts, I will tip the can a couple of times real quick, I have had bucks come into that on a trot.

All that said, I don't call until the last week in October through the middle of November. Before that, the deer are not to responsive.

The one thing I did have a terrible time with this year was scents. My estrous did more to harm than help. I had a couple of small bucks in the vicinity to where I know they could smell them and they didn't seem to care. Actually they acted more spooky. I am half temepted to send the remains of the bottle back and ask for a return on my money.

[BLACKJACK]

Interesting discusion, I may have to try that bleat call.

Does anyone know where you can get a CD of deer sounds, grunts and bleats especially? That would be helpful.

My philosphy is 'do no harm' with my calling, I don't want to scare them away with noise. When I'm hunting in the morning, for the first hour I do no calling or rattling, then I'll try a rattling or calling sequence about every 20 minutes. It can't hurt. Int he evening, I'll try a couple of sequences shortly after I arrive, but the last 45 minutes of daylight I let the natural deer movement work.

I always have my grunt call around my neck, if a deer is bypassing me, I try to grunt him in. Several years ago I saw a small buck out at 150 yards, grunted at him, and he came wandering over - and ended up in my freezer.

Two years ago I saw a nice 8 point in mid-October, he was out at about 180 yards feeding. I grunted and rattled off and on for about 45 minutes with no response but eventually he came wandering by my stand, curiously looking - and ended up in my freezer.

This year for the first time I had a 4 point buck come charging into my rattling, ran right under my stand and stopped at 20 yards. Couldn't get a shot but it was fun!!!

If you're doe hunting, also try The Can, I've pulled in does in the early season with it, they can't resist that 'fawn in distress'!!

Morale of the story is that rattling and grunting does work. Not every time, its not a cure all, some deer ignore it, you may get only one response every 50 times you try it, but it does work!!

I do worry about 'wising up' the small bucks by rattling them in, then they get downwind of you, and take off. If they survive, I'l bet that next year they'll be more cautious!!!

[Arctic]

"The one thing I did have a terrible time with this year was scents. My estrous did more to harm than help. I had a couple of small bucks in the vicinity to where I know they could smell them and they didn't seem to care. Actually they acted more spooky. I am half temepted to send the remains of the bottle back and ask for a return on my money." Quote by Trigger

I've often wondered about the quality control that goes (or doesn't) go into these scent products. These are produced for the hunting masses, and there is no way to know just what you are buying. Knowing how important scent (and the lack thereof) is to deer hunting, I think this matter needs looking into.

[96trigger]

There were a couple of times I wished I didn't have it out. During the firearm season I put it away all together. That should have been prime time. Very disappointed. And yes, it was the good stuff, kept cold and everything.

[propster]

96, the most likely reason they spooked is that they also got a whiff of you, possibly something you left behind or if you had it out near you and they were downwind of it enough to smell it they probably smelled you as well. There's nothing in deer urine that would spook them. Only the stuff that's already been exposed to air and is black or brown and smells strongly of ammonia is the stuff I'd try to avoid. And for those that say you shouldn't use it too early, or use it only when all the other does are in heat or about to be I say phooey. A buck's testosterone is increasing and he is ready to breed the minute the minute he sheds velvet. They're definitely not walking around the woods in mid October saying "it's too early for that, I'm not going to check that out yet." On the other hand I'm not saying they're always going to respond positively either. Or depending on their mood or frame of mind, what with all the natural scent they encounter in the woods I'm sure sometimes they're just not interested. I think sometimes they don't even smell it. Some of the freshest urine I've smelled doesn't even smell strong or bad to me. I can see how some does might be spooked by it simply because they don't want to be around a doe that's in heat and the ensuing ruckus that creates (with bucks bothering them).