Too Early to Grunt? Bleat? Rattle?

[1eyeReD]

What I've learned and am not sure if correct is that rattling shouldn't be done til mid to later October.. It worked for me during that time last year though I choked but I won't go into that. Even a snort/wheeze worked during later October on a visible 6 point which I didn't shoot.

But what about bleating/grunting? I'd like to give it a try as I've heard some deer on trails that were out of sight/bow-range.. I'm wondering if it's worth attempting to get a curious doe or even buck over to strike a pose this time of year..

Thanks in advance..

[Scoot]

I've had no luck rattling until about Oct 20th or so. I've had very hit and miss results grunting before the same timeframe- more miss than hit. I've bleated in deer from the opener until the season ends. Results have typically ranged from no impact on the deer to coming in on a string, but I don't recall ever chasing a deer off with a bleat. That's been my experience at least- how about others?

[certified jumbo]

I've never had much results with rattling ever. Only rattled in 2 bucks, both yearlings. I quit rattling, it seemed like I was spooking more deer than I was doing good.

Grunting on the other hand, i've had great success with at all times of the year. I rarely grunt unless I see the deer first. Very good success with grunting on bucks, does and fawns.

[Archerysniper]

Rattling works this time of year however it's not a knock down drag out battle, just tickle the tines together to simulate sparing which is what bucks are doing right now just a little pushing around showing who's the boss. I grunted in the doe I shot last Friday night she was heading away and gave her two grunts and she turned right in.

[MrCrappie]

I threw the kitchen sink at a spike 35 yards away the friday before gun opener last year and he walked away like he didn't even hear it. I'm hoping that one day, it just might actually work.

[bottom-bouncer]

Rattling works this time of year however it's not a knock down drag out battle, just tickle the tines together to simulate sparing which is what bucks are doing right now just a little pushing around showing who's the boss. I grunted in the doe I shot last Friday night she was heading away and gave her two grunts and she turned right in.

Spot on info you do not want to get carried away.

[bottom-bouncer]

I threw the kitchen sink at a spike 35 yards away the friday before gun opener last year and he walked away like he didn't even hear it. I'm hoping that one day, it just might actually work.

If you were the smallest kid on your block and the two biggest kids on the block were going at it would you walk over there to see if you could get a piece of the action with the winner?

[96trigger]

I don't do much calling right now. In fact, I don't even bring the calls with me. That will change in two weeks or if it gets colder. Best time to rattle is cold calm mornings. I have had bucks come in on a run when I rattle. Sometimes it works great, other times, I get nothing. Really depends on the mood of the deer. I will say the number of does I see decreases with rattling. But I have been able to rattle in some bruisers (and little guys) during the rut.

I grunt, hit the rattle bag for a couple of sequences, grunt, wait 20 minutes, do it again.

[Cheetah]

I have been able to grunt in curious young bucks before in the early part of the season, not often though.

[slimngrizzly]

I also think sparring can work this time of year. Grunts and bleats are always a good bet to bring deer in that last few yards if needed.

I truly believe that the effectivness of rattling has to do whith the attitude or personality of the individual deer you are rattling at. Overall I have had much success with rattling, but not always. Right now Im after a deer who I saw last year fighting with several other younger bucks on opening week, i saw him a few days later with a broken beam...in September. Now hes back this year and I watched him "rough up" a younger buck again. Im really thinking he has an attitude and I could maybe rattle him in early... reguardless, I know hes not one to walk away from a fight. Thats the kind of deer im looking for!

Good luck!

[sticknstring]

Quote:

I've never had much results with rattling ever. Only rattled in 2 bucks, both yearlings. I quit rattling, it seemed like I was spooking more deer than I was doing good.

About the same experience I've had. I still try it a handful of cold mornings each fall but the results are mostly disappointing. I think in order for it to work, you have to be in an area with a balanced sex ratio and ideally, several mature bucks in the area. Where there's 4 ladies for every guy at the local establishment, you take your pick and move on to the next one. I definitely would keep it to minimum for another 3 weeks yet if you do try it. Unless, you're hunting around me, then rattle as hard and as long as you can, both mornings and evenings!

[Bear55]

I've never had much results with rattling ever. Only rattled in 2 bucks, both yearlings. I quit rattling, it seemed like I was spooking more deer than I was doing good.

Grunting on the other hand, i've had great success with at all times of the year. I rarely grunt unless I see the deer first. Very good success with grunting on bucks, does and fawns.

Pretty much word for word of what I was going to say.

[surewood]

I leave the calls at home until the middle of October. Never been much for rattling. I use the bleat a lot. I think it's less threatning. So bucks that aren't quite ready for a fight might come check it out. Towards the end of October I mix in some tending grunts with my bleats about every fourth time I do a bleating sequence. I've had my most success that way.

[bigbucks]

Have had them with this year, but yet to use them. I think they get educated if you use them very much, even the bleat can.

Might try a little tickling of the horns this weekend, but it is pretty early. I've had fairly decent success rattling. I haven't called in scores of bucks that way, but probably around 10 I would say. A couple were shooters. One saw me, the other got shot by a nearby hunter from a different party. It's tricky during gun season, it works, but you tend to help somebody else out if there's a lot of hunters close by.

[InTheNorthwoods]

I just posted this in another thread, but I believe it to be very true. The example can be expounded on, but I believe it puts calling into a perspective that is easy to understand (without understanding exactly what is going on in a deer's head).

Quote:

Calling definitely has its time and place. In order to be successful when calling you need 2 elements to be present: a deer in the proximity that can hear you, and that deer having the right attitude/frame of mind for the type of calling you are doing (curiosity, aggression, social desire, etc.).

It is really no different than humans. It may be an inappropriate example to some, but take a man who is going to the bar, there are often different moods/mindframes that people go to the bar with, and different interactions will cause different reactions from the bar patron. For example;

1. If someone wants to get intoxicated, nothing will draw their attention away from their mission - the bar stool (i.e. a deer going to a specific destination food source/bed/etc., and you better be hunting the trail leading there).

2. If someone is looking to meet friends and is in a sociable mood, they will be drawn to the social (non aggressive or passive) calls of their buddies when they enter the bar (i.e. a deer looking for a bachelor group it has been traveling with).

3. If someone is mad and in the mood where they are looking to go to the bar to raise some trouble and fight or has an aggressive attitude, they will respond easily to a stranger or person who makes any type of off color comment (i.e. a grunt or snort wheeze to an excited or aggressive buck).

4. If someone is in the mood and looking to pick up a lady at the bar they will chase after the beconning calls of the single ladies. When there is a really pretty lady in the bar, the one that attracts all the men, you have the perfect storm. This is the ideal situation for each of the previous examples to be effective, as this person will often respond to competition or threats of other males when competeing for the attention of the most attractive lady. This is the "hot doe" situation where can calls, grunts, snort wheezes, rattling, etc., can all be effective and on blind calling.

5. If someone has already picked up a lady at the bar, they will do their best to leave the bar without running into any type of confrontation and will not respond to anyone but that lady. I.e. a buck in lockdown - good luck, as there is one thing on their mind.

It is all about the mood and mind frame of the deer. But much like the bar example (where, if you don't have any beer - there won't be anyone there), if you don't have a deer around, no amount or type of calling will work.

I will add that every human reacts differently, and not all humans are as aggressive as the next. The same goes for deer. If a guy has been beaten up in the past, or shot down by alot of ladies, they may avoid confrontation or making a pass at a lady - i.e. ignoring calling when you wouldn't expect it.

[Meat-Run]

i grunted lightly about a week ago and p issed off a 2 year old buck that made him come close enough to make two scrapes and shreaded some brush right infront of me it was REALLY cool to see happen. I only grunted 2-3 times about every 20 minutes and I was close to his bedding area since then he's been actively visiting his scrape since then and I have a camera over the scrapes telling me that theres more then one buck in area now pretty cool what sparked this buck to do.

So to answer your question I say grunt but not to much and very light not to agressive I think is the key.

mr

[BLACKJACK]

My philosophy is 'do no harm', meaning I don't want to scare them away by rattling, grunting, etc. so consequently I don't do anything the last hour of daylight, but will do lots more when I'm hunting in the morning. If I'm climbing out of my stand in 30 mintues, and nothing is in sight, why not try a rattling sequence?? Or I'll rattle if see a buck in the distance that doesn't appear headed my way.

Last year, I was rattling in the morning and all of a sudden, from behind me, a deer came flying by. It was a forkhorn buck, he stopped about 15 yards away, looking for the combatants. When he couldn't see anything, he laid down to rest, he had been running hard and was puffing. I had my bow in hand, decided it would make a cool story to say I shot this buck after rattling him in, but didn't have a shot thru the brush. So I watched him for about 20 minutes, bedded down about 15 yards away, when he stood up, I moved my bow to draw, but somehow made a noise, he looked and then slowly walked away - I never got a shot.

Two years ago on an evening hunt I saw an 8 point buck feeding in a creek bed about 80 yards away, I tried rattling, I tried grunting, louder, no response. Then after about 30 minutes of feeding, he started moving, so I rattled one more time. Long story short he came meandering by my stand, curious what the commotion was, and I shot him - my biggest bow buck to date.

So I don't think it hurts to try rattling and grunting, just pick your spots.

[tunrevir]

Rattling can be effective now through the rut but you have to rattle for short periods and lightly. It is not an all out battle right now but a sparring match. I keep my sequuences short 10-30 seconds and lightly rattle and have great success with brining in deer. I also like to doe bleat and fawn mew right now to contact and bring in deer. I do the majority of my calling "blind". Meaning, I call when I don't see deer in my area and want to bring something in. Some areas the deer are more vocal and respond better to calling then others and the best way to find this out is by calling to deer you see but keep it light and short. Deer within eyesight can often pinpoint where the sound is coming from and may look or run off if you are to aggressive. The best stands for calling have natural barriers to keep deer from seeing you rattling and have direct eyesight to you as your calling. It can be very effective to spar and call this time of year but you have to go easy and vary your calls. Most calling this time of year from my experience is going to pull in younger bucks and does and fawns as the bigger deer aren't much interested in a fight IMHE. It can be effective when used right and for those that don't call or rattle or haven't had success, keep at it because you will never forget the first deer you call in! That being said, I get after it late October into early November and again usually I am calling blind to pull deer in not to attract deer that I can see. It is a great tool to help put a little meat on the pole.

Tunrevir~

[goblueM]

lots of good advice in here! i've never called before, but I think I might this year

in general, is there one time of day that works better, in everybody's experience?

[tunrevir]

I have found that those times that we consider to be primetime are often best during the early season but during the rut all times of the mortning, afternoon and evening can yield results. My best times during the rut tend to be late morning and through the early afternoon when deer are out cruising, looking for does. I don't call alot at primetime during the rut unless I am not seeing movement or I see a large buck and want to get his attention. I have had alot of mature deer respond to my calls but also have had them hangup and watch and wait and work the wind and then lose interest and move on so it sin't a sure fire way to get deer to charge in but then again, when one does it will surprise you with how fast they can get there. Been handcuffed a couple times when rattling, so always be ready and "expect" a deer to come in even when you don't see them.

Tunrevir~

[BuckmasterG]

Rattling can be effective now through the rut but you have to rattle for short periods and lightly. It is not an all out battle right now but a sparring match. I keep my sequuences short 10-30 seconds and lightly rattle and have great success with brining in deer. I also like to doe bleat and fawn mew right now to contact and bring in deer. I do the majority of my calling "blind". Meaning, I call when I don't see deer in my area and want to bring something in. Some areas the deer are more vocal and respond better to calling then others and the best way to find this out is by calling to deer you see but keep it light and short. Deer within eyesight can often pinpoint where the sound is coming from and may look or run off if you are to aggressive. The best stands for calling have natural barriers to keep deer from seeing you rattling and have direct eyesight to you as your calling. It can be very effective to spar and call this time of year but you have to go easy and vary your calls. Most calling this time of year from my experience is going to pull in younger bucks and does and fawns as the bigger deer aren't much interested in a fight IMHE. It can be effective when used right and for those that don't call or rattle or haven't had success, keep at it because you will never forget the first deer you call in! That being said, I get after it late October into early November and again usually I am calling blind to pull deer in not to attract deer that I can see. It is a great tool to help put a little meat on the pole.

Tunrevir~

Couldn't have said it better, this is my experience too and I use calls and rattling quite often.. My most used call and best results especially early season is the YD call but like Tunrevir mentioned its usually fawns and does that are enticed.. I find right at the beginning of October is the best time for use of all, especially the rattling/sparing.

BM