Calling/Grunting

[Mab867]

How often should I be calling? How often is too much or not enough? I am using a True Talker, I swear by this call.
This is what I am doing at the moment: Depending on the day and the time of day, I call 15-20 min. apart. Sometimes I'll wait 30 min. Wondering if this is too much. This is while searching for bucks. What does everyone think? Thanks in advance.

[jonny5buck]

How often should I be calling? How often is too much or not enough? I am using a True Talker, I swear by this call.
This is what I am doing at the moment: Depending on the day and the time of day, I call 15-20 min. apart. Sometimes I'll wait 30 min. Wondering if this is too much. This is while searching for bucks. What does everything think? Thanks in advance.

I usually never call blind...i will only hit the buck grunter as a ''come back'' call to a buck or doe walking Away....

You have to also remember that a slight variation in tone or a single loud blast can sound like a threat to any incoming deer...rather than a greeting...i also stay away from tending grunts...if a buck is after a doe and chasing her any and all calls are usually futile....he's got what he wants right in front of him-- .....

''The can''...... can also alarm deer ...after the second shotgun season ..less is better...calls, scents , almost everything.... the one thing that almost always peaks a deers curiosity is a decoy....the one i have is an old target...3d one...i have given it a fresh coat of paint to keep it realistic to a point....i have had a spike buck ...threat walk around it with hair bristled up and one doe that could NOT stop looking at it from 7ft a way...that doe eye balled it from every angle....and chicken necked around it the whole time...quite a show....that was last yr.. after second gun season....i have seen them high tail it and run from a buck/doe buck grunt call and the can....

The only other time i might be letting out a buck grunt.... is if i accidentaly make some unwanted noise....rustle the waist pack to loud, a zipper....something clang against the stand..etc etc.... just as a confusion to any deer in the area....also try it when a deer is busting out...sometimes the confusion of hearing the grunt can make them think it was another deer.......i really dont like... just grunting .. to grunt...hope this might help ya....Jon~

[pgchambers]

1. I only call during the pre-rut and rut.
2. I do blind call maybe once or twice an hour. I figure at the time of year I am calling there is a strong chance deer are passing by that I never see. If a call brings them in great. If not, I have never had evidence that my calling pushes them away. It may cause younger bucks to avoid me, but I am okay with that.
3. I will grunt or snort-weeze at a buck I have decided I want to shoot if he is moving away from me. This year, the buck I shot came at a run to my grunt. It was pre-rut, and he was trying to clear out the area.
4. I hunt in WI. It is likely different in other parts of the country.
5. I hunt private land with little pressure. I am certain bucks react differently in areas with high pressure.

[JPH]

I am certain bucks react differently in areas with high pressure.

I think new M.O. to just follow pgchambers around and agree with his posts.

I hunt an Iowa property with a burgeoning, well balanced herd and very little pressure. On that farm calling/grunting is an easy decision. It is hard to mess it up between mid-October and mid-November. On the other hand, I hunt a small parcel of Missouri timber with a low deer density and heavy local hunting pressure. On that property I have learned to be very sparing with calls of any kind. Blind calling has never produced more than a yearling buck for me and calling on sight is no better than 50% effective.

[loneranger]

I agree,,where there is alot of pressure,,even during bow season,,I think older bucks have heard it all. A deer farm-Outfit business,,with little deer education,something different in all repects. If I do not see something I want to bring back,,I would rather be quiet and let the deer make the noise and mistakes!

[mnslayer]

BLIND CALLING IS RISKY when you call blind you alert the deer and it will be looking for any movement or odor that is not quite right. will try a grunt if busted by a deer to try and calm it down or call one back that is walking through. Deer will react the way they want to so its not a science. some deer will avoid everything when they are pressured I did have a buck charge me this year walking to my stand and grunting, that was a suprise. I was trying to calm what I thought was a Doe that busted me coming in. I have also called a buck back three times one year at 320 to 350 yards taking a shot each time, I had under estimated the distance but got him on the third round. So grunt calls do work but not all deer will react the same.

[charlie 01]

[quote="mnslayer" So grunt calls do work but not all deer will react the same.[/quote]

Those are the key words, all deer will not act the same. Some will not tolerate another buck in his area and will try to run him out. Whereas another buck will tolerate other bucks around. I keep saying that all deer are as individual as we are. Some are fighters, and seem to fight with any buck over anything, while others are passive. I have 4yrs of shed antlers from one buck that has not even so much as a chip on his antlers, while some other bucks antlers are all busted up.
I would not be too concerned about different tones in grunt calling. I grunt call by mouth alone, before grunt calls were introduced and do very well. One of my long time hunting partners also calls by mouth alone and does not sound like me at all. One particular buck he shot, he called back and shot him on the third time. The first few times the buck did not offer a good placement shot so he let him walk away to try again. The only times I grunt call is when I see a buck that is leaving or just not comming close enough for a shot. Blind rattling, I do that a lot. You had just better be ready for anything. Just move when he is moving. 0r if you have to, very, very slowly.

[DEER30]

I blind call or go trolling for deer throughout the season. But honestly the best responses that I have gotten came in MD during he rut. I was using a combination of the primos "can" call and the easy grunter. I would call three times with the can then follow it with the short grunts of a buck chasing. I did this every 15-20 min. After about 45 min an 8-pt entered the field, made a scrape, and came on a string towards my stand. I shot him at 100 yards with my 30-30. But he was so focused on finding those deer he heard that he didn't know he was hit and I thought I missed him, so I shot again. For more info on my experience calling whitetails, please check out an article I wrote on the matter at http://www.deer30outdoors.com/calling-t ... tail-deer/

[extroverted]

First things first, make sure you are using the right call first, before you scare them all away!!!
I use the Bone collector, and I called in 12 bucks last year, at least 12 that I saw coming to me.
I found out that the volume and duration did not matter much. just don't be afraid to be heard with your call, your chances are that if you call quiet than you will see nothing!!! I you call loud you will see them come right to you, downwind!!!
During the RUT last year I had a NICE 8 pointer 130 class cruising the fence line 150yards out there, I said I wonder if I can get him to come to me, so I blew the bone collector as hard as I could and within 5 min he was 40 yards in front of me.
You got to love that!! I made a huge mistake that cost me a bad shot and lost arrow as well as an educated buck.
All I will say is field tips and broad heads, weight does matter when shoot out to 40 yards.

[axforbes]

In places like Vermont that have few bucks and even fewer of any size does grunting and calling have the same effect on them or do they just run away thinking its a bigger buck that's going to whoop his ass?