how often to call?

[hendo64]

I have the primos can call and was wondering how often and what kind of patteren I should use when calling.

[Patriot]

This time of year, I'll run this sequence every 20 minutes or so.
 
4-5 can bleats
wait 30 seconds
 
7-10 buck grunts
wait 30 seconds
 
rattle bag about 30 seconds.  I may not do the rattle bag each time, but especially in the early morning and late afternoon...or if I see a buck heading away from me.
 
Does this sound good with everyone?  Too much?  Not enough?

[hunter480]

Deer are not overly vocal animals. Especially, not as it comes to the calling habits of most hunters-simple fact is, most hunters call way too much.
 
I`d much rather error on the side of not calling enough than calling/rattling too much and spooking/educating deer.
 
Back waaaaaaay off the calling and concentrate mostly on your woodsmanship skills. Things like scouting, learning where to hang stands, getting to and from stand sights without educating deer.
 
Calling is a slight encancement to hunting, not a major cornerstone.

[Demoderby4]

If i call i wait at LEAST a 1/2 hr between calls. I might do 5-7 bleats, wait a minute or so then do it again, or 7-10 grunts, and wait a minute and do it again, then put it down for at least a 1/2 hr, more likely it will be another hour or so before i call again. Or if i see a deer i will try to call him/her in if he/she is moving away, that can be risky though, i have scared deer off faster by trying to call them in after seeing them too, calling can be and enhancement but it was also be a hindrance as well. I would tone it down a little bit, don't wanna scare the deer away before ya even get to see em! Just my opinion.

[Gafrage]

I've had my success mostly off of grunt calls.  I usually do a tending grunt call.  I start to call, well I started to call last night, to give you a time frame.  I will continue now until I stop bow hunting.  I didn't get any responses last night (wind might have had a big play in that as gusts were over 30 mph), however I have taken Good bucks off of it, and have had lots of responses prior to this date, as early as the 15th of October.  A tending grunt is one which that you do 4-6 short bursts...when I say short, I mean short.  Stagger the time between each.  Try to make it sound as if you were running through the woods yourself.  As you put a foot down, you are more likely to exhale.  I usually do about 2-3 sequences within a minute or so, and then, I wait about 15 minutes or so.  Also, keep in mind, the land I've hunted is big land, with small wood lots.  So the deer usually "High tail it" from wood lot to wood lot, which can distort their hearing when I actually call.  I have had this success in big woods in Northern WI as well.  Where I took my biggest buck to date with a bow.  I generally move the grunt call around(side to side, as well as behind me, up in the air, you name it...mostly where I have seen does come from earlier in the season), since the grunt call is a focused sound.  It's not like a rattling bag, or a doe bleat that regardless of where you hold it, or point it, the sound is almost as similar if you didn't move it at all.  Everything a hunter does is pretty much debatable, but don't be afraid to call.  I would say 15-30 minutes, depending on your area you are hunting is a good rule of thumb.  

[PrairieShadow]

I use the can very sparingly. But this time of year i use the grunt whenever i get the urge. I have had the same buck come by my stand (not this year)multiple time(10+) in a single morning grunting the whole way.