Calling/Grunting

[posco]

That's not too much.. You're letting out two to four grunts per sequence? One episode comes to mind. I settled into a spot and once the woods regained its composure I let out two grunts. I waited one half hour based on my watch and let out a single grunt. Waited another half hour and let out another single grunt. The buck closed the last twenty yards at a trot. I was chilled and had laid my bow on the ground. Busted. As I bent over slowly to pick up my bow I heard him go. As I turned to look all I saw was a very nice set of antlers disappearing the way they'd came.

In a big woods environment where there are fewer deer, bucks might be trolling and you probably should be calling more frequently. Where there's a good deer population and you feel good about your set-up, less is probably more.

I've been calling for twenty years or so and calls are my crutch...I haven't seen it all but I've seen a lot. You never know how the deer are going to respond, you just gain more confidence from your successes and learn from the opportunities you botch.

[HuntingFool94]

I call every 10 to 15 minutes - during pre-rut, rut, early post-rut I use a mix of buck grunts and doe bleats - trying to make it sound like a doe is being followed by a buck. I will blind call as I have had luck in getting bucks to come into an area based on that. Louder the better if calling blind - want all the area to hear and possibly respond. I have called at does when hunting as well - mostly they don't seem to care, does not scare them but does not draw them either. I did call in a sighted buck once but almost blew that because I used a doe bleat - he stopped and looked but did not see a doe so kept walking - I then let out a loud buck grunt and he came in looking hard for the opponent.