Deer calls.. Opinions wanted...

[dcary7]

Alrighty, I'd like to see some opinions from people who feel they have a successful game plan on calling in deer. I know what I have done in the past that worked, then when I tried to repeat it was completely unsuccessful. So for those of you willing to share, this could be a very informative thread for people wanting to expand their knowledge and success in harvesting deer. I've read a lot of different threads/reviews/forums... everybody swears a different line of product is the "BEST". I personally think it is moreso the person behind the call and a matter of opinion, but if there is a consensus of a "go to brand" etc for successful Indiana hunters then lets hear it.

So for starters:

What calls (brand) have you found successful and unsuccessful?

What types of calls do you utilize (grunt, bleat, snort/wheeze, pop, growl, rattle (bag/rack/etc))

When in the season do you utilize these particular types of calls?

Do you ever blind call? (call when you're not really seeing any activity)

Are there any other queues for reading a deer's behavior that you can identify that would make you believe a particular call would be more successful than another to bring that deer into archery range or gun range even.

Anyway, like I said... I have been successful and then completely disastrous utilizing calls when hunting. I've called and had a deer literally turn and RUN to me, then in similar situation tried to repeat it and the deer turned and RAN from me. Same time of year/day, distance/etc. I'd like to learn from my experiences. So, to gain confidence in what I am doing I'd like to hear from some of the local pros. There are so many different brands out on the market its hard to know the gimmicks vs the real thing. So I don't expect a full product review of everything, just what you've tried, how it worked,when you used it, etc.

Thanks again

dcary7

 

[Mike H]

I have had success with a Tru-Talker grunt tube and the can call. Both have worked but not everytime. I have also rattled [real antlers] in bucks before, but not everytime.
IMHO the best time to call in the first 2 weeks of Nov. At least thats when I have had my most success.
If a deer is in the right mood he can be called in.
I have also been successful calling in does using a bleat call in the early bow season.
I usually don't call much during the gun season. But the can and the grunt is always with me.

Yes I blind call.

 

[TSmith]

Up until two years ago, I only grunted when could actually see the deer - usually does and small bucks, with a deep toned buck grunt tube (brand unkown). I could get them to stop and look but that was about it. Two years ago I decided to try blind calling. If I wasn't see anything then it couldn't hurt to try. Long story short, hunting a thicket one foggy morning, heard a noise, and thought maybe it was antlers lightly ticking a tree - just a couple of ticks and that was it. So I decide to grunt, let out three grunts, and then saw some movement. It was moving fast and at first I thought it was a coyote, ends up being a buck coming in fast, locked on to my location. This dude was coming to kick some butt!! That's the buck in my avatar. Then last year I used same grunt tube and the can, called in a small 6 and 4 pointer (at the same time). Doesn't always work but I will keep trying. Looking to try some rattling as well.

 

[JDubb]

True Talker .

 

[clfergus]

I use the Primos Buck roar in combo with the bleat can. The buck roar has really nice deep tones. I started last week and had luck. After I shot my doe I was able to get a skiddish 5 point to stay in a clearing using the bleat. Then a 8 came into the opposite end of the field and the grunts had him raising his head. I tried the snort weeze on the buck roar and he made a bee line for my direction.

Never used it before but had been watching hunting shows. So more experienced hunters out there....the weeze is a territorial sound right like I want a fight? Can I assume that the 8 point thinks that the area is his domain?

 

[sbrville]

i seem to do more calling every year and have more and more success. i just use a cheap-o grunt. Last fall heard one grunting and "talked" with him all morning, same thing that evening and never saw him. next morning same thing so i got out of stand and went to him and got a nice buck. IMO, i seem to have great luck grunting as long as they are rutting hard.

 

[sbcman]

Dupe

 

[sbcman]

Interesting. My standby call is to quitely get in the woods, settle down and yell "YO!! Deer! You in here- baby needs some backstrap!!"

Don't know why, but this method has been 100% unsuccessful

I called a button buck in once with a cheap'o call (Primos?). Other than that, nothing. I don't even plant to take one in the woods this year.

 

[nsenneking]

Only time I grunt or snort wheeze is when I can actually see one to get him to turn. I do blind call with the doe bleat can but only during early rut and late rut, when they are seeking the few does that are in heat. During peak rut when most does are in heat, I dont even bother calling.

 

[spainy79]

This is my first season using the Flextone. I've only been in the woods once so far and didn't see or hear anything. Might make it out this weekend or I may hit the water. Vacation starts next Friday so we'll see how it goes with the call. I also bought the K&H pack rack to try out.

 

[dcary7]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

 

[usmcdjb]

Thought I'd share my experience from this evening's hunt.

My 12 yr old and I went out and sat down in this bottom behind some thick stuff. Couple scrapes on the trail up the hill to the left. Trail goes down, crosses the creek, then on further up the bottom to the northwest.

Worst part was, we were sitting on the ground. But better than not hunting at all. Had seen a small buck working its way through the woods a ways off last Saturday, and grunted and it came about 70 yds from me before deciding to get on its way.

So, I do some blind grunting. A couple snort/wheeze noises, or what I think is my best impersonation. On the second one, my son, who is looking southwest (me northeast) whispers that he sees a doe.

I turned a little and got the binos on it, and it's a small buck on the hill about 100 yds off. We can see it move across the hill, from south to north along the edge of the woods, and jump the fence straight west of us. The minute it jumped, I pulled out my rattlin bag and gave it some love.

He turned and jumped right back across the fence and started down the hill at an angle that brought him out about straight in front of my son.

For about 30 minutes the buck worked down the hill, and around that bottom. I kept a tree between me and the deer, and kept grunting and hittling the rattlin bag. He walked all over the place in front of us. Got about 35-40 yds, which was a little far for the kid. Eventually, he decided he was done, and walked back up the hill away from us and disappeared. Never once did he appear scared.

Haven't done much calling, but it's a rush for sure.

 

[shooter1054]

There is no wrong answer for calling. Sometimes they will come in on a string, sometimes they will run for another zipcode, and sometimes they will not pay any attention at all. And then tomarrow it will all change. The short answer is call and see what happens.

 

[rao]

I've tried the whole gambit of calls and I've also tried the snort weez. I've been bow hunting for 20 years and I have always been successful. However, I have not always been successful calling in deer. I generally use the adjustable calls that offer fawn to buck calling but I ONLY have success just at the start and during the rutt. I think these calls are far less successful on large sections of national forest where the buck to doe ratios are not favorable. However, on good pieces of private land where there are plenty of mature bucks competing for does...I have had great success with both intruder buck grunts and doe grunts. I typically use younger buck tones though as this will not usually alarm younger bucks and it really tics off the older ones as they think a young guy is intruding on their turf. Maybe not totally helpful but that has been my experience.

 

[cschwanz]

There is no wrong answer for calling. Sometimes they will come in on a string, sometimes they will run for another zipcode, and sometimes they will not pay any attention at all. And then tomarrow it will all change. The short answer is call and see what happens.

Best answer ive ever seen. Ive seen all 3 results in the same day before too

I called in a nice buck a few years ago with a true talker and am now using the buck growl from MAD game calls. I really like the various tones i can produce and ive seen some bucks nearly snap a neck looking up when i hit the growl sound. they are definitely intrigued, but just not brought one in yet with it.

 

[infinititech]

i like the bleats have had tons of luck seeing deer blind calling with a bleat

 

[Aaronhome27]

I blind call about every 20 to 30 minutes while on the stand if nothing is moving. Start quietly then up the volume as I go. Early bow I use fawn bleats to get does in and sometimes a non-dominant buck grunt sparingly. In pre rut when buck are starting to work trees and such ..... mid to later October I start using a more aggressive grunt and light tickling of my rattling antlers. Come late October into early November when bucks are establishing dominance I start into the more aggressive rattling and dominant grunt calls. Early / mid November till end of November when does are coming into estrous I transition to doe estrus bleats more with an occasional grunt to let the bucks know that a buck is with the doe. I still continue using aggressive rattiling during this time. This is also the time I get a lot of response to calling and rattling. I like to set the stage that there is a hot doe in the area and a buck has found her. Followed but another buck entering into the area and this starts the fight with rattling. I make a lot of noise and I have had plenty of bucks just come charging in to this. Add a doe and buck decoy and this is one hot ticket. Once late season is coming in I repeat this as the younger does are coming into heat and also the does that fawned late the previous year. The late or second rut as you will has always been good for me as there are not nearly as many doe coming into estrous.

This is just my two cents and what I do to be successful. I have taken some nice trophy buck doing the above. My best was a 184" buck in late November using estrus doe scent, dominant buck scent and a little grunting and rattiling. I had him charge into 30 yards.

This buck I brought in with rattling and grunting in late October. I had already shot a doe and she was laying 30 yards from me. This buck also charged in at full speed ahead and locked up the brakes at 35 yards to look around for the intruder. Once he saw the doe he turned to her and took one right in the sweet spot.

I have a few others but these were the ones that using scents, calls, and rattling really worked for me.