Blind calling??

[mobow]

I've always heard that "blind calling" is not only useless, but educates deer. That makes sense to me. So I've made a habit of not calling unless I actually see a deer.

In reading this month's Deer and Deer Hunting publication, there is an article regarding "blind calling" but instead of grunting, it's a doe bleat. The author has apparently been rather successful at this technique.

So, what say ye? Solid tactic, or just more jibberish to sell magazine articles? Anyone have any luck blowing on a doe bleat w/ no deer in sight?

[racewayking]

A majority of the deer I have killed using the can were all blind called. I know they were in the immediate area but not visible to me. I would love to believe the educating the deer philosophy but the only way I can justify it is if the deer themselves bust you while using a call.

I had a doe and two yearlings two seasons aso that come into my stand area quite often when I hit the can or a doe call and never seemed to catch on to the fact it was a call.

I think it is a solid tactic and have used it for years in a few hunting spots with success. I do use my puppet can which is close to the ground while I am in the tree, it is possible that deer can pinpoint the sound coming from the tree itself and that is what makes them leary.

[JFergus7]

Not quite sure the logic behind it educating the deer. Would make sense that they are hearing those sounds all over the place more often then we would think. If they believe it to be the real thing then what would calling blind actually do other then alert then to the thought of deer in the area.

[GMMAT]

I read it too, Mo....but I have to take our herd dynamics into effect and apply that to everthing I hear and read.

I used a grunt call in PA and it worked great.

Here......I "think" I hit it once, last year, in 48 sits.

I never took my can call to stand.

If your herd dynamics are more balanced......I'm sure it's a great tool in your woodshed. Here......I think it only screams (wow.....there's ANOTHER doe over there....to the other DOES!).

[mobow]

Ok, I hear what ya'll are saying. Interesting. I've just finished the entire article, and one of the sidebars really caught my attention.

It states that when does are fawning, they are very vocal. And, when a doe bleats her fawn gets up from it's hiding spot and nurses. So, therefore, could it be that all deer are conditioned to respond to a bleat call?

I found that to be a very interesting thought, and one I'll likely entertain at least a few times this season. I've never really called much, save the grunt call when I see a buck out of range.

[virginiashadow]

I prefer not to blind call. The only deer I have ever had respond to calls and rattles are bucks I have seen moving, and then I could adjust my calls to grab their attention. I think it is very important to be able to read a bucks body posture and responsiveness when calling, especially as Jeff mentioned, when your herd is not balanced, or your area is pressured.

I remember seeing a buck last year on November 5th 1 hour before dark. I grunted to him as he cruised a bedding area for does. He walked 10 yards to me, then stopped 50 yards out. I saw him again 5 minutes later, I tried a low grunt, he looked and watched but was not an aggressive buck at all. I then grunted loud, and he walked away and never came back. I decided to give him two days to cool off from my calls. I came back in two days later in the morning. I told myself I would give a very light rattle of the rattle bag 5 minutes after sun-up based on his passive nature. Sure enough, he came by, I rattled the bag ever so lightly and he responded on a rope. I arrowed him. The point is, blind calling in pressured areas or areas with an unbalanced herd, does not allow you to read the deer and his responses to the calling. I think in my area, blind calling does alot more damage than not calling at all.

[rybohunter]

I am not afraid to blind call at all. I firmly believe that I have called in several bucks(some killed, some passed on) from blind calling. I have also had times where I called to one buck, and another one came in from a different direction that I did not know was there.

[Paul L Mohr]

Probably depends on where your at and how the deer react in your area. Me personally, I have never called in a deer with a call. I have even used them with deer near me, and it has no effect on them. Does not scare them off, they simply have no reaction to it.

Also when I am hunting I rarely if ever hear deer make noise, which would make sense why calling doesn't work for me. I have never the noises my calls make in the wild. Maybe I live in an area with Ninja deer or something, but they just are not that vocal when I am hunting.

I have had luck with a rattle bag though, but have never been able to get one close enough to actually to actually shoot with a bow.

Paul

[BPBowhunter]

I'm not really sure about the educating a deer theory, but I have blind called before with a grunt tube and had good sucsess. Actually in 2005 with our season coming to an end, I blind called (grunting)and shot the best buck I've taken with a bow. I think alot has to do with the time of year and the attitude of the deer if that makes sense. Here is a picture of my sucsess story of blind calling .

[PreacherTony]

I can't get calls to work for squat!!! [>:]