I haven't used any scent this year and I've been calling sparringly. I haven't had the chance to call to a buck that I've spotted, but I've blind called about 5 times and had it work 3 of those times. One of those times was with the can call and I got a 10 pointer to come in. Busted g-3 so I passed. The other 2 times I used my grunt call and had a couple of 1 1/2s and a 2 1/2 come in. Other than that........ nothing! [&o]
How about you guys?
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So there I was, Nov 12th 1996, flying down the highway, smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee, windows down for scent control.
I don't usually blind call much, but I tried Friday night. I gave three quick turns on the can, and a few soft grunts. Brought in a 6 I've been eyeing, but he didn't come around...he stayed behind me the whole time. It's down to the last week here, so all bets are off. I will be trying a little of everything, so we will see. I don't use scents so I can't comment on that.
I called a couple of fawns In with the can one evening!![8D][8D] Other then that nope!
Whats with all of the busted up racks In your area??? That much fighting going on?
Yes there is. For some reason I can hardly buy a doe (only seen 3 so far!) So there is a lot of competition for them. I can't explain the lack of does. Possibly, the adjacent land owner is knocking them off with ag tags!!??
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So there I was, Nov 12th 1996, flying down the highway, smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee, windows down for scent control.
I have had no positive responses to calls - as usual - this year, but rattling is treating me well. I rattled in two 3.5+ year old bucks out of about 10-12 attempts this season (and one button buck[&:]). Both bucks smelled me as the wind was swirling just too much (it wasnt when I picked up the horns!). It must be the buck:doe ratio being good around here, but the last few years have been exceptional for me with rattling antlers. The only call I have ever had decent luck with is a short/wheeze - if the buck's dominant - but I still carry a grunt tube.
I had a fine 8pt 50 yards away Friday morning. I grunted sparringly and he came out in the field looking. He then started trashing some briars. He then started walking away. I then hit a grunt again. He came back and got 40 yards from me. I hit it again barely this time. He walked past me at what I thought was 30 yards. I ranged a tree before he got to it, and it was 29 yards, but shot and in all actuallity it was 35 yards. My depth perception sucks these days. I didn't realize how far he was from the tree. Anyway, clean miss. This happened Friday. The big boys are responding to grunts.
Never have ha any luck with calls until last night.I had a doe come thru with a 6 point right on her tail. I gave my can call a couple of turns, and he stopped in his tracks,[8D]but he didnt want to come in, so I grunted on my grunt tube a couple of times, and still nothing. I then snort wheezed at him, and that is all it took.He came in with his ears lad back, and walking stiff legged. Too bad when I took the shot at about 25 yards, I missed him completely.[:@]
__________________ Captain of Team 13, Natural Bone Killers
Nope. I have even seen some light hearted chasing and the bucks did not respond. I even had 3 smaller bucks up on an oak flat scent checking where a doe just ran past and called to them softly. They looked up and then got back to smelling and eating. I tried young buck grunts and saw doe bleats...they didn't even budge.
I don't blind call much either. In reality, I haven't called much to deer over the last few years. Probably due to lack of response, so I figured it one less thing I need to carry.
Anyway... Last Saturday, I rattled in a one horned two pointer. He came in skittish and hung up aboout 40 yards away in the thicket. I gave him one grunt and he came the rest of the way. I grunted in two bucks later that afternoon. Both deer eneded upwithin 20 yards. Neither was coming in until I grunted, then they changed direction. Fast forward to this past Wednesday. I had decent buck cruise past me and give me the slip. He's going out of sight into the brush. I grab the grunt tube and hit it once very softly since I knew he was well within earshot. He immediately stops and I assume he was looking back my way since all I can see is his hind end while I'm busy hiding. A few seconds pass and he can't locate the deer, so he decides to keep going into the thicket. He takes a couple steps and I hit him with two more light grunts. He stops, then gives a loud exhale, turns and comes right back in kinda bristled up. He steps into the shooting lane and I let him have it.
IMO, I think I just caught the deer over the last few days at a point in the season where they were more receptive to calling.
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Visibly shaken but never stirred...
Any luck with calls?
as the wind was swirling just too much (it wasnt when I picked up the horns!). It must be the buck:doe ratio being good around here, but the last few years have been exceptional for me with rattling antlers. The only call I have ever had decent luck with is a short/wheeze - if the buck's dominant - but I still carry a grunt tube.
