Being relativetly new, 4 real seasons, to whitetail hunting I think your right.

I've tried calls, rattles and scents. tried a lot, little success.

I have rattled 3 bucks , all but one got downwind and never presented a shot.

I've had success with the doe bleat can call when I see deer, most success is on does anytime of the year and on some bucks in the chasing phase of the rut.

I've found better luck with just doing your homework, scenting out properly, gettting to my stand undetected and just being quiet. Let the deer make the first move. Now I hunt in NE Indiana and its pretty dense in the cover department. Maybe deer came to calls and I didn't see them, but I feel its better to let the deer make the first move.

I am leaning that in turkey hunting also. Seems the more you call to that old Tom the less likely he is to come close.

I've had guys tell me how well the snort, snort , wheeze works. I tried it on two bucks this year, the one started shaking looked everywhere and nervously walked away. The other looked my way and just walked off.