Very interesting post....I guess perhaps I take it for granted that during the rut hearing a buck grunt around here isn't all that usual. I would have to agree that I hear does and fawns bleat much more often than bucks but again around here I would call it common. I will say that I have only heard one snort wheeze in all my years of bow hunting and that was this fall. Needless to say I was ecstatic!
I do think there is something to hunting pressure being a factor in how vocal a buck is. On some of the public ground if you hit it on the right day and in the right spot it sounds like a kazoo convention. Over time I believe the bucks catch on. They certainly aren't any dumber than an elk. Those of you who hunt elk know how they can become call shy in a lot of areas from unpleasant experiences after coming to the call.
On the other hand nothing works 100 percent of the time. At times I have had them undoubtedly come to the call and/or horns. On the other hand I have udoubtedly ran some off. I would agree that calling has become over rated. But I find myself thinking like the guy on 'Dumb and Dumber' who asked the pretty girl what the chances were that she would go out with him. If you recall her reply was "one in a million". My reaction (and the reason I always carry and use a call) is the same one he gave to her disappointing repy, "So your telling me there's a chance"..... <img src=icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle>