I have never experienced a grunt spooking a deer. I have had alot of luck with grunts over the past few years and would not hesitate to use one at any time of the year. The buck in my pic was grunted in. As long as you don't get too carried away. The only luck I have had with a "can" is bringing in some smaller bucks, not to say they don't work. That's just all I have called in so far.