RE: Deer Calling
I highly doubt that calling in your situation is a must. i think calling too much is going to not help you, as you could educate the deer so to speak. I really think too many people go out in the woods with a can call because they see it on TV and just start turn the thing over until their wrists fall off. the buck probably didn't come because he pinpointed you. If you are grunting blindly and get a buck to come into viewing range, its really more a feel him out type of thing. some deer are going to be shy and run when you grunt again. If he's looking right at you, i think it could be a problem calling again as he'd see where you are. However, if you just shut up all the time when theres a buck around, they might start to figure out that something ain't right. i think you gotta feel them out. try and see if he's aggressive and just give a real quiet soft grunt. just get a reaction out of him. If you are rifle hunting, it shouldn't be too hard to pull him to within a couple hundred yards. Calling to the running deer with a can call probably isn't a good idea. Usually, i use it sparingly. i would use it if i saw a buck cruising for does, or a buck alone. i woudlnt use the thing to call blindly unless it was during the rut and the bucks were cruising the area. you dont want to call at everything that moves. you'll get the deer "educated". For my whitetail calling, i use an HS True Talker. Best grunt call on the market period. I can go from old buck to young buck to doe to fawn with the movement of my finger. I really dont call to deer a whole lot when they're in range or i know they're coming into range. If i need to stop them for a shot, i give a whistle or use my K&H soft grunter inhale call that fits in the corner of your mouth.
As far as rattling, i like to call everything 30 minutes to 45 minutes, and mix it up. i start off softly and gradually move to a more banging around action with the antlers. I use a set of 140 class antlers that my dad sawed off a buck he found dead after season 7 or 8 years ago. they give a very realistic sound, but are cumbersome. When im running and gunning and traveling light, i'll somtimes leave them behind and in their place i take my HS rattle bag. fits in a pouch in my day pack and works almost as well the real things. i prefer the real ones when possible, just out of a personal preferences. i dont think the deer mind a whole lot.
If the deer are holing up, i guess i'd try to sneak in and hunt them there. Sometimes you gotta be aggressive. I dont think calling at them blindly is going to be the answer.
slayer