Have you ever experimented with the grunt/snort/weeze call sequence?

What effect did it have on the animal?

I have at times contemplated trying to use the call in an attempt to bring a couple good bucks that were out of range into my effective range. Although I always second guessed the effectiveness of the call as a "lure" due to the aggressive nature in which a buck uses it. Last thing I wanted to see was the white flag bounding away after such an aggressive natured call.

So, what has your experience been with the call sequence?

Just my opinion but while deer hunting most times I only speak when I am spoken to. If I hear a grunt or bleat than I will give a soft one back. If I see an aggressive Buck, following or chaseing a doe than I will try some calls or hit my ratteling bag. A 10 point came thru chasing a hot doe last season all in a instant, I couldn,t get ready to shoot, it all happened so quick. Once they ran past I hit my rattle bag and he stoped on a dime a charged right back into my set up looking hard for the intruder. I passed on the shot and he turned around after the doe again. Just to see what would happen I hit the bag again but he never looked back. Try things and find out what works for you. 95 percent of the time for me I,m silent.

I agree with MoTown--I don't like to speak unless spoken to. However, I have used a bleat to bring in quite a few bucks, but that was during rut.

I'm always afraid that if I use to aggresive a call, or make too much noise--it will spook the deer--and I usually only see about 10 deer per season, so I have to make sure I do everything possible to not spook any of the ones I'm lucky enough to see!

I've only used it a few times and never had much success with it. Although I have never spooked a deer with it, and the few times I have used it the buck I was using it on was on the trail of a doe. We all know there isn't much you can do to when a buck is trailing a doe during the rut, so I haven't lost all faith in the call. It has certainly perked up the buck's attention and even brought him a few steps toward my position, just not close enough for a shot.

Generally the snort/wheeze is reserved for only mature bucks that are within sight when you are using the call. An aggresive sound like that is almost sure to spook any young bucks, and I just can't see it being that effective using it as a blind call when no deer are around. It's definitely something that has it's place and given the right situation I think it can be a great call.

I am going to get one myself this year. On the hunting videos by Terry and Mark Drury they have had great luck using it. But I will try it this fall.

I have not killed a buck that I could attribute to the snort wheeze call. That being said I wouldn't quit using it for that reason. I use it most with a rattling sequence. It isn't something I would normally blind call with like I do a grunt call.

I wouldn't consider myself a "whitetail expert" but one's experiences can make a person think. How many snort wheezes have you observed in the woods in your lifetime? In all my years of hunting in a number of states and the countless hours I have spent in a tree either with a bow in my hand or behind the camera, I have only witnessed two that I could positively identify. That would seem to indicate to me that there isn't a lot of it going on (as compared to grunting, rubbing, scraping, etc.) for a means of communication. So I guess what I am trying to say is, I am not surprised that we don't have a long list of people attributing the killing of their buck to that snort wheeze call. I feel like it is one of those "right place right time" calls that could make a difference.

As far as it scaring off bucks I think one runs that risk anytime you make any type of sound or even move. I have experimented with the snort wheeze in the presence of little bucks that I let pass. While it obviously put them on alert, I can't recall any bounding away in terror.

Grunting, rattling, wheezing are all a kind of a gamble really. I rarely worry about scaring them away because of the noise (volume is adjusted according to the distance you are calling), I do however have concern about giving away my location. It is a trade off of sorts. You try to draw the deer to your location that are out of range and are not naturally going to pass by your stand in hopes that they don't pin point your location or circle down wind. Sometimes it works, sometimes it works against you.

The two times I saw the snort wheeze occur were educational for me. In each case it was a smallish buck that was doing the wheezing in the presence of another little buck and in neither case did it call in any other bucks that may have been cruising the area. Further, the little fellas that were the object of the intimidation did not run away in fear, but they did give the aggressor a wide berth.

I think it all depends on the number of deer and the buck to doe ratio in your area. Where I hunt, the bucks have plenty of does to chase after so I have never had any luck with any kind of calling. I have never really scared a buck off, they just look my way, maybe think about it but then keep going on their original course. My friend has called in one or two smaller bucks with a grunt but the big boys don't seem interested. I hunt in Howard and Carroll Counties in Maryland and anybody on this forum can probably verify that you literally trip over does in the woods here. I guess the bucks are smart. Why fight a guy for a doe when you can find a couple more behind the next tree?

I have had good success with grunts, bleats & rattleing but I have not used the wheeze calls. The other 3 work just fine for me!

i'll blind call on occasion. I figure, why not? I have called in a few deer and killed them this way. one was a nice eight that I rattled in , another was a doe I grunted in. I don't alot of results blind calling, but I do do it. I will call to a deer to try and get it to come my way, but I am by no means a pro.

I am not talking about blind calling, grunting, rattling or bleating. I think maybe a couple saw the word "grunt" in my threads title and took it as I was asking about grunting? Sorry for the mix up!


OK here is why I made this post....

I just keep thinking back to last year in late October on two consecutive hunts I had two different good mature bucks each skirt me at 55-65 yards. The first scenario was a real good buck. I had never saw him pre season and didn't get that great of a look at his rack that evening but he had great mass and tine length. I only had a profile view of him. There was a young 6 point 25 yards or so from my stand. Once the two deer realized the other they had a brief stare down with some aggressive posturing. After a minute or so the small buck took off with the mature buck in hot pursuit.

The next morning on another farm I swore this mature buck was making a beeline towards my stand, he got within 60 yards or so and stopped. He started rubbing and tearing some saplings up. After he got done shredding them and snapping a couple small ones in half he just wondered right past me at that same 60 or so yards.

With the aggression level they both showed I think that would have been "the right place and the right time" for that call.

I think the call has great potential as a late pre-rut call once you know a mature buck is going to pass outside your effective range.

What do you guys think Antler Eater, HNIJustin and anyone else experienced with this call?