Our archery season is October 4th. I know thats pretty close to, but not close enough for pre-rut.

What works early in the season, bleats? Grunts?

Come Oct. 4 I wont be using any calls... as a matter of fact, Im not planning onusing any calls this year, I just dont see the purpose.

I heard the fawn bleat will be the only thing that will have any affect until mid November. I will use a grunt and can bleat. They have always worked for me.

Could be my lack of skill, I used a fawn bleat/distress all last year... nothing, not even when I had does in sight. they didnt care.

depends on their mood. It will not hurt to call as they are vocal all year round. Just not as aggresive until the rut starts. That will be sometime in Nov. depending on where you are located. Call softly and sparingly in the early season and it may work, if not no harm done, as far as I see it.

doe bleat. up until the rut. studies have shown that does are actually less vocal during the rut instead usingscent and bodu posture to show when they are ready. there was and article in deer and deer hunting i believe that elaborated on this using doe bleats. i have even used the in sucess during the early season. some times it happens fast and sometimes not. but its kinda like turkey hunting. your not actually trying to call them in just letting them know your there. Curiosity killed the cat!

I must not be a good caller, because every time I try to do the fawn distress, I scare the does, instead of making them run to me.[&:]

We start our season about September 12th...I've had luck the first week or two with the fawn distress call but I prefer a doe bleat, mine is a Lohmann...Keep it short and fairly quiet, all she is doing is keeping up with the young...

By the first week in October, I have grunted bucks up, but not the agressive grunting just a short "bleat" grunt...Now...I have tried several different grunt tubes and I think most are too deep sounding...I use the one made by Woods Wise, I think its called Buck-n-Doe...It has both a buck and a doe bleat cartridge...I bought mine years ago and have 2 in reserve, still in the pack as backup...
I don't even know if these guys are still in business...

In PA, I've grunted in bucks from the begining of the season to the end of the season. Contact grunts work year around if they are interested. Couple that with contact bleats in early season. I will NEVER enter a woods for the purpose of hunting without a grunt call.

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