Will grunting this early scare deer?
 

Hey guys. I am up in southern WI and I hunt a tree line between two huge soybean fields. Twice this past week I kicked up a dear walking the tree line on my way back to the car just after dark. I am wondering if using a grunt or a "call can" would help get them close faster or would it scare them off? If they are on their way in I dont want to spook them but I need them to get a move on.

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.

its possible it could scare them, but just the other day i was out in southern wisconsin and a group of 3 fawns and 2 does came it to the corn in front of me, the fawn was going crazy so the "tell it to stop" the doe made a grunt.... yes it grunted... pretty loud, so i dont think it would scare them but i dont think it would call them in as much, if anything a fawn distress call could help bring them in quicker, or scare them... thats the tricky part about early season is that what may attract deer may also scare them away...

hope that helps, i would probably not call, maybe if you arent seeing anything a fawn bleat.

Could work, could scare them. SOme deer are just very curious. My friend used a fawn in distress call last year while on his 4 wheeler to see what happened and they almost 2 huge does almost freight trained him they came running so fast. I think thats a good early call.

I've never been able to scare a deer away with a grunt call. I even played taps on a grunt call one time on some does just to see what they'd do. No responce. Grunt away.

Every place is different. What works in one area, might not work in another. It all depends on what mood the deer are in. If your not grunting now and your not getting anything to come by. It cant hurt to try.

I have had better success rattling in the early part of the season than grunting. Then again, I turned a buck running with others using a grunt call early in the season, he ended up in the freezer. I don't use it much during the early season because I am observing their patterns more than anything. As it gets closer to the rut, that's when I start grunting.

Seems like if it's a noise they are familiar with, they will often investigate is my experience.

I think what the others have said about different places/sitations having different results with calling is true. This is just a theory, but I think that if deer are being heavily pressured, then they tend to be quieter (except maybe during the rut), so may be more cautious about responding to grunts. Just a theory, though.

I dont think it will scare them because deer are social animals and that is part of how they communicate . I think they do it almost daily .

Move your stand closer to your car to catch them before dark. Better off not calling then basically letting the deer know something is not quite like normal.

Heck no!!!! I've shot so many deer with my bow BECAUSE of my grunt call. I get upset if I forget it and have went back for it in the past. Dont get carried away with it, but dont be scared to blow on it!

no need to call this early.. it won't draw them closer.. I suggest waiting til pre-rut.

I have drawn several doe in early using a fawn bleat with my True Talker. Tending grunts work great during the rut as I killed the buck in my avatar using the same TT grunt. And just a couple grunts when deer were within sight has brought many a doe and young buck within shooting range for me. That being said, IF you use a dominant buck grunt you may scare some smaller bucks away but, to me that is not an issue.

Out at 3D coarse today and came upon a big buck laying down. Buck jumped to his feet and hammered down his feet and gave me a huge grunt like I have never heard before. He then hammered his feet again staring at me. I thought he was going to charge me. Then he turned and ran. I could hear him grunting for a good 2 minutes as he was getting farther away. It was very interesting experiance I must say.

Deer grunt all year, it won't scare them unless they pick you off.

I've shot deer early October after they came in to my grunt call. They will respond more aggressively later in October and into November...but don't be afraid to use it.

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And your a guide? Pre-rut starts as soon as the bucks shed velvet. They break off from the bach groups, start making scrapes (communication scapes) to establish territory. They even spar and rub trees to strengthen neck muscle's. This is all pre-rut!

You just never know. I tend to be conservative and grunt when it looks like a deer is heading away and there will not be a shot opportunity. Sometimes they come in on a string and other times they just keep going.