Using the grunt call
 

I want to get some opions using the grunt call. I have been using one for years (if you can call it that). I personally haven't had much success with one. Yes I've had head turns and the occasional one come in, but those have been ones for practice not to shoot. I do hunt spots that get crazy with deer and I think that contributes to the lack of success. Those who are successful with them what are your secrets?

RE: Using the grunt call
 

I have a grunt tube and need to know how to use it with antlers.

thanks

RE: Using the grunt call
 

Honestly, I've had only limited success with mine. I usually will only use it if a deer is visible, and want to draw them towards my stand. I'd like to know too if there's a secret I'm missing, heck I mostly use mine to stop a moving deer.

Gordon

RE: Using the grunt call
 

I am not sure what the buck to doe ratio is in your area, but there are a lot of does for every buck where I hunt, I have found I can get a bucks attention a whole lot easier with doe bleats. Of course if you think about it, when you were a young buck would you rather fight someone or hook up with a girl?;)

RE: Using the grunt call
 

Tazman hit it right on the head. The buck:doe ratio has a lot to do with how effective a grunt call is. In the vast majority of places throughout the country I feel that the ratio is a bit biased on the doe side, which in itself will make grunting less effective. Then you add in the hunting pressure in your area, how many other guys are out there filling the woods with grunts, and there you have it.

I feel that grunting most effective on 1 1/2 year old bucks, and mature deer that are 4 1/2 years and older. The little guys are just dumb and don't know any better, and the big boys - when you can get them to come in without circling downwind - are defending their territory. Of course most of us pass on the small guys and the big boys are hard to fool, so when we're not seeing those 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 year old deer come into our calls all the time we automatically deem them ineffective. I feel the trick to using the grunt call can be the same as using rattling antlers - make sure the deer can't circle downwind! Personally, I try to only use the call when I can physically see the deer I'm grunting at. I have never had much luck with "cold-calling", and have scared away several decent bucks that I never even saw.

As Tazman said, try a doe bleat. I've had very good success at bringing in some nice bucks with a bleat during the rut and pre-rut. The thing that lead convinced me to try bleating was watching a mature buck not pay any attention whatsoever to my grunt calls and eventually go into a patch of woods about 200 yards from my stand. 10 minutes later a doe and two fawns came by and got spooked by my buck decoy. When that happend the doe snorted at the decoy once and ran off about 50 yards. The fawns immediately bleated a few times and went to follow their mom. No more than a minute later, that same buck emerged back from his woodlot and headed straight for where he heard those does. Of course I ended up shooting right under his belly, but that's a different story for a different time. ;)

RE: Using the grunt call
 

I have tried to do the rattling thing, it dosen't work for me, I think the buck to doe ratio is a little high, so maybe that has something to do with it, Now, using a grunt has worked very well, I have brought in bucks from 200+ yrds away, I call two or three times in a row and then I hold off for about 10 minutes, then do it again. I have also had good luck with a doe bleat, with that I am a little more aggressive, Seems to get the bucks really worked up.

RE: Using the grunt call
 

Next to my bow the grunt call is the most important item I take to the stand with me. They do seem to work best on the young bucks, but I have also taken several very nice deer with one, not to mention the big ones that it almost worked on. I seldom blind call any more as I believe they do get call wise. The first year I used one I called 22 bucks into bow range. That number has dropped off dramatically, but it still works on occassion. I personally believe in less aggresive calling and only calling to deer I can see and then judging their response. Its like a lot of things, it doen't work all the time but when it does it is magical. Deer hunting w/o a grunt call is like duck hunting w/o a duck call. You can have success both ways but the call WILL greatly increase your odds.

RE: Using the grunt call
 

I will second that k/w. I have had so much success using my grunt call that i fill lost in the woods without It! And yes it does not always work thats a fact! but there were times that i would not have scored if i had not of use it!

RE: Using the grunt call
 

I use a bow grunter and could probably live without it. It's not very effictive for blindly calling in deer in my area. That has a lot to do with a poor buck/doe ratio. The only instances where I feel I get an advantage from it is if I use it to stop a deer with in sight. It will stop deer.

I think we watch to many high fence shows where the guy grunts and 7 mature deer come running. It's just not very realistic in my neck of the woods anyways.

RE: Using the grunt call
 

In 40 years of hunting in PA, I have never had a buck really respond to a grunt call or to antlers. I think the buck-doe ratio is the reason. In 2 years of hunting in Saskatchewan, I had 12 bucks react or come into the antlers. What does work in PA (ocassionally) is a fawn bleat. When the doe is with the buck in the peak of the rut, she will leave her fawns alone. When she hears a fawn distress call (or anything remotely close to this) she will come tearing back to protect her little ones. Sometimes the buck will follow...

RE: Using the grunt call
 

I've tried grunting at many different aged bucks, but they all just seem to look my way and continue on the course that they were headed.[&o]

RE: Using the grunt call
 

Calls for me are used mostly when I have a visual on the animal. Success on drawing them into range varies IME. No doubt it gets their intention if they hear it and thus being used as shot stopping aid especially for the bow hunter is a very practical usage point. Experimenting with blind calling has been not very productive for me, unless I am rattling(which is the main attractant). Rattling is one of my favorite technique but what it has taught me is a deer will at all costs use it's nose first before any other sense, which means they try and get downwind of the noisemaker. As we all know when this happens it can go either way but quiet often a flag waving BYEBYE is the result. Rattling is all about location, setting up where a deer is required come in the wide open or has the ability to travel freely around the distrubance will be counter productive in most cases. I will only rattle in deep transition areas as close to his bedroom as possible with little to no need/way for the buck to circle my ranch before giving me a look. I look for natural funnels and all the other signs that point to a mature deer's hang out. If a deer feels comfortable then you will have better success no matter what technique you employ. When rattling I start off with a contact or tending grunt, in 10-15 minutes I begin by raking trees, pawing the ground and little hook up of the horns which last 30 sec. Wait 20-30 min and begin the process again , this time I bring up the intensity, tone and duration. I keep doing this until I reach my max. level of 60 sec per rattling sequence. I will only rattle in one spot for 2-3 hours and pick the mid day time frame during the rut. Instead of smashing the horns I tickle and grind them, more of a twisting action. Since adopting this approach my rattled in buck success has increased 10 folds. Wind direction should always be factored into play.

I agree each area is different and the buck to doe ratio will or can impact how deer respond to calling. My only hard fast rule to calling is don't over do it, keep them calls spaced out 15-30 mins a part and stick to one tone each time. To me their is one constant a solid set up to begin with, you pick an area that the deer calls home and you'll be much more successful no matter what you may or may not do to entice him.

RE: Using the grunt call
 

I have only been able to draw in does with a grunt tube where I hunt on public. The buck to doe is way off there - way to many does.