How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

I ended up calling 2 deer in in 2 whole weeks of hunting. Deer calls seem for the most part useless in my opinion. What do you think?

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

I've had the best luck with a bleat can. This year alone I had a six pointer come out within 5minutes from the last time I tipped the can. That was the first week in November. Sunday morning at 6:53 I had a small 8pt. come into the can. I filled my buck tag with him on public land.
During the rut I always use the bleat can and I always draga scent line to my stand to make it more realistic. I SWEAR BY THE CAN. Three years ago I killed another 8pt. from the very same stand and probably the very same time. If you hit the bleat can right at the time you can see well enough to shoot, that seems to be the best time to pull one out of the brush.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

Calling blind and having a deer show up..... not much luck. Seeing a deer out of shooting distance and giving them a couple grunts or bleats......... very successful.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

You called in two deer in two weeks and you are complaining? That is two more deer than you would have seen otherwise. Blind calling is a shot in the dark but I have had it pay off many times. Calling to bring one in closer has also worked a ton for me. I wouldn't go hunting without my calls.

I have the same results as the two guys that posted above me. Love my calls...

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

called in and took 2 nice 8 points in 1 day this year. my fiances very first deer ever, and a very nice buck to boot, and a decent 8 point for me.
my fiances first deer
my buck

so yea i love my calls. never go in the deer woods without them

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

I have only called one deer in with a call, and I have been using calls for 2 years now and only 1 deer respond. Not too good. Maybe its just me?

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

Just about every time. I only use them during the peak of the rut though.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

It sounds like it could be. There are DVDs to teach you how to call. If you call too loud you will scare the deer. Too softly and they won't hear it. It is a bit of a balancing act but well worth the trouble. For me, deer hunting would be much less fun and productive without using calls.

Blind calling I go sometimes weeks without any success. It takes the deer being around to hear it. Where you can really see it working is when you see a buck a long ways off and call to him which he appears to ignore. He then disappears then shows up at your stand 20 minutes later. Calling is much more fun when you see your target and adjust accordingly.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

When I first started hunting, I called in maybe 3 deer in 5 years. Always during the rut, and my biggest whitetail buck was one of them.

The I bought a "deer flute" grunt call, and my success rate in calling in deer went waaaaay up. I called in probably a dozen of them this bow season alone, but I guess they're getting used to it because now that the rut is on, they don't seem to even hear or care about the call. Last year, I called in deer off and on nearly all season long, and the season before that was the same, and the season before that, and so on.

I've had a bleat can work before, but after I called in a mountain lion with one in SD, I get nervous when I use it now[8D].

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

The very first time I used the primos bleat can this year ..the biggest buck I've ever seen while hunting (9 point) came in about 85 yards away from me..didnt come in closer than that..I was on a logging road and I think he was looking for the doe making the sound...that made me a believer..


anyways..since we are pretty much in the post rut here, will the estrous bleat cans still work? if so how may tips would you give it per session? 2 maybe 3? then wait 30 mins or so and repeat? I am going out tomorrow and debating on taking it with me..

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

During the rut I use a bleat. Works very well.
Out of the rut I rattle, works better then for me. Maybe it's just random luck who knows.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

I have not had much luck with them.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

Hello folks,
In my experience calling has only produced for me during the peak of the rut, during this time it works extremely well. I stick to a bleat can for exciting does in a group, or a primos grunter to excite a buck in his core territory. Recently while hunting a rub line I grunted in short bursts for maybe 4 to 6 times, every 15 minutes. This pattern produced a good 10 point that scored 151 7/8, he took me by surprise when he appeared out of no where 30 yards from my lean to from out of a draw, keep you head on a swivel.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

Call in mostly luck and less skill but I've almost always called deer in close enough to at least see....

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

I find that rattling doesn't work so well up in my area. As it appears to go by how many deer are here. WhenI am in a different area farther down in southern Maine I find them to work great. Whether i am grunting or rattling it appears to go by that rule of thumb. How many deer are in the area. I once showed my brother who was in the southern part of the state how the grunt will work. This was after he told me they didn't. We walked from his place just down the road a short ways where it was no hunting. I showed him how to grunt them in. We was standing on the side of the road looking at them at the edge of a field andI started grunting. They came within bow range from us before they stopped. he couldn't believe it. So yes during the right time of year depending on deer numbers in the area they do and will work for you.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

only had deer show up a few times during the 2 hot weeks in november and usually only dinkers or scrubbies. ive seen deer run from the can call too. ive calmed deer down with a grunt call . mixed results in general but always goes out to the stand with me.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

I find you have to use grunts at the right time. During prerut, and rut, they work great on dominent bucks. But can run off a 4pt.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

i've been watching some hunting videos here lately and i've seen a lot of the same calls being used .. Primos make both of the calls .. one is the Buck Roar and it's two calls in one, a grunt and a wheeze .. and they were using this call during the rut and it seemed to really work! the other is called The Long Can .. and it's a long doe bleat and they said that's great for the post rut because it will really attract bucks that are still looking to bread. i ordered both today so i can't wait for them to get here so i can have them ready for next year!

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

You are kidding right? You must be one helluva caller.

I'd put my calling success at the other end of the spectrum. I've killed deer that way for sure, but it isn't the norm. It works just well enough for me to keep carrying the call, but I've had no where near the success that Rory speaks of.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

Calls can definately work, but it takes the right deer on the right day. I think many people overestimate how far away a deer can hear you call. A deer that is on the move crunching through leaves at 60 yds will often take many grunts before he will even hear it. For this reason I find the can to be worthless. I'm sure some people have experienced some level of success with it, but I have trouble getting deer to hear it , even when they arent that far away. It is just seldom calm enough in the woods I hunt for the sound to carry very far. I also believe that the average blind caller scares more deer away than he calls in. Many deer and most mature deer will go downwind of the caller before coming to check it out. The caller will most often never know the deer was there. Many people who sit and call the entire hunt will claim every deer they see is because of their calling. If that was the case then they set up in a pretty poor spot. My opinion is many of the deer people claim to have called in were simply traveling through and never heard the call. Don't get me wrong, calls can definately work , especielly if you enjoy a good buck to doe ratio , I just don't think they work as often as some people claim.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

I have not had much luck with any type of call here in upstate NY. I have had buck come within visual sight while bow hunting and have tried grunt calls. Most times they dont even look and go about their way. I have had better response with the Can type calls. It has at least had the deer stop and look in the direction that the sound is coming from. However, I have some friends that hunt not that far from where I do and have alot of luck with them. I guess I havent had the right buck in the right state of mind come by me yet. I still carry both, especially when bow hunting because you never know!
MIKE

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

I have only called in 1 buck with a doe bleat over the years, but still keep trying. I have tried grunting after I have scared up a deer, but they always circle downwind and bust me. I am thinking of a new still-hunting tactic by grunting if I scare one up.. then tossing some doe scent where they will smell it before they smell me so I can get a shot. Anyone tried this?

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

when the CAN first came out i didn't think it would work,3 years ago i decided to use it . every day i had does coming by my stand in the morning . the first morning i used the CAN the does came right to me ,wondered around then left. the second day i let them walk by,but the 3rd day i called again ,here they came. they walked under the tree,but one of them turn around and took off up a ridge like she had winded me. i used the can and i saw them coming back. this time they brought buck in with them. that year it seemed to work almost every time .

but the last years it hasn't worked near as well . its like rattling,doesn't work everytime but sometimes its great.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

I started carrying a "grunt" call probably 20 years ago. I have very littel confidence in this device. I am leaning towards saying that a Grunter, at least for me,is more or less dead weight.Maybe 5-6 times in 20 years I have bucks react in a productive manner to a grunt call. I'd say 4X that number I have hada negative reaction.

I have heard many a time deer grunt .... pushing does and during sparing. I think I am doing a decent imatation. Few years back, I even recorded myself to hear what I sounded like. Sounded OK to me ???

Just this past weekend I had a monsterstep out in front of me crossing a 100 yard long skideer path then dissapear. I mean a 20" + wide , tall, heavy beamed stud !!! Looked to be a 5x5. I picked him up again because he was wearing out sapplings as he walked away from me down the path.I could see the tops waving. He wasworking scrapes and rubs, but i ha no clean shot and the angle was 100% "rear end". Three limbs of a pine had my shot blocked for about 50 yards. He was about to slip into the woods. So I decidedwhy not? I softly grunted 3-4 times, imatating tending grunts in hopes he would turn around and ease back towards me. Instead, he stopped momentarily, looked back in my direction andthen busted out of there like he was shot out of a cannon !!!

I had a soft, constant NW windinto my face andI was 20' off the gorund. My into the stand trail was 180 degrees from where he stepped out, utilizing a shallow creek to cover the last 100 yards or so of my tracks. I cannot imagine he had detected me other than the grunt.I have no clue why he busted so. But you can bet I was dissapointed. I spooked a stud and I am guessing he will "remember" that. I wish now Ihad just sat quietly and hoped he came back out later in the day or another day.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

only had it work one time in the last 2 years, but the buck i called in was such a dandy, i carry at least my grunt call every time i go.

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

Hey y'all. Is it possible that deer respond to calls more than we think, but most of the time they just circle downwind and smell ya? The ones I have scared up and then grunted at usually circle downwind then snort when they smell me. I am wondering if many of them that hear us grunt in the stand are quietly circling downwind. In some cases they may not have a route to circle downwind, and those are the ones that we sometimes get a shot at.

Obviously, the older/smarter they are the harder it is to call them in. The buck I called in was a 7 pointer and it was in the second rut.. so he made a mistake.

Any thoughts?

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: How often does a deer call actually work for you?
 

My last two bowkill bucks were both called in blind. One with a grunt/roar and the otherwith a rattlebag/grunt/wheezeand are my two biggest to date. I'd have to say with all the success I've had over the years with calls that I'm a firm believer in their effectiveness but that being said, there are tons of variables that affect the success whencalling. Time of year, phase of rut, deer population/B to D ratio, volume of call, type of call, how many times you've used said call, etc, etc, etc. A call used wrong will do more harm to the huntthan not calling at all.