DeadlyRifle

I am new to archery and this year coming will be my second season. I really never used a grunt call in rifle considering my family and I drive hunt. Now I have to use the grunt call for archery. What grunt patterns are the most successful? I read the pattern recommended on the call paper, but does it really work?

skeeter 7MM

Welcome deadly[8D]

Where does it say you need a grunt call or tube for archery? To be 100% honest I have had low success when blind calling with a grunt tube. I use my grunt tube for visuals(seeing game), as a stopping aide for a shot opp. and in conjunction with rattling during pre rut, rut and early post rut. During archery season I use a contact grunt style only, meaning I see or hear an animal I may let out a quite grunt to envoke curiosity. If early pre-rut is on I will use the same contact style grunting & as well a sparring grunt when lightly rattling. Late pre rut and rut I will use the gammit (contact, tending, agressive, etc). Again with visual or in conjunction with rattling sequences.

To stop an animal a whistle will work if in ear shot or a rustle in the leaves. Although a grunt is more natural, either will draw attention to your position. Thus i don' t really believe in the luring affect of a grunt call, unless I am simulating a fight, etc.

My experience has always been in archery prior to prerut I would rather be invisible. Use the call to create an opportunity when I have no other choice, sort to speak. I much rather prefer the use of bleats or fawn bawls as a source for blind calling, but still refer to above answer about being invisible.

Number one mistake is over calling and not calling enough....it is a fine line. During rut every 15-20 minutes I am on the horn, other than that I just sit a be quite. Only using the call when visual contact is their or I trip and fall on a stalk or the walk to my spot[]...as a cover up to my presence.

I do carry a grunt tube and advocate others to as well, provided they know how to use it, when to use and it isn' t magic. So don' t expect a toot on the call and monster to come looking!!!!! My advise to anybody new to calling is research the different sounds a deer makes and use it as a visual in the contact grunt style. This way you will see how the game reacts and know what to expect. Also be realistic in your expectations and for gosh sakes make sure you don' t believe the marketing info in ads, books and videos. Get realtime information from hunters and your own field experience.

Good luck

Cheers[8D]

J Pike

Deadly, I think my grunt tube and rattlin horns are the single most important things I carry in the woods other than my bow!! I have harvested 7 bucks by grunting or rattling them in. I have also grunted in a countless amount of small bucks that were not shooters. I have been using the " True Talker" grunt tube made by H. S. for a number of years now. The most important thing you can do is practice with it so when the time comes to use it you know exactly where to push to make the call you want. A grunt tube is most effective when you see a buck first but is out of range, but it will also bring in bucks when you are " Blind calling " When blind calling I like to make 3 different types of calls every 20 minutes or so, along with a 30 second rattling sequence. Two different grunts and a doe or fawn bleat. If you see a buck that is out of range and it is an inmature buck, start off with a less aggressive grunt. If its a mature buck start off with a deeper louder grunt, watch their body language, they will always acknowledge that they herd it. They might not come in but they will always let you know they heard it! If the buck is not interested in a grunt go to the doe bleat, then the fawn bleat, then a snort wheez. When he starts to come in SHUT UP!! A mature buck will usualy circle down wind before comming in, and will usualy stop just out of range, this is the most criticle time!! I call it the " whoever speaks first loses period!. when this happens stay still and quiet, let him make the first move, even if it takes 20 minutes, he will either continue to come or lose interest and start to turn and go back the other way. Make sure he is leaving before you start grunting again, he might just be trying to get down wind. When he starts comming again, shut up again and let him come as far on his own again. Remember, when you call them they know the exact spot the noise is comming from, and were the deer making the noise should be standing that is making the noise. I found that most mature bucks will hold up just out of range and a decoy will greatly increase my chances of getting the buck the extra 10 yards needed for a shot. smaller bucks will usually come right in and stand right under your tree and look around in frustration because he knows were the deer that made the noise should be standing but cant see it. Also grunt tubes work well all season, but early in the season stay away from aggressive calling as the rut gets closer, then get more aggressive. Hope this helps. Pike

DeadlyRifle

Thanx alot for the information i will surely use it in the upcoming archery season.

BowHuntingFool

Me too![:-]

hunthardhuntoften

I have heard it said that because of the over use of grunt calling it is conterproductive in some areas.Similar to the problem of deer looking up in trees because of low placed tree stands or hunters who don' t conceal their self well.The best luck i have had is calling in bucks i haven' t seen and putting the call down once they are in veiw.I have had many bucks leave because i was not patient enough[]Whitetail deer have the patience of job.Get a grunting video and practice at home,the deer will attend a recital but usually just to see where we are[:@]good luck and welcome to the world of archery where every day is opening day.

whitetails & muskies

I' ve grunted what you could call " blindly" I guess, and never brought anything in to speak of. If a buck is spotted though, they defintley do the trick. This past bow season I had a doe come browsing through and walked right under my tree. About 30 yards behind me I " thought" I saw a decent sized deer sneaking behind me, then I saw the very tip of a rack. Finally the doe walked in front of me behind a pine and I took out my " can" and tipped it with two long bleats and a short one, and immediatley followed it with two grunts. I didn' t even finish the last grunt and he started coming pretty fast. He stopped behind me and made a very small and quick scrape, then rubbed a tree a little and came a bit further and stood directly under me (...what a rush). A couple more yards and I had a small window to shoot through a pine and I hit him a bit high and dumped him in his tracks!!! Not a real big rack, but a 10 point with a little palmation and the hint of a few kickers...nice character.


During the rifle season in November on opening morning, I had a fairly young 8 point about 150+ yards out in a fresh cut sniffing around a doe. I figured I was going to pass him, but wasn' t sure so I gave two grunts....nothing. Gave him a good loud one and he locked up in his tracks...a couple short ones and he came running like he was on a rope. This guy keyed in on me and came through the clear cut and jumped a big fallen tree, breaking through ice, and trotting right towards me. I decided that I wasn' t going to take him when he stopped about 40 yards away looking back and forth....one real soft grunt and he ducked under a fallen tree and again broke through some ice and when he got about 15 yards he stopped and realized he was busted!!! He looked up to me and wheeled around and worked his was back to the doe he was originally " courting" .

Got a little long winded I guess, but the point is....grunt calls work!

Rickmur

Check out TR' s Tips forum.