Do can calls work?
 

So I have on the can calls that says it's the original style. I used it last year and the first time I used it I though it was great. Within 45 minutes of being in the stand I had a 8 point buck come out around 135 yards from me. This was during black powder season. I tried it a few times hoping to get him to come in closer but he never seemed to pay it any attention so I just shot him at 135 yards. I thought this thing was great. However, I tried it several more times throughout the year. I did have a coyote come in once but never saw another deer while using it.

Then this year I tried it on the opening day of BP season and never saw any deer while in my stand. A couple guys about 400 yard away from me had a grunt call and had a buck come in.

Should I keep using this thing or is it doing me more harm than good? If you do use these with luck how do you do it? Do you just do it once and wait and hour or two or do you do it several times in a row or what? Is there some method I should be using?

keep using it..it is not the magic cure-all when it comes to big bucks..and you can"t expect a buck to come running in everytime you use it..but it does work..just ask my 144 eight point i shot with my muzzleloader while using it

I havn't had much luck with it. I used it last week as it was geting dark to see if i could get any reaction before i came down in a little while. As soon as i used it a doe
jumped and took off that was 35 yards away that i didn't see. argggh. I 'm ready to pitch it at the wall after that . From now on i'm just going to go silent instead

That's what I'm wondering. I'm tempted to not use it the next few times and see if I see anything. Then again I hate to not use it if they do work. Seems like I hardly ever see any deer while hunting in a stand while others will go the same days and see quite a few. Like the example of the guy that went about 400 yards from me and saw one. He seems to see ones maybe not every time he goes but every couple of times. There are quite a few others like this that I hunt with that seem to kill one every couple times. Where as me I will go 10-15 times and maybe see 1 deer.

I have personally had success with the can call on a few seperate occasions. Brought in a nice 8 pointer from about 100 yards across the field. Doesn't always work though. I have seen a few other nice bucks from that same stand in the same scenario and hit that can call like my life depended on it, and I got nothing out of it.

Just like with any call they are not going to work 100% of the time. But I always have a can with me during the rut.

I have called in a number bucks with the can.

Just something I learned a while back if your using the Doe-In-Heat can. Don't let the call go full Blahh. Only do half blahh and do it 3 to 4 times in a row one right after another and stop for 10-15 minutes. The full blahh is a alarm that deer use. Thats probably why that Doe got up and ran off. The short blahh is a Doe in heat calling for a buck to let them know they are ready. You need to use it with a good scent like Buck Bomb or Tinks #69 or Code Blue. Without the scent the can is really useless and can do more harm than good. However I have had other Doe come in without the scent. You may want to Grunt softly in between the can. If there is a dominet buck in ear shot that may trigger him to come in and investigate. Really the best time you can expect these things to work is during peek rut when the bucks are in seek & chase mode. You can still foul one to come in during pre- rut but from my experience that don't happen as often and you'll get frustrated real quick. Remember these are social calls and they need to be done softly. If you think your not loud enough for the deer to hear it, your probably to loud already. You would be suprised as to how far a deer can hear. Also the best time is just before first light. You need to be on stand before it gets light and you should do it as soon as you settle into your stand. If you spooked any deer on your way to your stand this will calm them to some degree. I like to take a scent "your choice" and on my way to my stand spray a scent trail all the way to my stand. Just the scent alone will calm the deer if they hear you and believe me they hear you and if your scent is coved up good at least they won't be on alert and take off. Once they take off MOST of the time it's for good and your day is blown.

Try this it just may help especially once you get better at it. You'll know when you do.

You have to remember... Deer have to be close for them to hear the call.

My brother brought in a nice buck with a can last year

A call is a great tool to have with you.
I've called deer in with anything from subtle little "blehh"" sounds, to full bore "BLAAAHHHHH!" sounds.

The "bleh" early or late seems to work best.
I think they kinda use it like a bobwhites' little "boip" chirp.
Like a locator to keep tabs on each other. Reasurrance.

The "BLAAAHHHHH!"(think screaming goat) is, If I shoot a deer out of a group near me.
Many times (if not most times), after the initial scatter, several will circle back to see about their missing "bellowing" comrade.
It sounds hokey, but I swear it has worked too many times.
They most likely would check up anyway, but I feel the call speeds up the process.

they work. deer are picky sometimes as to what they want to hear. use it with other calls like grunts and rattles to add that much more realism to your setup... i have food luck like that