Mashburn

My family never hunted, so therefore I never went out. A few weeks ago I was asked to go out and LOVED it. Didn't really see anything, but I enjoyed it. and the friends I was with killed a couple bucks.

anyhow I do not want to go to them sounding like a noob (make it simple I taught myself how to shave. if that tells you the relationship my father had with me). I was wondering what is some good things to know and do. I got some blue code estrus and a foxpro wildfire. but I will probably be turning the foxpro back because it only has 6 sounds for calls for whitetail......and to me that is not worth 300$ for just a few sounds.

I live in Georgia.

I am wondering..........
1. what is the time to make calls, and what is the most successful calls.
2. anyone have a good electronic sound? I like the idea of having 30 yards away from me, so that the deer are focused on that and not me.
- and if not electronic. then just any caller
3. does anyone use anything to lure the deer in. anyone use anything that is like applejuice or other fruits and etc.
4. any other tips you think might be helpful.

right now I am only hunting with a 30-30. but plan on getting a cross bow in the near future as my secondary. (I know I know it's cheating. but I suck at bringing a bow back. and later down the years I will transition to that.)


thank you.

oliveschoolhunter

I have never used a electronic call. Get your self a good grunt tube and a good bleet call the can calls are good for bleets. Right now where I'm at its gun season so all calling for me stops when the first gun goes off deer here are scared and running. If u can use bait where your at I use a corn pile with a bottle of vanilla extract just pour it all over it works great keeps deer close. If I was you I would get along a edge of thickest nastiest thicket you can find and hang a stand and wait. As far as the scents and all I use thinks 69 with great luck late Oct early Nov but once guns start going off only scent I worry about is my own. Wash ur clothes in scent free soap use a scent free or earth scent dryer sheet. Get a good bottle of scent free spray and spray down before going into the woods.

oliveschoolhunter

Also crossbows are not cheating if they are legal and you want to use one go for it. I may not know it all but I been hunting for 30 years and if I can help ya out in any way you can pm me to if you like. Thanks Mike.

oliveschoolhunter

Once gun season is over I will start hunting any food sources you can find but here in gun season your best bet is the thicketts

olsaltydog

I agree with above. I have never used an electronic caller but that's just because i can justify the money when a tube works the same but with a more manageable sequence. Doe bleat as well.
We are not allowed to bait on public land but on private you can. What we do is take any fruits left over when next grocery stop comes up or even fruit near bad. Take the fruit out place it on the ground and crush a couple of them to get the scent out. Do this with apples, pears, plums anything really since something out there is bound to eat each type and do the same thing with veggies. Also don't leave out natural fruits out there like crab apple trees and stuff or wild baking pears.

Calling is about the same as above. Once the pressure gets on i stay quiet because the deer catch on and get skittish around heavy usage areas of scents and sounds.

Mashburn

Thank you for all your help. I will stay close to the thickets. Reading through your first comment, I realized I should have not been making a call after the gun shots start going off.

is there ever a time that is to early to make a call?

oliveschoolhunter

Also a word of advise if your hunting act like it. Not being smart but your a new hunter so when going into your stand go SLOW watch and look at ground for sticks try to avoid them make the absolute least am mount of noise as you can getting into your stand. Then while in stand sit and be still I guarantee you if you move a lot or are just jittery the deer will see you before you see them. Make the least amount of movement as possible. I keep camp burlap around all my stand to keep movement seen by deer at a minimum it also helps I got 3 kids and usually 2 at a time in stand with me. Move your head very slowly if you have to RELIE ON MOVING YOUR EYES MORE THEN YOUR HEADto keep movement down. And always always always hunt downwind of where u think the deer are coming from. Can't say that enuff hunt the wind. You hear theese commercials forget the wind and hunt yeah right if you forget the wind you may as well stay on the couch. Hope some if this helps you out brother.

Mashburn

I'll do that. and maybe take the apples and crush them on a couple trees around me. thanks.

and then one for me to eat as well.

oliveschoolhunter

I'll make a grunt call every half hour or so and when I say call I mean grunt grunt grunt that's it no more for a half hour. And its never to early to call. I usually wait to rattle until pre rut which varies from area to area but here mid October I'll rattle some and early Nov thru mid Nov I'll do it even more. Calls don't always work but when they do its pretty amazing to see.

olsaltydog

Seasons wise - I don't call in early season Sept/ Early Oct. Only call will use is a fawn distress but wont recommend it for someone just learning.

Time of Day wise - I wont call until close to shooting light. If you call too early and a deer actually does come in and its still too dark to make a shot then you just misused an opportunity and possibly risked getting busted early before the day really began.

When it comes to gun sound for me its on a case by case basis. We have an actual range nearby so gunshots are pretty common let alone the Marines on base at the rifle ranges is pretty common. So depends on the direction the shots are coming from and the distance. Within a mile or mile and half nope wont call, if fairly distant then yeah will do it but far less and may only use it depending on if i see a deer and its behavior.