Grunt-Snort-Wheeze ????

[blake]

Grunt-Snort-Wheeze???

How many of you have heard, or visually witnessed the grunt-snort-wheeze vocalization of a whitetail buck.

I am not talking about a series of grunts, or a single snort, or wheeze. I am talking about the sequence of the grunt-snort-wheeze used by a dominate whitetail buck.

I have actually seen this vocalization less than a dozen times while in the woods. Every one of these times this sound was made by a mature, large bodied, big racked buck with a hot doe in the immediate vicinity.

My theory is that this vocalization it is a warning to other bucks to stay away.

I have tried unsuccessfully to call bucks into range using this type of call many times with the following results:

The bucks in my area seem to be interested in the call only during the peak of rut. I have never had any success at using this call during the late muzzleloader season even though there a few does still in estrous.

For me using the Grunt-Snort-Wheeze call seems to work the best in or near brushy bedding areas.

I have witnessed the Grunt-Snort-Wheeze call scare immature bucks so bad that they immediately high tailed it out of the area.

Does appear to be very curious about this call, and have at times come directly in to investigate the source of the call paying no attention to the wind.

Every mature buck that has come to investigate the source of my Grunt-Snort-Wheeze calling has been dandy. They approach with ears laid back, hair bristled up, and a somewhat stiff legged walk. Unfortunately, they have all circled down wind and caught my scent before getting within bow range. I usually try to get some sort of physical barrier down wind of me i.e. deep ravine, fence, stream. Does anyone think that a decoy might help?

Any thoughts?

 

[Shredder]

With last fall being the exception and not hearing it.....I have heard it as you mentioned...usually during peak rut. I don't recall ever hearing the grunt then snort wheeze in an immediate series but had them grunt all the way in then snort wheeze at my decoy...just before trashing it. I tend to use it somewhat often especially in conjunction with rattling or sighting a mature buck on the move. Somewhat often meaning maybe once each sitting. As with rattling, some bucks will not respond, move the other direction or even ignore the call.

I enjoy hunting over a decoy and found the call to be very effective when a subordinate buck sees the decoy, sizes it up and commits to coming in. Makes for an interesting hunt. I have only killed one mature buck when using this call alone but have had numerous bucks come in to investigate and either never present the shot or were not what I was looking for.

 

[scout]

I do that when I sleep. (I'm very dominant)

 

[203ntyp]

I witnessed the snort-wheeze in 1999 on the opening day of archery. I put down a mock scrape on the way in that morning & about an hour after daylight I tickle a set of antlers lightly when I seen a small 6 point in the distance. When he heard that he started rubbing & suddenly a 2nd deer, an 8 pointer, approached him. They started to angle away when a 3rd buck came in, a nice 11 point.

All at once the 8 pointer took off running across in front of & disappeared over a small ridge then suddenly appeared again & ran right through the scape & stopped at 15 yards. Well the 11 pointer did not like that one bit & threw his ears back & snort-wheezed, it was the neatest thing I ever wittnessed. The 8 point turned torward me & walk with his tail tucked right under my stand. That's when the 11 pointer strutted into the scrape & threw his head straight up to lick the overhead branch. That was his last mistake, went 30 yards & piled up.

That was the only time I have wittnessed it & it was a great experience. I have had very little success using the call but under the right circumstances who knows?