Grunting to stop a deer

[NWBuck]

Late summer anxiety has me watching the old hunting shows again, and I have noticed something I thought I'd throw out as a question. Particularly on bowhunts, it is almost a given that the hunter on the show(s) will grunt (or make some other noise) to stop a deer just before the shot. I've done this myself a handful of times, but I'm noticing a couple of things that may make me reconsider. First, this grunt nearly always puts the deer on full alert, thereby making it more likely they will be able to react or "jump the string". Second, it often causes the deer to turn towards the sound, presenting a poor "quartering forward" angle for the shot. A perfect example of this is the Stan Potts buck in the Primetime 6 video. It's kind of got me wondering whether a person would be better off taking a perfectly broadside shot at an unalarmed, but slowly walking deer. Anyway, just wondering if anyone else had noticed the same thing.

 

[IALUVRFROMMO]

NWbuck, If your hunting style involves setting up on a tight funnel like mine does, I have found that putting out a scent cannister exactly where I want the deer to stop works nearly every time. I like to hunt fence lines and these bucks are always moving at a pretty fast walk. I dont think it matters what kind of scent you use they just stop and put thier nose in it like what the hell is this? Gives you plenty of time to put it on em.

 

[Pupster]

I missed a very large buck years ago involving these circumstances. He was on a "rut trot" and was moving too fast to shoot, so I stopped him with a grunt 15 yds, full alert, I shot, he ducked unscathed. But in the same breath, had I not stopped him, I wouldn't have gotten a shot at all. Over all I've had better luck killing the deer I've had to stop with a grunt than not.
Pupster

 

[horst]

I only grunted at one deer to stop him.It was a small sixpointer and it was the end of season and getting dark.When i grunted he looked right up at me and at the shot he jumped forward.I hit him but never did find him, Ill take my chances with a relaxed deer anyday.

 

[thehuntingcouple]

I guess you have to weigh the two against each other. Do you want to take a shot at a moving deer or do you want to shoot a deer that is standing still and alert. Myself I have had very good luck stopping deer with an imitation grunt sound that I do with my mouth. I have found that you do not have to do it very loud or do you want to, because you do not want the deer to think the other buck is right on top of him. I then concentrate on the lower one third of the deer, by doing this I have not had one jump the string. If I did have this problem over and over I would probably take a good look at the equipment I was using or the length of shots I was attempting!!!!

Good luck to all in the upcoming season!!!!

 

[jharrell]

If the deer is 10 or 15 yards away and walking just shoot it. Your shot will most likely find its target unless it is running. I've had bad luck makeing sonds at short distances. I think that is due to the fact that I am usually arround 15 feet high in the air and that isn't normally where a deer grunts from. The best luck I have ever had stoping deer or makeing them move around to where I need them to be is using a decoy. If you set a decoy about 20 to 30 yards upwind of your location and a deer comes between you and the decoy on a trail, 9 times out of 10 he will stop and take a look at the decoy. The best part is he will be looking away from you. If a deer comes accros your deer on the upwind side I have found in most cases he will circle to the down wind side to check things out and you have your shot.

Last year I set up a decoy, and a buck walked in on the trail between the decoy and I, he stoped totaly focused on the decoy which gave me time to draw and shoot without him knowing I was there. He never moved until the arrow was in the ground on the other side. He is a nice 11 point Iowa deer that is going on my wall.

 

[Dbl.throat_patch]

Headgear, is that a buck decoy or a doe decoy you are using? Just wondering I was thinking about using one this year.

 

[jharrell]

It's a doe. I've tried the buck decoy but you have to be careful to use it at the right time of year such as serious rut. The doe seems to work all the time for bucks. I have seen does shy from both doe and buck decoys. I use a Flambue (however you spell it). It is super quiet to set up and you can easely pack it.

 

[trper]

As I was reading this topic I started to think back the last ten years at all the bucks that I have shot with my bow and I don't think that I can remember ever grunting to stop one to shoot. If my memory serves me right every single one has been moving at a slow walk when I nailed him! To this day I don't think I have ever had a deer jump the string when I released the arrow. If he did it happened so fast and I did not see it. The first deer I missed was two years ago and it was just a poor shot on my part. I misjudged my distance and shot underneath. I have that particular hunt on video. He was also the biggest deer I had ever had a shot at with my bow in over 20 years. He had not clue I was there and I shot while he was taking a slow trot through the creek bottom. I don't have a problem grunting to stop a deer if it works for the hunter. I would say the technique is fairly successful for alot of hunters whether the deer jumps the string or not.

 

[wanab.c.]

If the deer is walking,his muscles are already moveing and hes making noise,take him!

 

[DONW]

I have also taken several deer and a coyote while they were walking. I like to let them walk by me, hopefully quartering slightly. I actually think it helps me concentrate on the "spot" a little more when they are walking. Also, if you are a varmint caller, you probably will know the ole lip squeak(the one you do when you are kissing your mother-in-law). I have stopped a couple that way with a very short squeak at full draw and they don't appear to be nearly so edgy, just curious.
Best Regards,
Don

 

[BW]

Just say Hello, a warm friendly greeting is sure to put them at ease. The bigger the friendlier.

Just like anything else, grunting or making any noise can be a help or a hinder depending on the deer and opportunity. That is what is great about the challenge of the hunt. It is part of the hunt to make the judgement calls on shot opportunities.

When we can write it all in a book and count on it every time then we are no longer hunters, just killers.

Have fun and be safe while you are out there.

 

[RTN]

I like to be a full draw and on target then mouth grunt to try and stop the deer in an optimum position (i.e. with his nearest leg on a forward step to offer me more clearance of the heart area). Sometimes it works for you and sometimes it works terribly against you. Usually if their moving slowly or at a stop and go pace I'll try to time it so I don't need to grunt. Don't hesitate to try it if you think you need to and by all means make it soft and quiet. You can grunt a few times in succession quickly while increasing the volume till you get him to stop. You can't take it back if you start out too loud and spook him! I've seen some bucks take off like a rocket due to this mistake. Good luck this season.