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Grunt Calls & Rattling

TimmyD525

TimmyD525

PMA Member
I've only been bow hunting the last two years so I'm still new and trying to learn how to do things most effectively. At what point in the season do you start using grunting and rattling sequences? I wondered last year if I was doing it too much or too often and scaring away some of the larger deer. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
 
TimmyD525 said:
I've only been bow hunting the last two years so I'm still new and trying to learn how to do things most effectively. At what point in the season do you start using grunting and rattling sequences? I wondered last year if I was doing it too much or too often and scaring away some of the larger deer. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
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It is all personal opinion. Would probably hold out until mid to late Oct., but it can or can not work at any point. Some guys put them away after mid Nov thinking worn down bucks will be weary of a fight. You then get into blind calling and how often etc. Long story short every deer is different what works one time may not the next. Be aggressive as you want and don't over think it.
 
Answers as to when to call and how much to call, etc, would be all over the map. There are many variables and what works one day may well not work the same the next day...in the same woods. :D

As a for instance...one day a few years back I rattled in 5 or 6 bucks in the morning sit and it was if the timber was electrified, all of those bucks RAN in or walked in stiffly, all bristled up and were spoiling for a fight. That afternoon...nothing responded to rattling and I know that there were bucks that heard me. A night and day difference in their reaction all on the same day.

I also tend to call much less early in the season, although at times I will grunt to a buck I can see or lightly rattle, almost always preferring to see a buck prior to making any noise. I know a guy that a few years back was hunting either the 1st or 2nd of October and saw a nice buck moving through the timber and lightly grunted at him and a minute later he sent a deadly arrow his way and a few minutes after that he was able to climb down for the season and put his tag on really nice 150" class 8 point. So about anything can happen, although I tend to call infrequently and lightly in the early season.

For me, the prime "calling season" would start around the first of November and run for about 2-1/2 weeks or so. But again, day by day and buck by buck, there are no 100% patterns. But odds are much higher during this time frame in my experience.
 
Like Daver said... way too many variables.. Your best bet would be probably the last week of October and first week of November will give you your best results. The bucks are looking for that first doe and fighting or tending grunts are something they will likely check out, thinking that maybe another buck in the area is tending a doe or a couple different bucks are fighting over one. You can start tickling the antlers from Oct. 1st on. Once hard horn hits, they are constantly sparring/fighting all the way until they shed. Me personally, I don't like to blind call a whole lot, especially early. I'll maybe do a rattling sequence twice a sit when things really heat up. I have one deer I was hunting last year that was very call shy. So, if I can find him again this year, I probably wont call at all. I have also grunted in a buck a couple hundred yards across a bean field on Oct. 1. Also, results will depend on your buck to doe ratio. If there are few does and a bunch of bucks in the area, they will be competing a lot with one another. If it's the other way around, they don't have to fight much at all to get a doe.
 
Blind calling is about otta the question for me. My stands are surrounded by ways a buck can sneak up behind me a catch a whiff. If your stand is open behind, and all the cover in front may work. Only results to calling so far for me young bucks. Anything can happen, I do try it if I hear a buck,,or see one passing. Fist two wks of Nov. definitely best.
 
Well put, Daver. I share your same views.

For the OP, as you spend more time in the deer woods you will really pick up on what types of sounds you hear, and at what time of the season. And also how frequent. I like to be generally quiet until late Oct. Then turn it up through mid rut. Then back off again toward late season.
 
Thanks gentlemen, all makes some sense. Next is to figure out how to actually sound like a deer when I'm out. Don't want to give my locations away but could be worth testing various grunts on small bucks
 
It all takes time to learn. I learned from my mistakes but I've also done calling when no one else says to and have had my best luck. Thanksgiving week and snort wheezes go together like bread and butter where I hunt.
 
You've gotten good advice from others and all I can add is this…never leave home without a good grunt tube. Although nothing is absolute, I've had bucks respond to a grunt at all times of the season. Good luck!!

NWBuck
 
"Results may Vary", depending on your area. If you have a lot of property or a lot around ya with low hunt pressure,,deer,,bucks,,will react differently than areas with a lot of human contact. My area is heavily bow hunted. About every neighbor is out there doin everything . Bucks are very careful about what they respond too.
 
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