Grunting for Deer

[ko4nrbs]

How many of you are using Grunt calls? How successful have you been calling deer in for a shot?
Bill

[BrotherRon]

Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. I generally give one or two grunts after getting settled into my stand. I once called a massive 12 pointer right up to my car with a grunt call during the chase phase and my daughter was very impressed... but with my spotlight in his eyes he couldn't see a thing. lol. No - I didn't shoot him, but grunt calls will work in certain conditions. I also called a very nice 10 point in with an estrus bleat, but after coming out of the swamp from behind me and stopping under the spruce tree I was in he grunted twice, then left when nothing answered him and he couldn't see a doe anywhere. (He didn't even walk across the 25 yard opening to check his scrape) When a buck comes to an aggressive grunt call they are generally on high alert looking for the intruder that has entered their area. When deer begin moving out of their beds they sometimes communicate with light grunts or bleats. Using a deep buck grunt pre rut will usually scare away any does since they are beginning to be harassed by the bucks, but bucks will sometime come to see who is intruding. The bucks are beginning to spar here, so tomorrow morning I will be sitting in my stand doing a little light rattling and grunting. In a couple weeks doe estrus will be affective when used with estrus bleats and heavy grunting and can produce great results, but once the rut starts I stop using it. I have seen some nice bucks follow a doe to about 40 yards from a corn pile only to turn and follow her back into the swamp because she won't bring them anywhere near another hot doe. I have also seen doe's come charging in when using a fawn distress call. I have seen deer come running to calls, and have seen them run the opposite direction. I have seen bucks stop for a perfect broadside shot when grunted at, and I have seen them instantly bolt away. Different calls will produce different reactions in various situations.

[jd4223]

I hunt private property and am limited to the number of deer crossing the property I hunt. 99% of the deer crossing my hunting area, are does. In 30 years of hunting this property only 2 bucks have been shot,a 6 pointer and a 9 pointer which I shot in 1998. Don't misunderstand me when I say only 2 bucks have been killed on this property. The property in located in southern Michigan which has the most number of P &Y and Boon & Crockett trophies in the state. Most of these trophies are shot on private property. My private property is only 7 acres and where these deer cross on this 7 acre plot is a section 30 yards wide and 70 yards long. This limits me when it comes to shooting bucks. Unless the bucks are in the chasing phase(rut),it's hit or miss whether or not they will be crossing my property. I still call randomly every time I'm in my stand in hopes a wondering buck may be in the area,but calling never produced for me.

[L. E. Carroll]

Seems I to have talked with a few guys over the years who had it take place ( the grunt that is ) while crouching down with paper or leaves in hand and their gun or crossbow, in this instance, leaning on a nearby rock or fence post

Isn't that the time they always show up !

Wait! your talking about the grunt tube you use by blowing thru it.... sorry !

Gene

[galamb]

I can say that I have never had a buck come into a grunt call (that I am aware of).

I use the grunt call to stop a buck that is sauntering by - and it usually stops them dead in their tracks. But for all the grunt calls I have tried, I can't say that following a grunt a buck came in "because of" the call.

I also use the doe bleat (can calls). There is two occasions that come to mind where the use of the call is "likely" the reason a buck came into my stand (no other explanation that I can think of unless it was blind luck). But on dozens of occasions they have likewise produced "zero" results.

There is also a number of opinions that hold that using calls "scares" deer away. One theory I have heard regarding the grunt is that "less dominant" buck may be scared away by it (????)

[papabear1]

In all my years of hunting deer, I have never been a gadget person,
and I have killed a ton of them i just do my homework the old school way,
and figure out where they are traveling, then I set up on them.
But for the last 26 yrs. I have only been hunting on my own property,
so it,s pretty easy to keep track of them all year,
and I take at least 2 deer every year,( most years any way)
just like my bow (Equinox) it,s just the way it was when I bought it
except for the string, and s.t. pads,guess i'm just too old to change,
because if it ain't broke I don't fix it. Guess i'll never change.

Dave

P.S. I did fart once, and several deer came in to see what that awful smell was

[longbow joe]

I have no records that i keep but i but 70 percent of my bucks are the result of using a grunt.the week before halloween i step it up with the montana decoy. My favorite most always gets em in is a quaker boy deer thugs grunt.its sopposed to be shaped like a real deers throat i dont care if its shaped like mickey mouse's throat this thing brings em runnin in big n small !

[hockeyfodder]

I had a nice 8 point buck that was walking past me at about 80 yards one morning. It appeared he was travelling back to where he bedded for the day. There was no way I was going to get him within range so a gave a couple a short low grunts. He stopped and looked in my direction but started walking the same route he was on. I gave another longer low grunt and he turned and walked across in front of me at 22 yards. I got a good shot off and he ran about 60 yards into the wild peas until he went down as a result of a double lung problem. He really wasn't that interested in the grunts, it just turned him enough to bring him within range.

[xcaliber]

I have been hunting for a pretty long spell, and two years ago I thought the apprentice was going gonzo his grunt call, then two bucks showed up in front of my stand, it was them. I grunt when i rattle, and have had enough success to believe in both. Additionally, I use the doe estrous call in the can, or should i say i used to, then a got a call from Wabi, and used that doe call, it brings in doe, and buck, nope, not on a rope, nope not every time, but I use it on those crisp mornings right as day breaks, then lay back and wait. It works. It is like scents, some days, BAM, others, nothing. I have found that most people, including myself use them wrong. It is not Black magic, it won't do miracles, or cover up bad practices, etc. It will stall a deer for a shot, or bring them in the last 15 yards at times. I use both when it seems logical to do so!

[sproulman]

never used them in my life but i am hunter who sets up on the travel trails to/from ..i never hear of anyone using them ...

[xcaliber]

Years ago I hunted a farm that had travel routes that were not interrupted. That was heaven for a deer hunter, few places i hunt now are like that. The best advice i could offer is this, be a deer, see more deer. Learn their behavior for your area, and you will be successful.

[acreek]

First off, I think most grunt tubes are way too deep. Even the bruisers I've heard grunting give off a nasally, metallic sounding grunt. Second, my success with them seems to be area specific. I used to hunt an area where bucks came in to grunting. But now I'm in a different area and these deer apparently don't want anything to do with a grunt call. I have had bad reactions from multiple bucks in the past two years. Could be the neighboring hunters over use them and have educated the deer that a non-normal grunt comes from a human not a deer.

[janesy]

Consistently I tried a grunt call for the first time last night in the stand... Ya, didn't help. No deer liked it

[one shot scott]

I have shot numerous deer that came in from a grunt or bleat. Last year I called a young buck from 60 yards and he circled and ended up 10y from my stand. I shot em. last weekend I did a short bleat and had 2 does answer back from 20 yards. They sounded like what most would say is a young buck grunt. im sure for every time it works, there are a equal number of times that it spooks em away. key is not to sound too aggressive. my experience has been that does will investigate a fawn bleat.

[longbow joe]

X2 on what scott said i had that roar call it worked good on my big buck brought him runnin but i saw it scare smaller bucks a packin. If your hunting public land or pressured deer a less agressive call is the best bet.