Bleat cans...

[landman]

Several years ago I bought a bleat call from an old Jackson, MS friend of mine whose name I am almost certain it is AGAINST SOME RULE TO MENTION and through the years of use I've never had anything respond to it....blind calling or otherwise.

This morning I was on a stand and was using a grunt call...just broadcasting...and a nice little 7 point came strolling in and in an amazing display of marksmanship that would make anyone blush, I missed him at 10 steps.   Shot right under him.   Off he went.

Fifteen minutes later a nice little 9 point strolled out across the pasture and I grunted at him.   He kept walking with his nose to the ground so I pulled out my little bleat call and hit it a couple of times.    That little buck stopped, spun on his heels and came like he was on a string.    He was just certain that he'd found his love.

Like his cousin, he jumped the fence 15 steps from me, stepped into my shooting lane and in another display of amazing skill, I shot right over him.    

Suffice it to say, I was amazed at what a bleat call did to change that solitary buck's mindset.   Have any of you fellas had any success with these can bleat calls?

[xtrema312]

Not yet, but I just got mine last year.  I have with a mouth call that sounds just like it only I can go a lot louder with the mouth call if needed.  I think to date I have called in about 6 bucks.  It only works for me in the rut.  I have gotten about half that charged right in.  The other half have gone on their way and then came back later.  The last two years the bucks have just looked and not come in.  I think they hear a lot of it now that the woods are full of people with the can call.  I only use it when I see a buck that is passing me now.  I figure I have nothing to loose giving it a shot.

[GingivitisKahn]

None for me yet.

[centaur]

Tried it this morning on a little buck to see what he would do; got the all too famous white tail waving goodbye!

[Coonbait]

I've had more luck with my bleat than a grunt tube. I use both and have had good luck with both, but I rely on the bleat when the bucks are cruising for does. Never have I had a deer react negativly to the bleat. Could happen I guess.
GLENN

[T Folts]

Yes they work well IMO.

[Lefty]

I have used one to some success in the past, although I have had better response to a grunt.  Last year I had a HUGE 8 point come in to the horns and then hang up across the creek.  I dug out my can call and tipped it once and after the bleat come out, he turned and ran away.  A couple weeks later, I spotted him again and grunted and rattled, trying to bring him closer.  He would stop and stare, but not move in my direction, so again I tried the can call and for the second time, he took off in a run in the opposite direction.  So being a bit slow, but not stupid, I didn't use the can call on him anymore.  I did have two more encounters with him and had one of those times at less than 10 yards, but he was facong me and then quartering to me and never gave me a good shop angle.  Biggest 8 point I have ever seen in the wild.

[landman]

I have a lot of success with grunt calls, from what I call a casual grunt to making the call sound like a herd of hogs.   I've had bucks come in to a grunt with hair standing up, ready to fight, all the way down to a casual stroll into a shooting lane.

The bleat can...never had any response before.    After trying for several years I was surprised at the way this buck responded today so for now I'm gonna say that it worked once.   The affect though was amazing and i'd have had a short vid of it if the batteries in my camera didn't decide to take the day off.

[ron w]

Never had any luck with one.

[Mark 507]

I have carried one around with me foe years with no luck, untill halloween. I had a small buck about a hundred yards in front of me raking a pine tree with his antlers. I figured I had nothing to loose so I started calling with my can call. I got him to about 30 yards, just outside my comfort zone, so I did not shoot. It was cool just to watch his reactions to my calls.

[bad arrow]

While I never had any luck rattling in this area, deer respond well to bleat or grunt calls.

[Tree Rat]

Originally posted by Coonbait:
I've had more luck with my bleat than a grunt tube. I use both and have had good luck with both, but I rely on the bleat when the bucks are cruising for does. Never have I had a deer react negativly to the bleat. Could happen I guess.
GLENN

+1

Where I hunt "deer in a can" is our favorite call.

[ishiwannabe]

Used it in conjunction with tending grunts many times to get bucks into range. Awesome call.

[KentuckyTJ]

As will all calls, sometime times they work and most the times they don't. But with that said I have had luck with them in the past and never step into the woods this time of year without it. I use it a lot with a grunt tube.

[BobCo 1965]

I most definetely have had success with the cans. A lot of times though something may not show for a good 1/2 hour. As I have heard others mentioned however, and I also believe, that you have to remember that you have turned the tables to being the hunted instead of the hunter and the deer will most likely be at full alert.

[chopx2]

I have had no luck with cans or grunts, but rattling did work for me once.

I wonder if having a decoy would make them more effective. I think maybe they get suspicious and circle downwind if the cause of the sound isn't visible.

[30coupe]

This guy liked one.

 

I've called in lots of cruising bucks with the can call. They are often not dominant bucks, so grunting will sometimes scare them off or at least make them wary. Can calls work well when they are in stupid mode (rut) and aren't locked on a doe. I've never managed to call one off a doe with ANY call.

[droptine82]

I use the lil can and it works great 100% of 15% of the time!  But i dont turn it up and down.  i put the hole up and blow in it so it doesnt make noise while it floats back to the top when you reset it.  It is like anything else though.  It only works once in a while but I never leave home without it.  A year ago yesterday I would have said that rattling didnt work for me but it was exactly a year ago today that I rattled in 14 bucks in the morning and 7 in the evening.  21 of 23 bucks rattled in in my life came in one day.  They are tearing up the trees here hard in the last few days so they should be ready for a good fight and hopefully I can get the right one to respond to one of my gimmicks in the next few days!

Around here the can may work better ealier in the season, right now the grunt tube is working, I have called in four bucks in two outings, however, the one I wanted to shoot circled me until it smelled me.

[Blackhawk]

I have never had any luck with the can.

Just last week I had a doe walking by at 50 yards and gave it a bleat with can.  She immediatley lifted the tail and hauled butt in the opposite direction.

I was thinking maybe these things are for bucks only...

BTW, I was wondering if the turning of the call over at various speeds affect reactions?