Calling Deer

[Davesea]

Saw this video reviewed in a "sold out issue" of TBW from the 90s.  Has anyone seen the video?  Does anyone call deer?

The art of Calling Deer and other Hunting Tips - Get that trophy buck Close! (VHS format)
Allan & Lynn Merrill (Author)

Thanks
Dave

[DC]

I've called in does in the early season using a fawn distress call. The only thing is they come in pretty alert. I've also called in spikes in the early season with a doe bleat, kind of a contact call. Woods Wise made several tapes and videos at one time promoting calling. Not much luck ever calling in a good buck.  Drew

[YORNOC]

Me either, not around here anyway. Canada they responded good, and even southern NY the deer were very vocal. But anywhere around where I live, calling doesn't do squat with mature deer. Does will turn and look, young bucks either are curious or shy away. When I see mature deer, I shut up. Too many moved away from my various calls in this area in the past.

[lpcjon2]

The only time I grunt is to stop a deer otherwise in my area it will make them run the other way. Not vocal at all in my area. One time I did hear them laughing at me when I missed,does that count as vocal.

[owlbait]

BR-549. If nobody answers, try again later. Like a lot of things calling works "sometimes".

[bowslinger]

I have called in several bucks, but only in areas that had not seen much pressure.  I have had little success with grunt calls or doe in heat calls in areas with a lot of hunting pressure.  I believe that too many deer learn from over use of calls or too many encounters with hunters using calls for calling to work consistently in high hunting pressure areas.

[Hoyt]

The best tool other than bow and arrow I take into the woods is my True Talker Grunt Tube. I've grunted big and small bucks from as far as they can hear the grunt, right up to the base of my tree using it. One big ten point a couple yrs ago I grunted in with it and he had to follow my trail all the way in.

[Whip]

I've called in deer with grunts, doe in heat "can call", and rattling.  But more often than not they ignore it.  
If a deer is coming toward me on its own, I don't make a sound. But if it looks as if they are headed the other way it doesn't hurt to try.  I don't think I've ever had one actually spook from a call - just ignore it most of the time.

[stevewills]

snort wheeze is the only thing that i have had work on bucks that were going away from me....best call too its free

[SportHunter]

I normally hunt quiet but if a deer passes out of shooting range i will try to lure them back with a grunt call to try and create more shot opportunities. I figure if they are passing me out of range it cant hurt to try. Never had much success with calls until the primos buck roar. Now all my other calls have been donated.

[ksbowman]

Whip, describes my luck with calling perfectly, although the can calls have not worked at all. If I don't have visual contact I won't even try. A rattle will work if everything is perfect and other times they just walk away.

[straitera]

IMHO, proper doe/buck ratios (3/1) & weather conditions will determine call success. Texas heat may last through December which throws rut into slipstream proportions at best most years. *I have seen them run over one another for breed rights though. Call mostly w/grunt tube. Never success w/rattling horns.

[KSdan]

Works great here in KS- called in 8 mature deer last year in 7 days of hunting. Some rattling, mostly with my voice (no need for store bought calls). (Had 5 PYs in for two friends who proceeded to miss them all- with compounds no less!)  Timing is everything.  I "reel" in a lot of deer.  It is fun. Like some said- it also probably has a lot to do with ratios. . .

[beetlebailey1977]

I have called in bucks with the can call and a grunt call.  But I have had them stop look and continue on also.  Just depends on the deer.  With bucks I have had some just come busting in with the can and grunt combo.  Even have one come in and start raking trees.  But I never could get a shot at this buck.

[cahaba]

I called in 3 does one day last year and a six point another day using the can and grunting. Sometimes I will use a rattle bag with just a ticking sound. It works where I hunt at least  sometimes.

[Davesea]

Anyone ever try these?
 http://www.woodswise.com/details.php?pid=ww155x

[Burnsie]

I've rattled a lot in,  but time of year is everything. It doeasn't work all the time, but I've had them come charging in from a couple hundred yards across a field. It's exciting when it happens,  but sometimes they act like they don't even hear it and walk the other way.  Grunts have worked to turn around ones walking out of range. I have never had any luck with the bleat cans, plus when they get cold the sliding diaphram inside usually just clunks to the bottom.

[YORNOC]

Heh, just remembered this....I was blowing a grunt tube many years ago. Probably way too much I'm sure. But it got cold and the moisture froze up. I had a small buck walking away so I grunted and it sounded like a stuck hog through a megaphone! The deer ran away faster than lightning!  Good memory.....

[hickstick]

I have had good (not great) success with rattling and calling over the years.  I hunt pretty much the same woods as 'yornoc'...but woods that saw minimal pressure as my brother and I had pretty much exclusive permission.

I've rattled in big P&Yers & spikes & and does.  but one thing I will say is they DO NOT sick around long.  if they come in to the area and do not see another deer then move on pretty quick.  Wish mass allowed deer decoys cause I'd love to try that combo.

I tried a new rattling technique I learned here and in TBM.  that is tying your antlers to a rope and hang them to the ground from your stand. pull up on the rope so the antlers crash together and then slack the rope so the whole mess hits the ground/surrounding brush.    the combo of thrashing antlers and brush seems to work better than holding them in your hand.   I didn't believe it at first, until one night out of frustration, I hurled my rattling rack to the ground and had a buck come in like a freight train.  one benefit to this is you don't have to worry about turning to hang up the antlers or anything, just let them lay where they land.

using snort wheeze, estrus bleat, grunting, etc in conjunction to rattling has been better than just bleating or grunting by themselves.

[Trumpkin the Dwarf]

I had two white tail bucks come in last week to a cow elk calling sequence...one was 120+ class and I didn't get a good look at the other. Never realized they were there till I stood up to leave. They came within 15 yards of the call.(calling sequence was around 15-20 minutes long)