How do you call deer.

[gurkster]

I have used antlers on a string, rattle bags, bleet calls, grunt calls, can calls, etc. However, I can't ever say that I have called in a deer with them. I read a lot of posts and articles where people swear by them. Any pointers, certain sequences or times or day or season that are better? I have experimented while on stand and watching deer and how they react, and even then most either ignore me, or just lift their head and look. Thanks for any input on this.

[vister]

not sure myself on the uses, as i usually won't use them. but, something must be done right if they didn't turn and run. from past experience, i'll only rattle or give a couple quick grunts or two if i can see a buck, and just need him a bit closer. depending on the stage rut is in, mature bucks will come running, as younger ones sniff around. i think it also depends on the number of does around. if they are scarce, a mature buck will not tolerate another buck in the area, especially if you grunt with a young buck grunt.

[Johnny_Namakan]

I happen to be one of those guys that swears by them. I called in this buck last muzzleloader season, and two years prior called in another large 10 ptr. I have never called in young bucks or does. I think it works best on the brusiers. I use a grunt call and use the Tending Grunt. This is a grunt that a buck makes when it's tending a doe that is ready to go into estrus. It's just 4-6 quick little grunts. I space them out about 15 minutes. I try to say the word huck, huck as I blow into the grunt call. This buck pictured came in about 2 minutes after I made the serious of grunts and had just put the call down. He jumped into one of my shooting lanes and was basically jogging/trotting right to me. He stopped about 50 yards out facing me trying to pinpoint the sound. The one two years ago had gone past my shooting lanes hot on a doe. I didn't have time to shoot. I grabbed the call and did a quick 5 grunt serious of the tending grunt and within a minute he was heading my way. He wasn't even trying to be quiet. I heard him coming and I spotted him about 150 yards out heading my way. He turned to go aroudn a log at 75 yards and I let her rip. I won't leave the shack without one. Keep in mind, deer vocalization isn't very loud. So you're not trying to call in deer from a mile away, just the deer that are near and not able to be seen by you. I hunt big woods country in far Northern MN. Dense woods with not many openings. We have to clear shooting lanes just to have a shot over 25 yards (private land). So there could be countless deer that are walking just out of sight that you never would have known were there. So soft grunts spread out will get thsoe deer to within shooting range.