When to put the toys away....

[growalot]

I have noticed That rattling and grunts at live deer send them packing ...I went to the doe bleat and estrus cans...same thing...Now I do not call often, not very long..couple of times once an hour or to try and turn something....I have been getting pics of busted up buck.2 8's with half racks and I have a few big boys around ...but the boss of the hill showed up right where I shot my buck last year...Was looking, turned, turned back and there he was...he turned so I grabbed the doe bleat...and he picked up the pace...This guys been around a long time and I'm thinking hunted hard...the other deer...I'm thinking have had their collective fannies handed to them...and I think every hunter and his brother are calling and scenting right now. These deer do not get big by being dummies...all the toys are put away....

ps...with 1 exception...I have brought out the decoy for the first time..he's sitting covered near where I will hunt...the body has been there 2 days...deer are use to it already( covered in a dark grey sheet) cam pics show that....the head and rack are wrapped in camo material on the ground...they are about as scent free as I can make them, though a rutting buck wafer will get attached to the back side of him in the morning. lets hope the wind behaves.

Edited November 6, 2016 by growalot

[turkeyfeathers]

I think it depends on the particular deer. Live thread has guys calling in deer by rattling, others get no reaction and some turn tail. Depends on the deer, what type of mood he's in . I've used the can over the years with zero success. First year with the grunt tube with same response

Edited November 6, 2016 by turkeyfeathers

[BowmanMike]

I bought a bunch of toys this season. Rattle bag,grunt tube and doe bleat. I have used all of them sparingly and can report that I had no luck whatsoever with them.

I wonder if the deer get to hear enough of any of those to become alarmed rather than attracted.

Probably depends on the situatuon,really. But I do not hear deer vocalizing very much in the woods,so they use it sparingly too.

I am still a newbie though,just my two cents.

[LET EM GROW]

i think you are mostly correct grow.. hunters calling, and using farm scents. old mature bucks imo do not get fooled by these techniques very often. 1 mistake when using these tools and the deer gains a ton of knowledge i believe. i have a buck who is 7.5 this year, last year i had him at 100 yards as he was slowly walking the edge of corn field. i tried several calls as realistic as i could be even in a timely matter. i think he looked my way once, and just continued on through slowly. He even walked by a 3d buck decoy the lazy neighbor left leaning against a tree for his next hunt...

the best tool i think a hunter can use to kill a real mature buck is scout the best we can and be in the right place at the right time. like you said, they dont get big and old by running into calls or smelling and following newly introduced scents..  when their are more mature bucks to oppose each other i think the tables might turn some.

I have never grunted in a buck

I have rattled in many young bucks and 2 slobs(both displaying ready to serve up), 

I have doe bleated in only a couple young bucks, all in my hunting career.

[chas0218]

I don't ever blind call except rattling. If the deer are chasing the only thing that will bring in a buck is a snort wheeze and I wouldn't do that unless I actually see the deer. If I hear something that sounds like a deer sometimes I'll do some tending grunts but that's about it for calling blind. I have never been a fan of those cans, I have seen them actually scare off deer. If the doe is in heat you better believe she isn't calling out for a buck he will already be there and the deer know that.

[blackradio]

I've grunted, rattled and bleated in bucks but I've found that it doesn't work that often, but when it does work, the buck throws most caution to the wind and runs right to the sound. Grunted in my first buck a few years ago. He was all rutted up, I saw him across the field and I grunted and he raised his head and walked right to me and I shot him. This was my best experience in the wood. Thrilling hunt.

 

The year after it was at last light and I did the hail mary doe bleat before I got down and I hear something coming fast out of the swamp. It was a nice buck breathing really hard and he stopped at 40yds and looked around for 5 minutes. I didn't decide he was a shooter until he ran back into the swamp and I saw his big rack from the back.

 

I rattled twice yesterday and 5 minutes after the second time a small 4pt came out of the bedding area to the base of my tree and was looking around and then wandered off.

So, I find calling to be just another part of hunting but I don't rely on it too heavily.