I just bought my first grunt call. It's a reed type with the rubber o ring. I was wondering if you guys could share some advice on using it. I watched some videos on YouTube but generally stop watching because I get turned off by the fact the video is made by the company who made the call. Thanks.
Grunting tips
- Thread starter Steelheadtracker
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runhunter
Junior Member
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just a few things I can think of, I usually do a series of grunts every 20-30 minutes. I have found that grunting usually works better when you can see a buck, to try and turn him, or bring him your way, but once he does, leave it be, let him come in and be curious. I haven't had much luck blind calling, but it can work in the right situation. Don't be afraid to sound "perfect" either. Bucks make all different pitch grunts, that vary in length and tone. I'd study some simple things, such as what a tending grunt sounds like as opposed to a contact call etc. Knowing what sound to make and when can be a good tool that may make the difference
PA Bandit
Junior Member
Be aggressive is all I can offer. Don't do short tone grunts but instead opt for "growling" (look it up on youtube) and connected sequences. My biggest suggestion is don't be afraid to use the thing I personally used to be afraid that I would scare the deer from their normal course of pattern but can honestly say I have experienced the opposite. One day just jokingly I started to use it just crazy aggressively at about the suggested time frame above (every 20 minutes) and called in like 3 or 4 bucks. Been doing that ever since and have shot basically every buck the last 4-5 years by calling him in.
As a point of note look up the MAD Growl call and watch the videos they do a pretty good example of demonstrating aggressive calling.
As a point of note look up the MAD Growl call and watch the videos they do a pretty good example of demonstrating aggressive calling.
I'm going to disagree with this advice wholeheartedly. If you get the right buck, in the right frame of mind, this type of calling can be effective. Those bucks in that kind of mood are the minority and I'd put you in the minority of hunters who have had that kind of success with aggressive calling. I owned a MAD Growler and it turned every buck I ever called at with it inside out, including mature, dominant bucks. The buck in my avatar was 6.5 years old and wanted nothing to do with aggressive calling. I would save the aggressive calling for a last ditch effort, certainly not make it your primary tactic.
I use a Hunters Specialties True Talker, which IMO, is the best grunt call ever put on the market. I rarely blind call as I do not want a buck I cannot see, pinpointing my position and then picking me off in the tree because I wasn't on my A game. When I see a buck I want to bring in closer, I'll hit him with a single grunt. If he stops, I'll hit him with one more and gauge his reaction. If he comes my way, I'm done calling unless he hangs up. If he walks away or I never got him to stop in the first place, I'll up my volume and intensity. Only in the case of a mature buck hell bent on going away from me, will I growl. IMO, that type of calling comes from watching too much TV. Just because the Drury brothers get away with it, doesn't mean it's the best way to call deer. I've tried it and I think it is best left as the last resort.
PA Bandit
Junior Member
To each their own everyone has their own experiences which lead them to a well established viewpoint (or at least I hope before one tries to provide input). I was just providing my experience but nor can I negate your relation to the deer pinpointing you but again that's why I am very aware of my surroundings before I go blaring on the "horn". I know a lot of guys who speak highly of rattling of which is one activity I will not involve myself in as I have scared of quite a high count of quality buck by trying to rattle them in nor have I ever had one actively come into rattling. Again I base my judgement of rattling on my experiences but I would not stand here and say it is not effective for others as there are reasons why it is strongly supported by deer hunters as a whole.
And I am not sure the direction with the TV based discussion but please do not put me in relation with those kinds of people as I have a hard time comparing my hunting to that of on Television. Again I did not approach it as something I saw on TV so its got to work but more so was foolishly messing around one day and it worked and have been using it as a means to improve my hunting ever since.
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I never said it wasn't effective, I just said I wouldn't come out the gate with that kind of aggression. Secondly, I'll bet you my next pay check that a poll of the Top 100 most successful deer hunters in this country would lean heavily to the side of less aggressive calling. Very few things are "strongly supported by deer hunters as a whole" because we are a diverse group of folks with varying experiences. Aggressive calling certainly is not something that falls in to this category.
Case in point, read what arguably one of the best big buck killers on this site has to say about grunting...
PA Bandit
Junior Member
For one it was not intended to be an argument but instead an opinion which is what the original poster opted for. And "Big Buck Killer" is very dependent on having big buck to kill. I would have him go to amish country PA and have him kill a "Big Buck". The quality of the deer is subject to the various influences of the region you live in so that is by no means a way to gauge a hunter. Big Deer in a Fence =/= Average Deer on Public Land (By no means am inferring he hunts in fence nor do I know anything about this individual) which is in case why when someone shots a big buck on game lands people typically have some form of comment about how tough of a task that is. I respect anyones opinions who has dedicate time in the stand and has found success with one tactic or another but don't think you should sit here and compare my opinion to another's pointing out that he is a "big buck killer" so he must be on the right basis.
PA Bandit
Junior Member
Also as a point of reference I did not state that every time you go on stand to just sit there an blare away on your grunt call all evening. I was more suggesting that it is an alternative means that could potentially lure deer in during the right situation. If a buck is 300 yards away he has a lot more reason to come closer to your location due to hearing an aggressive buck in his territory then to arbitrarily walk by your stand for no reason at all if that was not his originally intended course.
If bucks are in the right mood, grunting can be very effective. Most of the time they are NOT in the right mood and grunting can have a very bad effect.
I have vowed away from blind calling for that very reason. I want to use grunting as a last ditch effort to get that buck into range and I only like to grunt when I have a visual so I can see how that buck reacts.
Do guys hit the grunt call blindly and have a buck walk through 10 minutes later? Sure. Can they prove it was the grunt call that did it? NOPE.
The same goes for rattling in my opinion. There's too many times when rattling or grunting can turn a buck the wrong way. Why chance it? Have a buck in sight and if he isn't cooperating naturally, then try the grunt, growl, snort wheeze... whatever it takes to turn him your way. Nothing to lose at that point.
Just my opinion.
I have vowed away from blind calling for that very reason. I want to use grunting as a last ditch effort to get that buck into range and I only like to grunt when I have a visual so I can see how that buck reacts.
Do guys hit the grunt call blindly and have a buck walk through 10 minutes later? Sure. Can they prove it was the grunt call that did it? NOPE.
The same goes for rattling in my opinion. There's too many times when rattling or grunting can turn a buck the wrong way. Why chance it? Have a buck in sight and if he isn't cooperating naturally, then try the grunt, growl, snort wheeze... whatever it takes to turn him your way. Nothing to lose at that point.
Just my opinion.
Big_Holla
Senior Member
My buddy often blind calls and has always been after me to give it a try more too. I've always been the type who would rather wait and call when it's a last ditch effort trying to persuade a buck to come my way, after I have spotted him. His buck last year he was blind calling when it snuck up on him from the downwind side. Was able to slip an arrow into the sweet spot and soon had a good one on the ground. Last year I was having troubles with coughing in the stand and there were a couple times I couldn't keep it quiet and decided I'd follow it up with a few aggressive grunts. Well it brought in the buck I killed. Now it was a 2 1/2 year old and not one of the big boys I was really hoping would come in.
I think something like calling needs to be done in moderation though where too much that's too loud and too often can ruin a stand site if you are busted in any way. If you go out and call every single time you are in a stand whenever you get bored or on some sort of schedule there is no way in my mind that you are not educating your deer. For me, I will call very occasionally now but in my mind if my buddy is calling every 20-30 minutes the woods doesn't need another person calling that often as well. You also never know what the neighbors are doing on their place too.
I think something like calling needs to be done in moderation though where too much that's too loud and too often can ruin a stand site if you are busted in any way. If you go out and call every single time you are in a stand whenever you get bored or on some sort of schedule there is no way in my mind that you are not educating your deer. For me, I will call very occasionally now but in my mind if my buddy is calling every 20-30 minutes the woods doesn't need another person calling that often as well. You also never know what the neighbors are doing on their place too.
Remember one thing. Having big deer to kill and then killing them is two different things. Don't ever assume just because a person has 1 big deer to hunt, that it's easy to kill that one big deer.
But since u wanna down play things, none of my deer have came from blind grunting.
Thanks for the tips and advice guys. Last week I heard a buck grunt behind a thick row of brush I'd say.probably 70 yds away from the stand. In such a situation would you guys suggest hitting the grunt to try to bring him in or as stated above wait until I get a visual?
My largest deer was taken after I grunted him in when I saw him tailing a doe. Last year's buck "came" by me following blind grunting... I cannot and would not say the grunting brought him in.
Anymore, I am more and more hesitant to blind call. I very rarely am agressive in my calling to begin with.
This past weekend, I intentionally hunting about 100 yards downwind (not completely but close) to my BIL who would be grunting every 20-30 minutes. I've heard that a mature buck will often slip downwind to scent check before making an appearance.
This time, it did not work, but I am convinced that a mature deer would do this.
My blind grunting will be very minimal in the future as I cannot say that it does in fact work. Mature deer don't get that way by being dumb.
To each his own, good luck.
Anymore, I am more and more hesitant to blind call. I very rarely am agressive in my calling to begin with.
This past weekend, I intentionally hunting about 100 yards downwind (not completely but close) to my BIL who would be grunting every 20-30 minutes. I've heard that a mature buck will often slip downwind to scent check before making an appearance.
This time, it did not work, but I am convinced that a mature deer would do this.
My blind grunting will be very minimal in the future as I cannot say that it does in fact work. Mature deer don't get that way by being dumb.
To each his own, good luck.
Joel
Senior Member
Get an acorn cruncher too. Grunt, crunch, grunt grunt, crunch. If you don't get a few deer in right away try again with a loud grunt followed by aggressive crunching.