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Grunt Tubes

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I've owned about every damn grunt tube on the market and currently have a Flextone Bone Collector model (a moment of weakness on my part) in my pack. I am missing my old HS True Talker. Wanted to see what you all were using and what you liked/disliked about the one you have or ones you've had in the past. I know it's one of those "newbie-ish" questions, but I consider the grunt call one of the 5 most important pieces of equipment I own and I'd like to get back to one I feel is effective.

The MAD Growler is pointless where I hunt and I watched it turned deer inside out the year I used it. The Flextone model I have is the same way, if I was hunting a herd full of big bucks, it might be fine. But it's just too deep and throaty for use in my area. I always felt the True Talker was the best grunt call out there, so I'm interested to see who all is using one these days...
 

DJK Frank 16

Senior Member
Supporting Member
9,358
133
Hardin County
HS True Talker, I always own two of them at all times in case I lose one. It sound so much like some of the real grunts you hear in the woods, and I have had a lot of luck grunting in bucks with it. Also, the flexibility of being able to change the tone with your finger without having to turn a dial or setting, is another plus in my book.
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,381
193
North Central Ohio
I have the Flex Tone that I purchased last year. Thought it sounded good and should have worked lol. Honestly in all my years hunting up here I have yet to have any kind of call work. They do get their attention but doesn't bring them in at all. They either look in your direction and just keep on going or they run off. Even the bleat can doesn't work up here. I don't know what the deal is but I have never had one come it to calls, rattling, or scent trails.
 

rgecko23

*Supporting Member*
7,466
0
Massillon, Ohio
Primos, its louder than my MAD grun tube and sounds alot better. Neither one has ever worked for me before though, as far as bringin in a buck or what not
 

dante322

*Supporting Member*
5,506
157
Crawford county
They do get their attention but doesn't bring them in at all. They either look in your direction and just keep on going or they run off. Even the bleat can doesn't work up here. I don't know what the deal is but I have never had one come it to calls, rattling, or scent trails.

ditto.

have the buckroar myself, dosent seem to help
 

Fluteman

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,094
146
Southeast Ohio
I use the mad growler, and I like it real well. It's not TOO loud, and I can get any tone I want out of it by sliding the putter tube up or down on the clear body. If I want a young, louder grunt, I take the outer tube off and use it that way. IMO, most of the grunt calls out there now are way TOO loud. 90% of the time I've heard a buck grunt, it was so quiet I wasn't even sure if I heard it. It cracks me up when you are hunting with someone a half a mile away and can hear them grunting. Seriously?!
 
I got a Flex Tone All-N-One...I picked it up cause its small an I dont see many folks with it( an it was clearance)..I figured maybe a different sound will give me a leg up.I also got a True talker around somewhere..One other note not that it matters but Primos backs all there calls an will replace any of them if something happens...I know calls aint high dollar but its nice to know they will..I had a Primos can call give up the ghost..After a phone call they sent me one out..Its under 10$ to buy one but I wanted to test there customer service..
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
I would suggest listening to "the Fluteman" based on his name and the implied flute blowing attributes he possesses.lmao

However, I am with you and Drake. I like my True Talker.
 

Hoytmania

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
11,518
167
Gods Country
I have been using the buck roar. I like it because of its range. I do a nice quiet grunt or I can wrap on it to get a bucks attention that is way across the field. Both BBBC bucks I called in with the buck roar. The double drop I would have never gotten if I would have not had the buck roar. I had tried grunting to him a couple of times with no response. He finally stopped and turned my direction once I laid into it as hard as I could.

I also like how it doesn't sound ducky if you get into it pretty good. It still stays low toned and throaty.
 

DJK Frank 16

Senior Member
Supporting Member
9,358
133
Hardin County
I also like how it doesn't sound ducky if you get into it pretty good. It still stays low toned and throaty.

Tough to find one that doesn't, that would be a big selling point for me. Sometimes theres a fine line between a loud grunt and what sounds like a fuggin flock of sick mallards under your stand.
 

aholdren

Senior Member
Supporting Member
5,178
151
South East Ohio
I had a flex tone and was ok with it until it was below freezing, then the reed would stick. I now have the True Talker and it seems to be ok.
 

cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
I have the Quaker Boy Brawler. I really didn't get to test it out much after getting my buck so early last year and I bought it right before the season. So, I don't have a great review on it. It is similar to the flex tone, I think. You can make deep grunts or light grunts.
 

Ohiobowhunter1

Junior Member
296
49
Columbus
I love my True Talker and even have a back up in my box new in the package. I think it is as important as my bow or stand and wouldn't step foot in woods without it. During the rut I will also carry the Primos buck roar and have had great success with the snort wheeze.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
I have had my reed not operate on the True Talker before. It was nasty cold, and I had my bow in hand, grunt tube in mouth ready to draw. There was a buck working my way and I was trying to multi-task. Needless to say, if bitter cold and you hold it in your mouth with your breath hitting it, they CAN fail to work. All in all, not a reason enough for me to switch.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
I use the mad growler, and I like it real well. It's not TOO loud, and I can get any tone I want out of it by sliding the putter tube up or down on the clear body. If I want a young, louder grunt, I take the outer tube off and use it that way. IMO, most of the grunt calls out there now are way TOO loud. 90% of the time I've heard a buck grunt, it was so quiet I wasn't even sure if I heard it. It cracks me up when you are hunting with someone a half a mile away and can hear them grunting. Seriously?!

I'm with Greg. The MAD growler is my go-to grunt call... I very rarely use it for roars or growls, but IMO it produces the most realistic sounding grunt of any call on the market. I keep a TruTalker in my pack as well, simply because of its versatility. In all honesty, I've never had much success with grunt calls, though.
 

Buckslayer

*Supporting Member*
3,166
76
Jackson County
I use an old Primos Rubberneck, first grunt I bought and killed my second buck by grunting him in. I can control the pitch and intensity of it pretty well so I like it. I have been eyeballing the new tubes on the market and will probably cave soon.