Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum Grunt calls?

I see all the hunters on YouTube and tv using grunt calls. I’ve tried them in the past and usually scared deer more than anything. How many of yall have used a grunt call and had deer come to the call? I’m curious if I’m doing something wrong or using it at the wrong time.

I've used a grunt for past 3 years. Haven't seen a buck yet

I've had it actually work a time or two. Most of the time I don't get a reaction. That's blind calling. I have brought many to me though that was just outta bow range.

Most folks probably cause themselves more problems with a grunt call than what it helps……If a buck is in hearing distance of it and is going to respond, most of the time they’re coming after the first grunt……They don’t run in though…..They slip in and usually stop at some point to check the wind and watch for the source of the call…..That’s when many folks will be in the stand still tooting on the call and give themselves away without even knowing…….

Use them sparingly…..The best time to grunt one in is in the morning out of treestand when thermals are rising and hiding your scent from being detected……Make 1-3 grunts and put the call down and wait……One long deep grunt works purty good

If I use a grunt, I’m looking at a buck most of the time

I have called up plenty using them. Not every year but enough that I keep doing it.

I’ve learned to use em when I see a deer and I’m wanting him to come/work my way. I also have used them for Hail Mary play. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. But….. the biggest thing I’ve learned not to do is “blind call”. A good buck can pin point you like a gobbler, I’ve been busted more times than not, 5-10 minutes after grunting, they’ll slip in down wind and either see me or smell me. Just my experience with em

I’ve played with calling quite a bit at my place in Macon Co……The kicker being I knew exactly where the bucks were likely bedded, when they would be in there, how close I could get to them, and how I could approach without them seeing me

One of the coolest encounters I had was in the middle of the day during the rut…..It was really quiet on a blue bird day……I did a slow stomp down a bottom toward where I was pretty sure one was bedded up with some does hidden from their view by some tall understory growth. When I got to within about 75 yards of the thicket I suspected them to be in I stopped and started pawing the ground with my foot like a buck making a scrape…..What I was really doing was raking me out a spot to sit down……Once I sat down I let out one long grunt……I could hear him when he got up out of his bed and started easing to me……He got right to the edge of the thicket and just stuck his neck out enough to look around for the source of the noise……I started to pop him in the neck but he was just a decent 115-120 inch buck and I ended up letting him walk…..After a minute or so of standing there he turned around and disappeared back into the thicket

Had them work alot. Knowing what stage of chasing your bucks are in help with how to use it. If theyre chasing hard,do a constant tending call in all directions. Have the videos to prove they work. Bucks usually come very close-bow range- to investigate.

I use them quite a bit during this time of year. Typically, once I get settled in, I will do 1-2 soft, short grunts and then repeat them about every 30-45 minutes if I am not seeing anything. I have had pretty good luck over the years with this method compared to how the guys on TV do it. I have had a few come running in, but those are rare occasions. Usually, I catch them slipping in, looking and listening for where the sound came from. That is where I learned the hard way, a long time ago, about calling too much or too often. It doesn’t take much for a buck to pinpoint you and getting busted.

You’re in a good area to be successful with calling due to their being some mid/late Dec estrous does in the area as well as potentially a few stray Nov does….I was driving into a property to y’alls north last year to track one for some folks in mid Dec and there was 3-4 bucks after one hot doe running through a little bottom…..Didnt even pay us no attention…..When you have strays popping off early like that it creates competition

I’ve heard bucks lite grunting and making a clicking noise many times when harassing does but I’ve never heard one make a full on deep grunt like you hear from a call. Or if I did I didn’t realize it was a deer. Guess I’ll have to take it to the woods with me next week.

I dont use a call but I make a long burp.

Has worked just as well as any call.

I started using one late last season. I've notice nothing blind calling, doesn't seem to effect them one way or another. I've blown one why look at two bucks, one way working a scrape, never looked up. The other was a spike that almost ran into me and was just confused and staring me down from 10 yards. He just seemed confused.

Had it work but more times than not - no

Last time i tried i was on a buddies 40 - i had run of place and there was a toad on it. I grunted in rut - i hear deer running hard but he is circling me. As soon as he got my wind - snorted and run off. Never saw him

I would rather use it now as a last resort if i know he about gone than just blind doing it - but if it was wide open set up or not good setting - would not then either

I’ve had more luck early during bow season and right now.
I’ve called in a group of bucks 3 times in one bow season, then I’ve gone 3-4 years without having any respond. I’m

Two experiences have made me do as Booner says, to call sporadically. The first experience was bow hunting a bottom beside a flowing ditch of water. I saw a buck coming up the bottom. He got within 50 yards of me and took a right to cross the water. He gets in chest deep before I could call. When I hit the call with three sharp grunts, he stopped in his tracks and looked my way. He stood dead still in the flowing water for two minutes. Then, abruptly turn back toward me on a hard walk and I killed him at 22 yards. The other experience was in a fresh cutover. I saw the deer cruising down a ridge at least 400 yards away. It took several hard calls before he heard me. When he did, he turn and started toward me. I lost him in a low spot. When I saw him next, he was in a lope, 80 yards and closing. I shot him at 20 yards. When I am in my stand, I visualize a deer just out of sight cruising as those were.

Pre-rut and rut are great times to grunt… especially if you’re watching a buck or know that one is in the area. If I get blown by does during those times, I’ll immediately grunt. Last time I did that I killed a 6 year old eight point. I’m not very fond of grunting when deer can approach from every direction… I think it’s more effective when the direction one approaches is predictable.

ive grunted a load of does and bucks i didnt want of course they busted me most of the time

I saw one in a draw below a plot a few weeks ago for about half a minute. He did not come to the plot so I grunted. He grunted back. We did the same thing two more times over the next ten minutes. Each time I could tell he was further away. First time I’ve had that happen. I don’t grunt much as I’ve only had it work one other time.