For myself, I tend to go the quiet route.

When I do try to rattle or grunt deer in, it seems I chase them over to the next county.


What works for you?

I try the quiet act but at my age grunts, rattles, and bleats just seem to emit from my body.

I've rattled and grunted in deer successfully, but usually go the quiet route. There's just something about making a bunch of racket while hunting that goes against all I've been taught about hunting.

I snore, it seems to help, they get curious to see what's making the strange noises..........

Kind of depends on what I had to eat the night before. Burritos are always a bad choice.

During regular season, I don't find much use in grunting, rattling, etc. I have used a Can Bleat a couple of times...that seems to help out a bit, but only in small amounts.

Most of my deer hunting these days is stalking silently along a trail, deep in a swamp or hard wood hammock. I try to not make any noise at all.

I do carry a grunt call, and If I see a deer off the trail a bit, I'll use the call to get the critter to stand still so I can kill it.

I just fart at regular intervals. Seems to work on both hogs and deer..........

lolol

I hunt quietly, but have been known to Naaaah like a goat to get an animal stop and look.

Mostly all I do is still hunting. There's one place I've done some spot and stalk. The answer is then I go the "stay quiet" route.

I played with grunts a little a couple years ago after I'd tagged out just to see how it went. I scared off a number of deer and attracted none.

I haven't tried rattling yet. I tagged out saturday so this would be a good year to experiment, nothing to lose now.

Tom

I usually go the quiet route. But, there have been a few times where I've heard a bleat or a grunt back in the woods. When that happens the pan has been primed and a little noise back and forth sometimes brings an animal into view, sometimes very cautiously, sometimes charging in ready to kicks some butt.

Most of the time I go the quiet route but I do like to rattle a few times a half hour before I get out of the stand in morning. How aggressive or playful the rattling is depends on how close to the rut we are.

I have killed more buck rattling than i have being quiet. Very seldom hunt in Nov. or Late Oct without rattling and grunting. It works about 50% of the time.

Since getting mature i do a lot of 'buck snorts', especially after pinto beans.

Several years ago you could stop a walking buck with a grunt call every time, but I guess there is enough random grunters in the woods now that they pay no attention to it. I have had them act like they don't even hear it even though I know it is loud enough that they did. I know people that grunt at intervals all the time they are on a stand and they kill some deer. I don't know if it is because of it, or in spite of it. miles

Shot my first deer that I called in, an 8pt WT that ran to me w/another buck opening weekend! Must have been before the rut, but used it many times w/good success. DG-87 below:

http://www.haydels.com/pages/deercalls.html

I've used a grunt to stop a moving deer for the shot, and I once used it to call back a forkhorn that I shot at with a ML and missed. He wasn't too bright, but was tasty.

The only thing I called in was another hunter stalking me. I was rattling and grunting and I heard a grunt off in the distance working it's way towards me. Every so often it would stop and start raking the trees, snapping branches, and kicking up leaves. My heart about burst through my chest, just as the sound was about to come through the brush I saw a the face of the hunter. He came through the brush saw me, waved and then turned around. a$$hole had no orange on, a set of deer antlers in his hand, and was on private property. I think he had a death wish

I am quiet except that I will do a short quiet bleat (with just my mouth/no call) to stop a deer for the shot and only if nessesary.

I do all of the above.

Not big on the rattling though. I've only seen it work once when I did it. I'm sure I bust more of them from the movement of rattling than I bring in.

Grunting and doe/fawn bleats I've have work enough to keep using them.

That's all I've done, though I have to confess, I'm still trying to learn this whitetail hunting thing. It's a bit different from moose & caribou hunting.

Ed

Seems any noises I make are enough to get the after burners kicked in in short order. How did the old timers bag anything without grunts, bleats, rattles, and boomer Magnums?

I hear that Scott.

But to answer, I have always been a spot & stalk hunter.

I do all of them. Little bit different up here than whitetail hunting though.

Have a serious case of STFU when in the woods.

D

As most here already know, my wife and I go to Anticosti Island every year. We are due to leave again this November 17th.

Up there, it's a whole nother dimension of deer hunting,,,,,,,,HONEST. I would imagine deer density and buck to doe ratio are the biggest contributing factors. Both my wife and I are very successful with both. We have both rattled them in with no grunting, and grunted them in with no rattling. And we have brought deer in doing both. We have brought them in not knowing they were there before and we have brought them in seeing them before we called or rattled. Talking to folks I am of the opinion that when we grunt we grunt with a tone that is too low in pitch. Mimicking an old mature deer. I have seen deer turn and run to these calls. After I got a little experience calling, I learned that a higher pitch call has better results. It scares less deer away and if there is a big ol' bruiser nearby, he'll "generally" come in for a looksee. Rattling, I always start by just clicking the antlers together. I never "bang" them together, but rack the tines together to try to imitate pushing and shoving. I have NEVER called in or rattled in a deer in the New Hampshire woods, EVER. OTOH, I have NEVER NOT called or rattled deer in on the island. It doesn't work EVERY time but it does at least 50% of the time.

I'd be interested to try more of the rattling up here. I've heard it can work. I use a bleat pretty exclusively during the rut. Plenty of bucks come running into those. However, as Calvin says, it's a bit different up here than whitetail hunting.

When I lived in ID, I grunted in a nice buck one year. Had a pard rattle in one later that same day. Otherwise it was pretty quiet, still hunting most of the time.

I occasionally fart, cough and sneeze.

Dan

While I generally scare any deer over to the next county if I try to call them in, I once called in a beautiful 12 point with the slightest click of 2 antlers. Came crashing in and stood perfectly broadside from 25 yards away but as luck wood have it, my peep sight came off as I pulled back.



I've also been able to get a buck to turn back towards me with a light grunt. If I want a deer to stop, a light quick whistle has never failed me(Grandpa taught me that trick). Bleating has never worked for me but I hear it has for others.


I suppose it's different for us archery hunters who need a deer to get within 25+/- yrds for a shot. Frustrating seeing a nice buck off in the distance but I've got to the point I'd rather just take my chances being quiet. Hate giving away my position more than anything.

I stay quiet unless I see a buck heading the wrong way. Then I might grunt or rattle to head him my way.

Once I THOUGHT I heard another hunter grunting in the woods, I was on a pipeline in a stand, I ignored it for awhile, about 15-20 minutes later I made a few grunts, a nice 8 pt stepped out - and I am 99% sure what I had THOUGHT was a hunter blowing a call, was this deer I shot about 115 yds down the pipeline. He came out looking my direction. There was nobody hunting in the stand that was out in front where the deer obviously passed, as everyone had assigned stands and the one stand there was empty.

Had the same thing happen in a swamp back in college thinking I heard some hunters, and when I waded back towards 'them' I found Real DUCKS! They sounded worse then a good caller!

I often stay quiet awhile, and then later will use a call sparingly, just a few grunts, and silent for 20-30 minutes, then one more set. Then quiet an hour or so. Killed alot of deer when doing this......never knowingly hurt my hunting by calling, but like duck hunting, if the game is coming your way, and you know it, don't bring attention to yourself.

Another time hunting a swamp area in south LA, I ran off several deer while heading to the area I wanted to hunt, they had been feeding in a hardwood area on acorns. I got blew a doe snort/bleat 'wheeze' call a few times to try calming them into thinking I was a deer, as my sounding crunching on dry ground is what ran them off. I sat down w/in minutes and blew my deer grunt. Minutes later right at legal light, a small buck returned, I had my knees up and strained getting the eye relief on my 6x on a #1 270....dropped the deer so fast I never saw him fall during recoil - 150 BT was like a lightning bolt.

Yes, I am sold on using calls, but knowing when, and how often to call has to be thought out, not just random steady calling.

That said, if hunting pressure is steady, and esp. if you know others use calls, i.e. when after ducks, or bugling for elk, you have to be very careful not to over call.

Rattling..something I need to try more of...it seems to be pretty effective for many who do it.

While I have not tried it myself,I have been with hunters in Va,WVa and Texas who have successfully rattled in deer. I,personally,have had success with grunt calls,especially at first light. I have one of those "bleats in a can" jobs but have never used it.

If I can bring in a deer with my grunt calling,then I assure you they're effective. FWIW,and I have no stake in the company,the below is one of my favorite grunt calls and it really does sound spectacular,with little effort.

It's on sale now,too.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hunting/Hunting-Game-Calls/Big-Game-Calls%7C/pc/104791680/c/104725980/sc/104212980/Hunters-Specialties-True-Talker-2-Deer-Call/727882.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fhunting-hunting-game-calls-big-game-calls%2F_%2FN-1100094%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104212980%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253Bcat104791680%253Bcat104725980

did the same thing elk hunting, this guy had a bugle and i had a cow call, my dad busted a bottle of elk urine in his coat pocket. any way, i'm calling, he's calling and finally we found each other, we started BS'ing and a group of about 6 cows came running at us and into the thick timber, and nobody got a shot off. These cows came with in 10 feet of us.

I prefer to sit quietly on the highest place I can find, behind my binos and spotter, looking into the wind, so I can spit Copenhagen all over the ground with no issues.

I grunt on occassion and use attractant scents..

Silent.

I usually just fart, that brings 'em in closer every time!

Now, when you get like me, and can do all three at exactly the same time, your sucess rate will go way up!

As of late, I make a drink, (a big one), grab a lawn chair, walk 50-100 yards from camp and sit with an unloaded Marlin. Heck, sometimes I'll even smoke a cigar. I usually see 5-7 doe's and just waive at them. They darn near walk right up to me.

Now if I really want to shoot something then I walk and walk and walk!

Best deer hunt I ever had was after a late-late morning frat party at the College of Charleston. I wore the same bright white oxford, jeans and docksiders I had on the night before and everyone made fun of me. Fell asleep in the ditch only to wake up to an 8 and 10 pointer standing darn near on top of me. I only had the heart to drop one and the other ran 25 yards and stopped. That was all it took so that one went down as well. None of the others saw anything and they weren't laughing after the hunt.

For me none of this covert stuff is worth going through. Right place, right time and God willing. Maybe that explains why I've yet to shoot a danged turkey.

I go quite in early bow and late modern gun, and rattle and grunt in BP season, usually the peak of the rut here.

Gunner

Timing is everything when using this "trifecta" of techniques.. If it is not near perfect timing that fart could very well turn into a "shart", if you know what I mean.

I do all and all have work....
This guy fell to rattling horns after he had passed 100yds out of range killed at 25yds all bristled and agitated



This one fell to the grunt


This one was enticed into range with a bleat

Rifle season in KS is in Dec, long after the rut. I keep a grunt call in my stand, and practice the short, quick, grunt to stop a buck if necessary, but I have never used it.

A few years back, I went deer hunting with my son on our farm. He walked to the honey hole and I set up my folding chair next to some big hay bales about 20yds from the truck. I'm sitting on my chair, with my rifle leaning on a hay bale, and my big coffee cup resting on my knee, in all of my orange glory. A doe with her fawn slipped up on me before I knew it. I sat there frozen for about 20 min with her looking straight at me from as close as 20'. She paced back and forth, just watching me, and finally just walked off with the fawn. Something that I will never forget. Life is good.

Still hunting has always been the most productive for me. I have seen 90% of my deer while still hunting.

I'll scratch your back if....

Hunting red deer in their roar (rut)is great fun. If you can get high on a ridge line and let out a good roar you often get a great response.
There's been times when I've had deer roaring back at me from two ridges across.
Sometimes you get one silently sneak in to check you out, other times it's like you have a fire breathing dragon on a string and all you have to do is keep playing the tune till he's standing on top of you.

Sika are even more fun, they'll fight anything so a halfway decent imitation of their squeal/roar can get them in fight mode instantly. They'll often charge straight in on you.

the biggest mistakes people make is:
1/ Over doing it, don't go roaring every two minutes. Best thing to do is go listen to a few stags on a farm to see how they do it.
2/ Don't try to sound like the biggest baddest deer ever bred. In a life and death fight would you rather fight a heavy weight boxer or some weedy nerd? Most sane people would choose the nerd, deer aren't stupid.

i go for the snoring in route i've opened my eyes to alot of deer over my time

Can't tell you how many blacktails have come running to the bleat. I've rattled deer in and grunted them in.

Worry about the nose, not the noise.

Horns rattling together or against tree to draw in

I worry about cover above everything else.


Hell, Friday I'm smoking a cigarette and a bear tried to climb my stand(well, he had his hand on the 3rd rung sniffing the steps) and later that evening had a bigger bear come within 12 yrds at a different spot after I just had another cigarette.

they had been eating old butts and craved the nicotine