I've been using grunts, bleats, snorts-- whatever since the mid-80's.
Yes they work, but often not in the ways you want. I've learned to generally stay away from them. When I do use them, I use them sparingly.
Let me give you a theoretical example. Let's say you are trying to lure a buck out of a treeline. You grunt. There are a herd of doe that you don't see that hear this, and decide to move off to get out of the way. The buck hears or sees the doe moving off and follows them. You have no idea anything ever happened. All you know is the forest became quiet.
JMHO- ^ ^ ^ I think this happens more
than people know.
I would guess it would vary by region.
I prefer to stay as quiet and still as possible
where I'm now hunting. I've observed deer
that were well concealed and barely visible
to me just stand as still as a statue and watch
an area they were about to move through.
If it weren't for them moving an ear there's no
way I'd have ever seen them.
There's no way to know at the deer I've probably
alerted to my presence and I never knew it
