Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Estrus can calls??

Is it to early for can calls?I have great luck with them during rut,but it's a little early yet I think??I did a few bleats every hour tonight,Maybe sucker out a younger stupid virgin buck LOL.They might want to check it out?It may also spoke a skittish doe as well.You guy's ever have luck pre-rut with a estrus can call??Please tell!!

Nope. The only call that I have had consistent luck with is a fawn bleat and only used it when an animal was in sight, but not moving in the direction I needed it to.

Would use it in bow season, during the chase phase of the runt or to stop a buck that was heading in the wrong direction.

I don't fool with the others. Some of the cans sound too much like a distress call to me. Got one buddy who carries a can when yote hunting...

When my son was younger, he was enamored with it. Finally brought him to a high fence operation of a friends and we sat over looking a feeder. I belted out a tune and it sent 11 deer to the next township...

May work in different locales where predators are not a big problem, I don't know???

There's no figuring Yotes, sometimes. I know of a case where a team of hunters won a competitive coyote hunt and shot a pickup load of song dogs by playing -- get this -- a tape of a crying human infant.

Kind of tells you all you need to know about Yotes...

Yep. It tells you don't be using a call that will possibly attract predators to you location when you are hunting deer...

A snort wheeze (use my mouth) will turn a buck a lot of times as well.

I actually called in a mule deer doe once using a predator call. She was fightin' mad when she got there, too.

Can't speak for Mulies, but with our mature Whitetails, that would be the exception rather than the rule. I had to many wizards who brought those gadgets when I guided.

If you are in a good spot, you seldom will need 'em. Most of the time, hunters invariably give their location away by using them too much. Especially folks who feel they must blow them every 10 minutes.

Have spotted more than 1 good buck standing off looking at us or in our direction, just turn and leave.

Maybe young bucks respond better?? But a lot older ones here sure don't seem too keen on hanging around, unless it's a mild bleat or a snort wheeze, depending on the situation and the bucks body language, as to which one should be attempted and only if a shot opportunity is not going to happen.

How does rattlin' work in your neck of the swamp?

+1

In areas that have a good buck to doe ratio and mating is a competitive affair, it will work.

I have killed 1 deer doing it and got busted on several others.

The problem here is that most of our areas have does behind every tree. If a buck is tending a doe, he's not as likely to come off of her and go see what the commotion is all about.

Have seen young satellite bucks come up and stand at a distance trying to get a peek though.

I'm not saying that all gadgets don't work.

I'm saying that sounds that may make a doe or young buck curious is more likely to make a mature buck stand off in cover and investigate, which usually means he will eventually spot you playing with your gadget and leave.

JM

Then quit playin' with your gadget.

I agree with JM 100% as to how calls work in the SE. They work entirely different in N. VA, based on my limited experience up there.

I have had good luck with it. I woould use it now through the end of November, up here.

I have great luck with the estrus can call by primos.I've called in many young and a few big bucks during the rut.It's ALMOST every year I arrow a deer during archery season with this call.The call tells bucks the doe is ready to mate.They come in load and fast when they here it.It sure works here in Massachusetts.I never had luck rattling because most of the bucks are young smaller deer on public land,and probably feel intimidated.They rather just come in for the call of a estrus doe.Rattling does work in some areas.I've seen bucks on tv charge to the sound of rattling horns.I think it's a bit early though?

The only thing I've ever managed to call up with a bleat can is other does. On a TPW hunt in tall grass, that happened two days in a row. Both does busted me big time. One of them got within 10 feet of me before I notice her.

I won't quit using it during the rut.I seen to many bucks run in for it. I'm going to hold off for a while though.At least till November.That's when I know bucks start to rut,in my neck of the woods in MA.I only use it every hour or so?

I've killed a couple nice bucks with the can during the prerut and rut. Also called in a few others. I like to do it when I can see them, but do it blind quite a bit as well. Most of the bucks do not pay it any attention, hardly even look up and I know they could hear it. Some would just stop and look, then go about their business. A few have come right to it including some nice bucks. I had a wide 8pt leave a doe and get almost close enough, later the doe brought him in a clearing for the shot. Another was chasing way behind a couple does, he stopped and looked at me, then came alittle closer and stopped in an openining looking for me again when I rocked his world. I've only had a few bucks snort wheeze at me and two of them did it after I did the can bleat.

I've had more luck with a grunt tube than any other WT call. I've found scrape lines and set up to do some grunting and had bucks come charging in many times.

Rattling scares most of the deer in the areas I hunt here at home. I've had a few young deer come right in I've scared some as well. Like JM mentioned, too many does. OTOH, I have seen rattling work ridiculously well in TX where the ratio is even or more bucks to does. It works so well that you can nearly call in a buck you see at a distance every time during the rut. That is something every whitetail hunter should experience.

loder

mmmm, I could really go for a can of estrus...

Sounds delicious.

wait, maybe I misunderstood the question.... damn lysdexia...

I was skeptical at first, but after having called in Whitetail bucks five years straight with the Primos Big Can, I am a devoted believer. Last year's 5-point came in at a trot and pulled up at 15 yards.

My experience has been that it will call up young bucks even before the prime rut, and that the mature ones haven't shown for me until the rut is seriously underway.

I gave one to my 80-yr old landowner who has difficulty getting around last year the last afternoon of the season. He had been going down to a little blind hut on his property a dozen times to no avail. That afternoon he called up a very nice buck with the can and took it at 75 yards. He is now also a great believer.

Yea!!The primos great big can is the best one,Hands down!!I never had luck with any other can call.MMMMM! I can sure go for a can of estrus!!! LOL that was funny sh$@t right there.Good one northern Dave.Too re loader 7Rm... Rattling also don't work here much either,this part of the east coast.