What would you do?

[Ski]

Another thing that helps is if you can make your call come from where the deer can't see. Having a ridge behind you or other terrain features that force the deer to come looking for the action.

That is probably the most critical part of calling. Doesn't matter if you're calling a buck or a turkey, they won't come in if they can see where the sound is coming from but can't see the source.

Imagine sitting in your living room hearing someone talking to you from across the room but nobody's there. It would weird you out. But if you heard that same talking coming from another room then you'd go investigate. Same thing with deer.

 

[Snake]

Light grunt if he spooked that quick.

 

[Dumbluck]

I never rattle at a buck I can visually see. I will always let them walk off for a minute out of sight before rattling. They are smart enough to know how close you are and can pinpoint noise much better than we can. If they look where the fight should be and see nothing an older deer will typically respond as that buck did.

When I need a deer to turn I typically start out with the softest grunt I can and I watch his ears, not his head. If he cocks an ear then he heard you. I'll try another soft grunt again after I know he heard me and watch to see if he stops or continues. No matter what he does at this point I remain silent to see what he does. If he continues and starts to get out of sight I will snort wheeze. After that I will wait a while at least 5 to 10 minutes and see if he responds. If he does not after being completely out of sight will try a very short rattle sequence and then I'm done.

I've had some bucks come back 20 to 30 minutes later to investigate.

 

[Uncle Bubba]

Must be a bigger buck in the area. Either that, or he was just a little close and it startled him. 100 yards isn't near as far in a field as it is in hardwood timber as far as sound is concerned. If it were me, I'd try to coax him in with bleats and softer grunts. Convince him there is a doe in rhe area. He may be long gone for the day, but you never know. They will circle back around to satisfy their curiosity. Good luck.

Yes, there are some pretty large mature bucks on the property that we are not allowed to hunt. This 100 acres is sandwiched by my property on 1 side and my cousins property on the other side. The lady that owns it will let us bush-hog and cut hay off of the property (80% of the property is heavy timber) but she doesn't want anyone hunting on it. This property was originally my
great-grandparents farm so I know it like the back of my hand & it hasn't really been hunted in over 30yrs.

This particular buck didn't hesitate, with the 1st "clang" of the antlers he was gone like he was shot out of a cannon. He didn't blow or anything else, didn't even raise his tail. I regularly see the mature bucks at the fence line but only the young bucks come across the line from their "sanctuary". I've been trying for years to draw the bigger bucks over with no luck.

My property is all timber and that's what I hunt, there is a creek that separates our 2 properties with an old fence line and then there is a small field we bush-hog and it is very common to find multiple rubs like this at the edges.

 

[chris1976]

Here's a scenario that I'd like some feedback on.

Earlier this week after sitting for several hours and seeing no deer activity, I decided to rattle. Within 5 minutes a small 6 point walked up to check it out, and then he slowly walked off.

Fast forward to this morning, sitting silently in my ground blind the same 6 point came cruising by around 7am and another 4 point about 30 minutes later. Around 9am off in the distance around 100 yards away I see a very mature buck easing along the fence line that separates my property from my neighbors. My neighbors property is 100 acres and the lady does not let anyone hunt on her property and I know this buck is not going to cross onto my property.

My question is what would you do to get his attention to possibly come where you are.

Do you:

• Bleat
• Grunt
• Rattle (after already having success with it earlier in the week)

I decided to rattle and the buck wanted no part of it. He bolted off like a wildcat and ran across the field & back into the woods. I have rattled for years with success and have never had 1 react the way this buck did.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

They have probably reacted that way many times you have rattled but you never saw them.