Grunt Call Success Rates?

[Nutterbuster]

I was gifted a pretty nice grunt call:

Swamp Boys Custom Calls Strikers

I've never been much of a caller, and I've only heard a deer grunt once in my life. But I kinda want to give it a try this year.

How many guys have seen a buck react to a call? Did he spook? Did he look up? Did he come running? Did you see him respond to the call or did you blind call and have him show up later? Where where you hunting? Midwest? East Coast? Deep South? Public or private?

Just trying to see if it actually works outside of on Bill Jerdin's and Will Primos' shows.

 

[Vtbow]

Hahahhahahshs...sorry...grunt calls are comical around here. Rattling worse....

 

[huntin_addict]

I voted I watched him react, which I have, with success. I have also blind grunted bucks in, and I know they were coming to the grunt because they came in looking for a fight.

I don't use any sort of grunt tube, just what the Good Lord gave me. I've grunted in and killed my last 8+ bucks with my voice.

 

[huntin_addict]

Hahahhahahshs...sorry...grunt calls are comical around here. Rattling worse....

I have guys say the same thing around here. I let them believe it too.

 

[Nutterbuster]

Hahahhahahshs...sorry...grunt calls are comical around here. Rattling worse....

I lean that way here. I've heard hunter's calling more than I've heard deer making the noises.

I have guys say the same thing around here. I let them believe it too.

I'm very, very interested. I love the idea of being able to coax a buck out of the palmetto and yaupon. When do you call? Time of year/rut phase, time of day, conditions, etc. Pressured or nonpressured land? Thick cover or open woods? Near food sources or bedding? I wanna learn

 

[Vtbow]

I have guys say the same thing around here. I let them believe it too.

I wasnin a saddle way deep 2 years ago and a guy came and setup 150 yards from me....he had no idea I was there. I literally watched an 8pter. Come into him at 75 yards. He started rattling. Then grunting in succession. It stopped and promptly walked in the opposite direction. I watched the whole thing through my Leopolds...

I've seen canned bleet calls do a lot better...

 

[kyler1945]

Yes, to all of the above. I'm typically conservative with calling. But on occasion I've thrown out hail mary's that worked, and blind called, and called at deer close by with success. I've also had deer take off like I shot them at the sound of a grunt, and I've had them completely ignore it. If you're around a bunch of people calling, you'll get no or not good response. But I've grunted up deer in texas, missouri, mississippi, louisiana, alabama, and florida.

The one thing that I think ends up sinking things, is they are deadly accurate with sound. They will walk right to your tree. And if they don't see a deer, that's gonna make em weird. I never grunt without my bow in my hand.

If a deer is working his way in range, I don't call. If a deer is out of range, or isn't coming to you anyway, what do you stand to lose by throwing a grunt out there?

I'm not as high on blind calling as others may be.

 

[Hunter260]

I’ve blind grunted in many deer, killed one of them. I’ve called to tons of deer and watched them come in to the call. I’ve never had a deer spook from a grunt. Most of this is private land with low to moderate hunting pressure though.

 

[shwacker]

I’ve been calling a lot the last few years, I feel it’s increased my sightings and success.

Just last week in FL, had a buck across the fence at 50 yards, 3 grunts progressively louder until he stopped, gave attention, then two hit of a bleat can, he walked to me on a string. Caught ground scent and I didn’t seal the deal, but still...

In Midwest, absolutely!!! Granted I’m hunting rut up there, but I’ve had some success with rattling, lots of success with grunts, seeing the deer and turning him as well as blind grunting.


Spencer

 

[Nchunter1989]

I wasnin a saddle way deep 2 years ago and a guy came and setup 150 yards from me....he had no idea I was there. I literally watched an 8pter. Come into him at 75 yards. He started rattling. Then grunting in succession. It stopped and promptly walked in the opposite direction. I watched the whole thing through my Leopolds...

I've seen canned bleet calls do a lot better...

That sounds more like an issue with the buck not smelling other deer, or not hearing the “fight” before he got close, more than the rattling itself.


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[Hebeskibe]

Grunt calls work for me sometimes what is better is a doe in heat bleet used sparingly the primos can is the ticket got two ten pointers in to bow range last year the bigger buck was walking away when I noticed him with nothing to lose out came the can a few bleets and he turns around and eventually offered a twenty yard shot while looking for the doe!

 

[Sniper4hire]

I've had better than average success using a tru talker with a can call over the years.
Where I live fooling the young ones is easy, getting the bucks i want to kill takes a bit more strategy, but I get my hits cold calling an area.
Rattling? Zero success ever with that
Best technique I've learned is not to over call per sequence and longer durations between sequences.

 

[Vtbow]

That sounds more like an issue with the buck not smelling other deer, or not hearing the “fight” before he got close, more than the rattling itself.


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The density here is so low there like 1 buck per 5 square miles...he didn't know what they were trying to mimic...

 

[TNbowhunter]

I don't call much, but it can be very effective with the right buck in the right situation. I've grunted in one nice buck ever (the one in my profile photo, actually), and it was a very cool experience. He was 75 yards south of me and walking due east. I did a loud sequence, and he looked over, then came right in for a 15 yard shot. I'm certain he would not have come my way or given me a shot without that calling.
That said, I have also grunted at deer in more open areas and watched them (as I perceived it, anyway) realize there was no other buck around, and they turned and left. I expect much better results calling where the buck thinks the "other buck" that just grunted is just over the hill, behind some brush, etc. Just my two cents.

 

[raisins]

I've had two immature bucks come into grunts. Given our deer population, I think rattling scares them more than anything. Anytime I've rattle, I've seen nothing the whole time after that day.

 

[Weldabeast]

I heard a real live florida buck grunt last season... First time. The only deer I've seen and tired to use it on them were young bucks and they perk they ears up but that was it.
I did see how a good rattling sequence can really work...I had 2 little spikers start fighting 20yd from my tree and the big 1 i was after was still out in the marsh.... When he heard those 2 going at it he stood up, swoll up, and ears back stiff leg walked over to them and run them off... Was to dark to see to shoot by the time he got there... Those little 2 got bullied and sent home to momma...hahaha

 

[NDH]

Early on in my hunting life I would take one out, because I thought that is what you did. One hunt I get a text from my buddy asking me to “Stop tweeting on that douche flute.” After I stopped laughing in the tree, the grunt tube hasn’t left my basement since.

 

[kyler1945]

Early on in my hunting life I would take one out, because I thought that is what you did. One hunt I get a text from my buddy asking me to “Stop tweeting on that douche flute.” After I stopped laughing in the tree, the grunt tube hasn’t left my basement since.

Sounds like he played you like a flute. All the deer are coming to his calls now!

 

[GCTerpfan]

Yes, to all of the above. I'm typically conservative with calling. But on occasion I've thrown out hail mary's that worked, and blind called, and called at deer close by with success. I've also had deer take off like I shot them at the sound of a grunt, and I've had them completely ignore it. If you're around a bunch of people calling, you'll get no or not good response. But I've grunted up deer in texas, missouri, mississippi, louisiana, alabama, and florida.

The one thing that I think ends up sinking things, is they are deadly accurate with sound. They will walk right to your tree. And if they don't see a deer, that's gonna make em weird. I never grunt without my bow in my hand.

If a deer is working his way in range, I don't call. If a deer is out of range, or isn't coming to you anyway, what do you stand to lose by throwing a grunt out there?

I'm not as high on blind calling as others may be.

X2 on everything above. With the exception of my hunting is limited to Western MD.

 

[boyne bowhunter]

Ok, I have blind called in a buck and killed him . . .once. Unfortunately that success percentage rate is too low to even rate a vote in the survey. I carry a grunt tube now as a last resort if I can see him walking the wrong direction and hopefully want to turn him around. . . wait I did that once too, does that count as two? Still a mighty low percentage in my book. As I said above, it's only a last resort in my book. Usually by then I'm scrambling to find the tube in the bottom of my pack pocket.

Location is heavily hunted northern Michigan public land. I have witnessed a lot of actual grunting from bucks but generally only as they are hot on the trail of a hot doe. Short grunts about every other step or so.