Using Grunt Calls

How many of you have good success when using a grunt call? Recently purchased on and have been practicing with it at home. I usually have a few does out at the feeder and other senderos and not sure if it’s a good idea to try grunt call’s when they are out there.

I’ve had it draw in small bucks but it’s never worked on mature bucks where I hunt.

For me it was all about timing. It seemed to work the very best when rattling alone would not work for...more of the peak of the rut. At that time it worked on all ages classes of bucks very well.

I use an electronic call. I've had the best success using the doe in estrus call. It brought in a ten with a 24" spread.
Also, when the bucks leave I'll try it to bring em back in and possibly some older ones tag along..

I always have one when hunting. Blind calling is hard since they come in downwind but I've had great success calling in bucks I see...and does. Of course sometimes they don't care but you don't know if you don't try

I have had some small ones come in but most of the bucks ignore it and just keep going about their business. I had a really nice 10 point in the neighbors pasture with a doe, when I grunted at him, he took off fast and pushed the doe out ahead of him. That makes me thing there must have been a really big buck in the area.

This.

Called in one buck to 20yds just using a tending grunt but agree that grunting compliments other calls well. I rarely call blind though.

I attempted to use them for many years without success in my youth. Hunted in dark timber in Maine, New Hampshire. NJ, NY etc.

About 15 years ago I was hunting the Tidal flats on Padre Island when I spotted a really nice Buck on the flats over a mile away. Absolutely no cover between us. I could have walked a couple miles back and circled around him when I remembered I had my useless grunt call.

It turned out to be one of my most memorable Kills.

I started grunting and I could see through my Binocs he was interested I'd call and he'd walk toward me about 100 yds and stop. I must have had about 15 cycles of me calling and him slowly moving toward me and stopping

When he was about 300 yds out he began to trot towards me. When he got about 75 yds away he stopped and was staring in my direction. I was lying in the mud behind some cat tales. I decided he was close enough and closed the deal

Watching that deer for about 1/2 hour coming and stopping never sure he would make the distance was so exciting and the rush was amazing.

I have tried the technique often but have never been blessed with the same result. I do appreciate the one time it worked

Usually while sitting in my blind I’ll have plenty of doe's and maybe one or two small young bucks around the feeder. Would using a grunt call, snort wheeze, rattling antlers help to try and bring in a mature buck that might be in the area?

If you already have deer in front of you, using any sort of call will alert them to your presence, and might blow them out. Having a bunch of does in front of you is probably a better buck lure than anything you could do. AS STX mentioned, I have had success using a grunt with rattling quite a few times. Know that when doing so, they will often come in from downwind, so, be ready.

Well...I think what will happen, the does will hear it then slowly work them selves back in the brush. The old buck will grunt the deer out of my pen..However.. after the does and small bucks are gone a call will bring them back. If after about thirty minutes a call with a doe contact call twice and then a grunt call sometimes can bring a big guy out. I cup the grunt call when calling and with very little lite air. The sound will carry very far. I will use the calls every 15 minutes. If there is smell of a doe in heat it will be easier. My bucks that know me will not spook but if a new guy comes in he will see you if you move. Once you see the old guy just stay still don't move. Usually he will act like he is picking up corn but he is trying to get your wind. At this point ya have to just be lucky he will turn his back to ya. Then you got em..lol Did ya buck fever with all that...

Last month I had a buck with his rear end to me moving away and I just made a grunt sound with my mouth that turned him towards me for the shot. Never had any luck with my actual call.

I have killed some of my best bucks using a grunt call, if for nothing else to get them to step out of the brush enough for a shot. Several in Mississippi and a few in Texas I heard grunts then called and shot those bucks at close range, less than 30 yards. Fun way to hunt. I have had 3 kids kill their first on bucks we called in with grunt calls. All those were during the rut or post rut. I have also called in and killed a few with the doe in estrus calls.

I hever have seen a buck respond to a snort wheeze including a few I was watching, they might look but never have seen one come closer. Just my observation though.

Best luck I have had with grunting only was in Kansas during the peak of the rut. Rattling would work too but when I could see a buck cruising, a couple of soft grunts typically would draw them to me.

In Texas, I have had mixed luck with a grunt tube. I would say I have had better luck with rattling than a grunt tube.

I believe that my snoring in the blind sometimes calls the deer. Every dam time I wake up something is there waiting on me 😂

I’ve never had luck with grunt calls other than to stop a deer and for that I can do it just fine with my mouth. Now rattling on the other hand has worked very well at the right times in the season.