# How to get them closer



## andyb (Oct 10, 2006)

Last night sitting in my bow stand I saw several more deer than I have seen in the past weeks. I had decided that I was going to shoot a decent doe if one came in range in stead of shooting a young buck. Last night I nice doe was about 75 yards off. The doe started walking right towards me so I got ready. This doe got about 50 yards off, and thats when I saw a pretty nice 4X4 following. After seeing him I changed my mind and now I am going to hold off for him. This buck followed the doe and got about 60 yards away when he turned around to scare off the two spike bucks that were fighting abouth 75 yards off. After scaring these two bucks off he never came back in my direction. What can I do to get this buck to come my way next time? Grunt call?


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Its a little early for a grunt, but its worth a try, you have nothing to lose unless you overdo it and make him suspicious. The problem with a call or rattling is once they come in, and dont see a deer, they get real jumpy real fast.

Sometimes its better to do nothing. Ive had LOTS of bucks come by a stand, out of range, or moving fast, offering no shot whatever the circumstances only to come back through a few minutes or hours later. Their moving alot now (or getting ready to). Bucks are up, on the prowl for longer periods during daylight hours.

A call can bring em in at any time of year (or so im told.....curiousity). And its worth a try if you feel you have nothing to lose. But when you decide to blow on a call, you better be at the ready, bow in hand. He may come charging in hard, and once he figures out theres no "deer" there, he may blow out of there just as fast. It can all shake out real quick.


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## bretts (Feb 24, 2004)

barebackjack said:


> Its a little early for a grunt, but its worth a try, you have nothing to lose unless you overdo it and make him suspicious. The problem with a call or rattling is once they come in, and dont see a deer, they get real jumpy real fast.
> 
> Sometimes its better to do nothing. Ive had LOTS of bucks come by a stand, out of range, or moving fast, offering no shot whatever the circumstances only to come back through a few minutes or hours later. Their moving alot now (or getting ready to). Bucks are up, on the prowl for longer periods during daylight hours.
> 
> A call can bring em in at any time of year (or so im told.....curiousity). And its worth a try if you feel you have nothing to lose. But when you decide to blow on a call, you better be at the ready, bow in hand. He may come charging in hard, and once he figures out theres no "deer" there, he may blow out of there just as fast. It can all shake out real quick.


It's definitely not to early to be using your grunt call, don't get aggresive with it, but I would definitely use it if you see a buck out of shooting range. Another good tactic right now, if you have a rattle bag, slowly roll it down your leg to mimic some sparring, I have had success doing that.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Some say its never to early to grunt. I disagree somewhat. A grunt can pique a deers curiousity at ANY time of year, this is true. But, I dont like to use it till "prime time" as I dont want a deer to get used to that sound. I grunted a buck this weekend just for snorts and giggles. He heard it, but just wasnt into it, its just a bit to early yet. 
The more a deer hears a grunt, the less likely they will be to respond to it. If you hunt an area with lots of hunters, all grunting and rattling at bucks, youll see a drastic drop in the number of bucks willing to respond to it. Thats why I prefer to save it for a time I KNOW they'll be more willing to respond, i.e., another week. Also, you may be grunting at a buck you can see, but there may be five others back in the woods you cant see, and they just heard you as well. If you grunt at every buck that comes by out of range, eventually youll get those deer to the point where they wont pay any attention to a grunt. Just something to think about. I think most people overdo calling, on everything, deer, ducks, geese, coyotes, etc etc.
Like I said, its something to try, you could get a response this time of year, but most likely will just get a look. Just dont overdo it this time of year. Grunt once or twice, make sure he heard you, but if he's not coming, dont keep doing it. In fact, if your going for a "curiousity" response, a doe bleat would be a good choice as well.


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## bretts (Feb 24, 2004)

barebackjack said:


> Some say its never to early to grunt. I disagree somewhat. A grunt can pique a deers curiousity at ANY time of year, this is true. But, I dont like to use it till "prime time" as I dont want a deer to get used to that sound. I grunted a buck this weekend just for snorts and giggles. He heard it, but just wasnt into it, its just a bit to early yet.
> The more a deer hears a grunt, the less likely they will be to respond to it. If you hunt an area with lots of hunters, all grunting and rattling at bucks, youll see a drastic drop in the number of bucks willing to respond to it. Thats why I prefer to save it for a time I KNOW they'll be more willing to respond, i.e., another week. Also, you may be grunting at a buck you can see, but there may be five others back in the woods you cant see, and they just heard you as well. If you grunt at every buck that comes by out of range, eventually youll get those deer to the point where they wont pay any attention to a grunt. Just something to think about. I think most people overdo calling, on everything, deer, ducks, geese, coyotes, etc etc.
> Like I said, its something to try, you could get a response this time of year, but most likely will just get a look. Just dont overdo it this time of year. Grunt once or twice, make sure he heard you, but if he's not coming, dont keep doing it. In fact, if your going for a "curiousity" response, a doe bleat would be a good choice as well.


I disagree, using a grunt call now will by no means out do it for "prime time" You don't want to overdo it, but a couple times just so you know he hears it. These next two weeks you will have more success with a grunt call. They are very curious right now, the mature deer are very defensive to any other buck that may act as a threat. Before the rut deer mature bucks are very susceptible to soft grunts. They want that other buck to realize this is his home area not theres. Mature bucks are on the prowl very early and very late right now, there are a lot of small scrapes and rubs starting to show up, they freshen up their home base. Rattling is very easy to overdo and also a snort wheeze...it has to be very very close or prime time for that call. Grunting is very common, does grunt, small bucks grunt often. Don't be scared to try it, but don't overdo it. Once he hears it stop, never grunt at a deer if they are committing.


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## bretts (Feb 24, 2004)

bareback gun hunting is coming up fast....you better slam one soon!


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

I aint to worried bout them "gang bangers", they aint shot shiat on me.

I kinda hope I make it to late november/december this year. I love late season hunting and I was tagged out early last year.


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## bretts (Feb 24, 2004)

remember don't pass on something that you'd shoot on the last day


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

bretts said:


> remember don't pass on something that you'd shoot on the last day


To late. 

No, honestly, its 145 or bigger this year (and it has to be a without a doubt 145 no brainer as soon as you see him you know, if I gotta think about it, he aint the one). Ill eat the tag before I just fill it with anything. And its a bow tag, ill stick a doe on the last day to fill it, but I sure as hell aint gonna shoot a doe with it now.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

> if you have a rattle bag, slowly roll it down your leg to mimic some sparring,


bretts, how much rattling, is too much? do you just roll it down your leg once and wait? I have a bag, but have never used it for fear of doing it incorrectly. Any advice?


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## joshua.jeffreys (Jul 26, 2006)

DECOY and MOCK SCRAPES!!!


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## Hamm (Dec 10, 2007)

Pile of corn. :stirpot:


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## bretts (Feb 24, 2004)

laite319 said:


> > if you have a rattle bag, slowly roll it down your leg to mimic some sparring,
> 
> 
> bretts, how much rattling, is too much? do you just roll it down your leg once and wait? I have a bag, but have never used it for fear of doing it incorrectly. Any advice?


I'll do it for about thirty seconds, just think about what it would sound like if two bucks were sparring, try to mimic that.


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## TheDogSlayer1 (Dec 15, 2006)

It is definitely not to early to use a grunt call or rattling. As a matter of fact as soon as the bucks lose their velvet they start sparring. They're not really fighting, it more like pushing and playing to determine a pecking order. I'm 48 years old and have been bow hunting deer since I was 15 years old. I live in central MN and have called in and killed over 20 bucks in September with grunting and soft rattling. I will not even go hunting if I've forgot my grunt call, I will go back and get it. I can't tell you haw many times I had a buck at 100 yards that would not have came close enough for a shot if it weren't for the grunt call. It brings them in on a string even in mid Sept. They just have to come and see what buck is making the noise. With a grunt call and rattling bag or antlers, exact stand placement is not quite as important, all you need to do is set up where you think you will be able to spot a buck, even 200-300 yds away and call him in from there as long as the wind is right. I very seldom have problems getting a buck within 20 yds once a spotted him as long as the wind is right. I believe bucks are much easier to call in sept and early oct than they are during the rut. During the rut they're spending most of their time chasing hot does and it is very difficult to call a buck away from a hot doe, unless you're lucky enough to catch a lonely buck that is between does, but most of the dominent bucks will be on does.

One more thing; Don't be afaird to use your calls, the only time I've ever chase a deer away with calls is when I get busted by a deer that have split in on me and I didn't know he was already that close.

Good luck and don't leave your grunt call at home.


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## huntinND (May 1, 2008)

> During the rut they're spending most of their time chasing hot does and it is very difficult to call a buck away from a hot doe


I agree, the next two weeks are going to be the best time to have bucks respond to grunt calls or rattling. I have rattled in more bucks in the pre-rut then any other time. I don't think you are going to educate a buck if he doesn't respond to a grunt call as long as you take it easy. A few soft grunts then watch him to see if he heard it.


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## Hamm (Dec 10, 2007)

Tried my first attempts at rattling for this season on Friday. And I mean loud rattling. I've done the light "sparring" rattling some the last couple weeks, but this weekend I was looking for a fight. No results from my first sequence. An hour later I tried again, and about 10 minutes afterwards I had a buck coming my way. Unfortunately he saw me before I saw him and I think he caught me moving. He was around 125 yards upwind so I doubt he got my scent. Looked like a decent buck, around 130". Ya gotta love this time of year!

Good luck out there everyone!

Oh yeah, did that wind this weekend suck or what!?


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## deerslayer80 (Mar 27, 2007)

I'm going to be using the decoy heavy this year. I've had good luck so far with the bucks reacting to the rattling and the decoy setup. I'm going to try a buck and doe set up this weekend.


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