I on ocassion use a grunt tube, and I have grunted a few bucks in over the years. I like to hunt on the ground so alot of times that I'm grunting I fell like I'm giving away my position. From my experiance all the deer I've called in have circled down wind to get a fix on where the call come from. I feel scent is a big deal, even more so on the ground. So do you ground guys call or not? Just curious! Thanks' Jason
Depends on where you hunt. I've found deer to be very vocal in southern New York and PA., but hardly at all in my woods except for grunting during breeding. I've had many deer respond in the first areas, and they usually did try and get somewhat downwind while searching for the source. I've had does move away from a grunt call around my woods, and have had a few younger bucks shy away also.
You just never know how deer will respond in your area until you see them first, then call and watch their reaction. I usually won't call except as a last resort if they seem to be moving off. It has worked in PA NY, and has blown it for me around here, so lesson learned on my part.
Lets hear how it goes...I'm curious to see what happens for you!
Rattled in a small 8 pointer once that was so close that if you shot any arrow through the window you would hit him. He stayed 15 minutes from 2 yards to 20 yards. I don't care for them to be closer than 10 yards.
Both hunting and calling from the ground require you to be at the top of your game in being prepared for the unexpected.
It's time to start calling here )grunts and rattling. As soon as this front comes through this week and the bright moons slow down it should get real interesting.
With that being said i would use calls.
I still hunt alot, and the grunt tube always stays around my neck. I use it when I jump deer, and when I spot deer before they spot me. When I jump deer they stop and look back, only a handful of times have they walked back towards me.
One time I was still hunting this hardwood bowl and I spotted a nice buck down below me, I gave a light grunt, he glanced up and turned right for me. He gave ma 30 yard shot . . . but I blew it, lol. So I guess you could say the actual calling was successful, lol
I have not called from the ground, but reasoning is a little different from what is already posted. I never grunt unless I SEE a deer. My gruntin is usually I see a buck 80 yards away so I throw a grunt at him. It works pretty regularly.
When ground hunting, I usually can't see squat until the deer is on me....no grunting required or possible! ;)
I think the ideal setup would be to get the wind in your face and your back up against an obstacle like a vertical ridge/cliff or body of water with your scent blowing out over the water or ridge so a buck cant circle behind you and scent you. Could be a tough thing to set up tho. I watched Alex Rutledge explain this on an HS specialties video how he sets up to rattle. I dont call a whole lot, I rarely call unless i see a deer or spook them on the way into a stand. Ive been trying for a little while now to rattle a buck in but thus far havent.
Do you think that if some one would grunt/call at the oposit direction or at an angle from the deer position would make for a less detectable hunter?? I don't no anything about deer hunting, so maybe it doesn't make any sense...