[AJ008]

Was sitting in the ground blind on the edge of an alfalfa flat saturday night and about 12 deer showed up. They were about 100 yards away (a few were a little closer like 60-70) and there were a few really nice bucks. So I picked up my True Talker to try and get the deer to move closer to range. I tried some fawn and doe bleats because it was only the first part of september. I also used the Primos Big Can and the best response I could get was one or two deer looked up from feeding

What the heck is going on?

I've had that TT for years and have only called a little fork horn with it. Is it me or the call? I've tried everything and practice a bit! Its really pissin' me off!

Any Ideas?

 

[copterdoc]

I only use calls the first two weeks in Nov. Other than that I think it is a waste of time. I can "call" in a young, dumb buck by making cat noises, but I haven't wanted to call in young bucks in a few years.

I do think the true talker is the best call to have though.

 

[Ohio Bow]

IMO its too early for calls. Deer have no reason to respond to calls yet.

 

[CssBowShooter]

IMO its too early for calls. Deer have no reason to respond to calls yet.

Ditto, Too early

 

[Cornfed]

I have to agree with everyone else, it's just to early for calls. Deer simply have no reason to call at this time of the season. Save the calls for closer to "prime time".

 

[AJ008]

Yeah I know its early but you'd think theyed respond to a fawn bleat

Even in the peak of the rut they don't respond or I suck at calling deer!

 

[Cornfed]

Calling is seriously over-rated! You have to have a lot of stars lined up and many things in your favor including herd conditions and sex ratios in order to get better results from calling. There are just are so many varibles that we can NOT control that make calling effective. For these reasons I never put that much stock in calling. I tend to call only at animals I can see. This way I can read their body language and determine how they are reacting to them.

 

[nicko]

It may be too early for calling to be effective but at the same time, the deer have to be in the right mood to the respond to the calls. From the sounds of the situation, the deer were content to spend a warm evening feeding on alfalfa with the rut is nowhere close yet. The deer need to get a little aggitated and having rising hormone levels before calling will get their goat.

 

[Buck N Rut]

I have great luck with calling in bucks, but it is too early and it takes some time and practice to see what technique will work best for you. Good luck to ya!!!

 

[KO_32]

One that works

One call that works early is rubbing an antler or stick on a tree like a buck rubbing. I used to have loggy bayou that would make exactly the same sound s a buck rubbing I would seldom get over 10 feet high before I had deer around me. Just something to think about.
KO_32

 

[SEOBowhntr]

Was sitting in the ground blind on the edge of an alfalfa flat saturday night and about 12 deer showed up. They were about 100 yards away (a few were a little closer like 60-70) and there were a few really nice bucks. So I picked up my True Talker to try and get the deer to move closer to range. I tried some fawn and doe bleats because it was only the first part of september. I also used the Primos Big Can and the best response I could get was one or two deer looked up from feeding

What the heck is going on?

I've had that TT for years and have only called a little fork horn with it. Is it me or the call? I've tried everything and practice a bit! Its really pissin' me off!

Any Ideas?

AJ,
The main reason I quit calling is because every hunter from the Atlantic to the Pacific has over-used calls in the last 15yrs, to the extent that calls unless used in the perfect scenario are often times a waste of time. The more you try to call at deer that don't respond, the more you will spook them to the calls. I remember years ago I called/rattled 12 bucks into a field I was sitting on the edge of, and witnessed a pair of good fights, one of my buddies (not a very good archer) had 5 shots, and missed all five. But the bucks were so "crazed" that they didn't care, they just kept pacing around looking at each other and fighting. I never cashed in on that opportunity b/c Mr. Bad Archer attempting shot number 6 to empty his quiver, released just a split second before I did on a buck that was about 25yds out, and broadside to me. From that day forward, rattling was HOT, too hot actually, everybody in the area rattled, and the deer quit responding. Nowadays, the only thing I take along is a grunt, and I will softly use it, but not much or often. It's more an attention getter than anything. I plan my hunts more by getting in a funnel, feeding or bedding area approach or exit, and place a stand and sit them out. A little cover scent (Doe-pee) never hurts, and even some Doe-in-heat in the late Oct-Early Nov. timeframe, but not much else. Another good cover is Buck urine. Just my .02. Save the calls for the rut, and scout a little harder and better. Sneak in and make the shot.

 

[teambringit1]

I usually leave the calls at home until vacation starts, first-second week of Nov.

 

[Stanley]

One thing that must be remembered: calling only works a small percentage of the time. If you can get one deer in 25 to react you are doing good. Keep the calls in your arsenal but don’t bank on them.

 

[Jose Boudreaux]

Was sitting in the ground blind on the edge of an alfalfa flat saturday night and about 12 deer showed up

wait till you get a lone deer that's not chowing down on high quality protein.....a 12 pack have no reason to go after the calls of a deer they can't see...

you get some pics....???

 

[souwest_ghillie]

Second week on Nov. before I rattle or grunt.

 

[AJ008]

I know the early thing, but what deer only talk during the rut?

Can't you use a fawn distress on say some does that are across the a field at least? There isn't something in the deer vocabulary for "hey Bambi come look at this Double Bull Ground Blind"?
Yeah we set up right where the deer come out onto the flats but the flats are pretty big and there isn't always just one spot they come from. You might get a couple that come onto the flat 100 yards off and stay there until dark.

See I'm coming from an elk hunters point of view and with elk you can at least cow talk them in year round

No, its private land and I'm the only one that brings a call.

 

[Epinepherine]

AJ,
The main reason I quit calling is because every hunter from the Atlantic to the Pacific has over-used calls in the last 15yrs, to the extent that calls unless used in the perfect scenario are often times a waste of time.

Absolutely correct.

Calls certainly have their place, and it's easy to give into temptation after watching a Drury Outdoors episode & believe they'll come in on a string with a call, but the window for effective calling for whitetail is small. As many of these hunters have alluded to, the first and second week of November is probably optimum for calling but even then it should be used, in my opinion, as a tool to turn around a buck walking away from you. Not to call in one sight unseen. Make no mistake, I've called in deer from no-where by grunting, so it does work. But I feel those instances are the exception and there's no telling how many deer I've "warned" about my presence.

Keep your calls with when you hunt. It seldom hurts to toss in a subtle grunt or bleet at a group of deer that otherwise have no intention to head to where you're set up. Just have realistic expectations & hope for the best.

 

[Josh Michaelis]

I know the early thing, but what deer only talk during the rut?

Can't you use a fawn distress on say some does that are across the a field at least? There isn't something in the deer vocabulary for "hey Bambi come look at this Double Bull Ground Blind"?
Yeah we set up right where the deer come out onto the flats but the flats are pretty big and there isn't always just one spot they come from. You might get a couple that come onto the flat 100 yards off and stay there until dark.

See I'm coming from an elk hunters point of view and with elk you can at least cow talk them in year round

No, its private land and I'm the only one that brings a call.

Calling has never worked for me until mid Oct. As far as the fawn in destress call, they will respond, but it is just does and they come a runnin.

Was your double bull brushed in?

 

[[email protected]]

Even in the peak of the rut they don't respond...

That's because you have already educated all your deer by the time the rut gets here.

Sorry...couldn't resist.

 

[affe22]

I'm not sure deer "talk" all that often unless they are in close contact with one another. Maybe the fawn call isn't working because most fawns are close to weaning and the does know that so they just don't care.