Calling In Bucks
Why Cackle to Bucks and What About the Bleat Call
 Editor’s
Note: One time when I hunted in Mexico, because of the
grunt call, I held a buck within shooting range for
over an hour. I also bought myself time to see a bigger
deer. When no other trophy showed up, I used the grunt
call to position the buck to allow me to take an effective
shot. On that day, in that place, the grunt call made
the difference in whether or not I bagged a buck. And,
often calling deer will make that difference in your
hunt, as we’ll learn this week.
Two factors determine whether a buck can hear your
call: his distance from the call and the frequency with
which you blow the call. In the past, deer-hunting gurus
have advised that you, “Grunt three or four times,
wait 20 minutes, and then repeat the sequence.”
However, a better technique that has derived its name
from the turkey-calling ind ustry
– cackling to bucks – produces numbers of
bucks for more hunters. To fire-up a gobbler when turkey
hunting, a hunter gives a series of fast clucks and
yelps to excite the male bird and force him to come
in to where the hunter waits. When you cackle to bucks,
you use this same strategy. You blow the grunt call
fast and excitedly like a buck’s chasing a doe
to breed her. You can give the call a more-realistic
sound by moving the barrel of your call around the tree
or blowing as you move the call to imitate the sound
of a buck’s pursuing a doe. When you cackle to
bucks, you call longer and much-more frequently than
you do when making a standard grunt. Wayne Carlton of
Montrose, Colorado, a longtime Hunter’s Specialties’
Pro Hunt Team member, explains, “I continuously
blow the grunt call when using a cackli ng
tactic for a minute to 2 minutes non-stop. Then I may
wait two minutes and start up again. More people aren’t
more successful with the grunt call because they’re
not blowing their calls when the deer can hear them.
Also, they may not be putting any life or excitement
into their calling.” According to Carlton, by
grunting aggressively, moving the call around the tree
like a buck runs around a tree, pointing the barrel
of the call out away from the tree and moving the call
toward the tree and then past the tree, you can sound
like a buck running all over your area chasing a doe
or another buck. “If a buck passes through that
region and hears all that grunting going on, he’s
much more likely to come and investigate than if he
hears a few grunts and then dead silence for 20 minutes,”
Carlton emphasizes. “Be more aggressive and more
creative with your calling to bring in more bucks.”
If you bowhunt, one of the hands-free calls, like Primos’
Still Grunter, will suit you better. But regardless
of the type of call you choose, remember never to call
when the buck looks at you or comes toward you.
What About the Bleat Call:
Although I know plenty of hunters who’ve utilized
bleat calls to lure in big bucks, you’ll find
this not the bleat call’s primary purpose. You
can use the bleat call most effectively in the early
season to call in does that still have fawns. This distress
call of the fawn can bring a doe in quickly. You’ll
find the bleat call particularly productive when you
tandem bowhunt. When one hunter calls, and the other
hunter shoots, the chances of taking a deer increase.
The does and/or bucks often will come in quickly after
they hear the call. You must get ready to draw and shoot
quickly, or else you won’t have time to put the
call down to draw and shoot. The hit-and-run method
of calling pays the best bleat-call dividends. As quietly
as possible, move to within 30 to 50 yards of a bedding
area late in the morning. Get in a tree stand without
making noise. Wait at least 10 minutes before giving
the bleat call. After making two or three series of
bleats, leave the area if a deer doesn’t appear.
Go to another thick-cover region, and repeat the process.
Tomorrow: Rattling Antlers, Bags and Boxes
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