Calling

Much has been written in recent years about attracting deer with sound. Antler rattling and deer calling are not new tactics. They are, however, relatively new to the general public.

The grunt call is a universal, year-round sound that puts deer at ease and triggers their curiosity. Some grunts are merely contact calls. They are a form of vocal communication between deer. Other grunts may be in a more challenging form, like when two dominant bucks meet. Still other grunt sounds are made by deer who are in a breeding mood.

Grunting is, by far, the most effective method of calling deer into your archery shooting radius, but it is not the only audible tool the bowhunter has at his disposal.

Antler rattling has taken its place in the deer hunting history books. Native American paintings depict antler rattling long before the Europeans arrived. Antlers are not the only rattling devices that have been used to imitate a buck fight. Synthetic materials such as plastic and fiberglass have been made into antler rattles. Dowel rods in cloth bags are available and now small plastic "rattle boxes" are being produced.

The key to rattling is timing. Let's use some logic. If dominant bucks are with estrogen-laden females during the peak rut, will they lead those prime does to a fight between two other males? Probably not. On the other hand, would a buck seek out other fighting males during the pre-rut when the order of dominance is being established? Probably so. Bottom line: rattle during the pre-rut. During the actual rut, leave your rattling tools at home and depend on your grunt call.