gurubbi

Bow season doesn't start until october and the rut doesn't come into swing until november. What are some of your strategies for calling in early season deer??? Do you rattle, grunt, bleat????? and how do you use these techniques into a system of calling... I ussually just use a grunt combination and some light rattling until rut comes into play. But, I just thought it be nice to see what youi guys do....

Knuckles up>>> Brian

Rob/PA Bowyer

Pretty much the same Gurubbi. Early season I usually don't call until I make visual on a buck or doe. Once a visual on a buck, regardless of size and shot decision, I'll usually give a soft grunt and watch the deer for his reaction. If I see no reaction, I'll give them another soft grunt...usually after the first one, they will either throw their head up and ears in my direction and on the second one, they walk right in.

Many times tho I'll simply see a tail flicker, an ear twitch in my direction, etc....When I know I'm not shooting a particular animal, I'll experiment with calls and watch for reactions.

I rarely use rattling except for a last effort on a deer I'm want to shoot. In my part of PA, the buck/doe ratio is so far out of whack that competiton is minimal and only soft rattling seems to get good reactions. Rarely are my bucks up for a battle....but on those rare occassions, it sure is exciting.

<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>

<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>

Woodline Bucks

That is good advice Rob. I like to practice on deer I am not going to shoot as well. I have had success with both grunts and bleats, but use them sparingly. I only call once every half hour to an hour. I use rattling during the three stages of the rut. I rattled and grunted in my first buck last year, it was very exciting. Good luck this fall.

wolfen68

Ditto here. When I'm not seeing anything I will let out a few soft meeeeews from a doe bleat every 30-40 minutes. My experience has been that the bucks in early season will look my way when I grunt to them and often times will come my way but in no particular hurry. My philosophy is that if they are coming your way then just be quiet because the second you go imitating a deer, their senses seem to go on high alert. I don't break out the horns until about the 3rd or 4th week of October and then it is just in case I see a buck that I can't get in and I will tickle the antlers as a last result to try and draw them back in to me.