Calling Indiana Bucks

Rattling horns I have never tried, although I have a set. May experiment sometime with them. Grunt tube and doe bleat/grunt I use every year. I normally don't use them if I am seeing deer off and on. If things are real slow, I will try a few rounds of both. I can remember 3 bucks over the years and a couple does that I beleive to this day were responding directly to the call, as it wasn't more than 10 minutes till, and 2 less than 5, that they showed up to be put in the freezer. They do work but I think they can be "over" used at times as in getting too anxious for action. Patience is the key. 4 years ago during ML"firearm" season, I was after an 8 point I had seen during bow season. I had already taken a 6 point during archery season. Another 6 point crossed in back of my tree at about 50 yards and I let him go. Wanted a better look so used the grunt tube and sure enough, here he comes. Ended up taking him with the ML at 25 yards. If I knew then what I know now about my property, he would have walked as I now practice the best QDM that's possible on my place. The last three years I have shot the 3 largest bucks I have ever taken all in sequence. 8 point, 9 point, 9 point. The bar is raised every year for a larger buck. Anyway, YES calls DO work if not over used. Try it and you'll prove it to yourself. There is no substitute for patience though.:chillin:

I hunt in NE indiana...the area i hunt is what i would say top notch for big deer. Im not saying theres not other places just as good...but i dont know of any that are better. I never used to belive in grunt calls or rattling. I toyed with it a little bit in high school but never put much thought into it. Now that i understand a lot more about the mating/dominance the last 3 or 4 yeras i carry a grunt call religiously. I use it mainly during last week october or first week november. I will wait an hour or so in my morning hunts to make sure nothing will just stroll by. Then i will give a series of grunts. This year was the first year it worked but i grunted a 150-160" into about 60 yds. Although i didtn kill this deer because thats allt he closer he came:chicken: it was obvious he was after me because of the grunt tube. Would have never come out of there if it wasnt for me grunting. I will play my cards a little different next year and hopefully have the same luck. Long story short..... if u call them...they will come

Deer Calling..

Hello,

I have had tremendous success using deer calls all over the Midwest. I have had better success with deer calls compared to antler rattling. The main key to success is to use the RIGHT call at the RIGHT time.
If I had to choice only ONE deer call for the entire deer season, it would be a doe bleat. The reason for that is simple.. So many times a novice deer hunter will enter the woods and will imitate a MONSTER BUCK and will actually intimidate smaller bucks..

I prefer to sound like a doe bleat because a doe is NEVER a threat to a buck!! A buck considers the doe as a "sex symbol" and companionship. They are NEVER concerned about a doe whipping his butt. I have personally called bucks of all sizes to within "spitting" distance of my tree stand or ground blind.

During the early bowseason, if the bowhunter is content with harvesting a doe, I have had lots of success using the "fawn in distress" call. Even a doe that has no young will have maternal instincts and will respond to what she believes is a young deer being attacked by dogs or coyotes. I have had them walk right up to me while using the distress call.

I do at times, use the buck call but I want to sound more like a smaller buck. I believe a buck responds better to a call, or grunt, IF they believe they are bigger than the buck doing the calling. They feel they can defeat the smaller buck in a fight for the doe. (Would YOU want to pick a fight with a guy much bigger than you??)

This is only my personal opinion but is has worked for me for well over 40 years of deer hunting with bow and firearms and I have done quite a bit of experimenting with calls in many different states at different times of the hunting seasons.

GOOD HUNTING...
Bud Fields

I've hunted 13 states,mostly in the Northeast & Southeast.But I think whitetail bucks respond to calls no matter which state your hunting in,if the timing is right for the rut.I've tried a lot of doe bleat & grunt calls.Don't call too often & be patient.I sometimes use a rattling box.I've use rattling antlers( real & commercially made)& rattling bags.Can't forget about deer scents.But keep it simple.I use THE CAN Doe bleat,Along with 2 different sounding grunt tubes.Rattling box.Tink's 69 doe- in- heat scent.I usually set up in good cover.Use THE CAN A couple times,Then grunt tubes a couple times each.Wait a few minutes,if nothing happens I might use rattling box sparingly.I sometimes don't use any calls till 9 am or so then pull out doe bleat& grunt tube.Hit a few notes ,wait a few minutes & repeat.I ve seen bucks come alone,I've seen them come in with 2 or 3 does,& sometimes with other bucks FUN you bet!So be patient,experiment with different methods &calls.You never know what is coming to your next call In Indiana or anywhere you may hunt. What works in Michigan should work in Indiana.Good Luck & have fun! AL

I've been using grunt calls and bleat calls for 3 years now. I have had most success with the bleat call, also called a "doe in heat bawl". Two years ago I called a buck to within 10 yards of me. Only thing was, I never saw him until he was only 10 yards away, and he was standing behind a tree. I could only see his shadow being cast on the ground. He got a wiff of me I guess, and turned a 180 and went away the way he came, perfectly inline with the tree such that I had no shot from my blind.

I have learned something very important about using calls. The deer's hearing is like sonar, and they can pin point exactly where the sounds is coming from. So you had better be very well hid. You cannot allow your hands or movement seen when calling. That buck 2 years ago walked up to my blind as if walking a tight-rope, and I think he purposely kept that tree between himself and my blind. I only got a glimpse of his horns as he dissappeared about 50 yards away.

Last year I had a small buck run passed me about 40 yards away and I never would have got a shot. I made one bleat call and saw the buck turn towards me, but was hid behind a hill. I quickly got turned around and my gun up just in time as he came over the top of the hill and stood there looking at me. One shot through the heart made him mine. I never would have got a shot at him had it not been for the call.
-Dan-

I love to rattle starting mid Oct. I am in NE Indiana. I like to start about then with soft ticking of antlers but not aggressively. I slowly up the aggresiveness of the rattling and grunting till the week of Halloween. At that time frame till a week after Halloween I rattle hard and grunt aggressively. I have been very successful in this time frame. This year a rattled in a solid 180 class buck but could not get him in close enough for a shot because a 140 class buck drew his attention. The 180 ran the 140 off and would not respond to the grunts I was giving. The 140 on the other hand came charging to me. I am a bow hunter at heart so I could not pass on the opportunity. I took the 140 and to this day I kinda wish I would have waited. I took my freind to the exact same spot the next day and was able to rattle in a 125 - 130 class buck. This buck came in so fast that my freind was caught off gaurd and not able to get the shot. He came to 10 yards out from his tree. My freind was busted in the tree and I was still able to stop the buck at 27 yards once more with a grunt but once again no shot.

I have several pictures of this years buck under the thread "what bow do you shoot"

I was afraid of spooking deer with rattling when I first started. Until you rattle in a good buck for the first time and see how aggressive he is you will probably be like me, a little worried. Trust me it works! But only if you use it at the right time. I have found the above general time frame to be the best for the areas I hunt. I will softly tick the antlers before and after this time. (I actually use a rattle bag). Grunting is a whole different story for later. I do simoultanious (oops) soft grunts while I rattle and it seems to help the effectiveness. I have tried it every way and time under the sun and this is what works best for me. Realize I am out for the big boy. I don't meat hunt until late gun or muzzleloader.Hope this helps you a little.

I am a trophy hunter so many of the things I do will bring in big bucks if they are in the area. For the average hunter, using doe bleats is your best chance to bring in the whole array of deer. I do not start with my antlers until the usual routine does have passed to the bedding area. In the afternoon I start with the antlers early (around 1 p.m.) in hopes to catch the attention of a buck searching. Not all areas are equal. I like to hunt large tracts with good cover areas where the deer can feel secure then I try to lure them out. Sorry so long winded but I love to hunt and have alot to say sometimes.

works for me!

I've used the bleat and the grunt (mostly the grunt...Knight & Hales' EZ-grunt) successfully quite a few times the last couple of years down in southern Indiana (Orange/Crawford/Dubois counties). Most recently, right around the first of November of '06 (rut just kicking in), I had a nice 9-point run by me at 50 yards...I hit the grunt and he kept on motoring like he didn't even hear it, at least that's what I thought! As the buck ran into the thicket nearby, out came a nice doe and a little spike. Apparently ol' boy had been chasing this doe. I knew the 9-pointer was in the thicket by my stand, and I could hear him rustling and thrashing saplings in there. The little spike was walking with the doe about 12 yards from my stand, so I had the idea of hitting the grunt call ever so slightly trying to imitate the little spike acting like he was trying to hook-up with this doe. Man, did that stike a nerve in the 9-pointer...he came on a full tilt sprint out of that thicket and bodied right up next to the little spike! The little spike ran like crazy and the 9-point stood there grunting and showboating like he was the man! ...which he was 'till my Thunderhead 125gr found its mark right behind the shoulder! I've called several bucks into bow range with a grunt call...just varying the "intensity" on the call can really affect how different bucks react depending on if they're the dominant buck in the area, or one of the younger ones.