Does anyone NOT use

[buckmastertexas]

Here's what I have figured out over the years, at least for me:

1) Early in the season, up to about the 2nd week going into about the 3rd week of October, a buck does not respond to a buck grunt call or the "can" call

2) The doe estrous "can" call, must really be a fawn bleat. Early in the season all it seems to bring is fawns and yearlings.

3) The buck grunt seems to work good at about the 3rd week of October to about December, but I have to admit that I don't know if I have ever "blindd" grunted in a mature buck. If I did, they held up out of sight to try to locate me and never came into open. I have turned a couple that I saw and brought them closer.

4) using the "can" call around Thanksgiving has been extremely effective. My theory is that they have came off the "peak" of the rut and are looking for a doe and when they here the "can" call, which I think is a fawn call, they think that a fawn is with mama and they circle in to investigate.

5) The biggest downside to using these calls is basically the same thing that it is for - They make you a target for a buck, and in the case of a mature buck, he is going to try to circle down wind of the caller to try to scent check. So you have to be set up so he can't get downwind of you. If he does, more than likely games over.

So these are just my theories, kind of a work in progress. It's one of the things that makes hunting fun.

[solocam_aggie]

I love rattling. Makes for an exciting hunt. But other than that I dont use the other stuff.

[ultrastealth]

I have heard my share of grunting bucks and grunt calls...they don't sound alike. Also, real buck grunts are so low in volume, he's generally already in range if you can hear it. I recently read an article by a deer breeder. He's tried several "doe in heat" scents and urines on his place. The bucks simply ignore it. When one of his does is really in estrus, the bucks will go nuts trying to get to her. His take is that there is some other signal, probably a pheromone that does produce that has nothing to do with urine.

[Dusty Britches]

Me. Depends on the area, but I've found when hunting a heavily hunted area, it is best to minimalize my impact. Any extra scents, sounds, and food will send deer packing when they are over pressured.

[Saltyag15]

Corn and scent killer.

[JonBoy]

I tend to sit quiet and wait. I've rattled a couple of times with some success but the vast majority of times I've used scents & calls I end up spooking whatever is around or not seeing anything at all.

[U.S.ArmyRetired]

Me. Depends on the area, but I've found when hunting a heavily hunted area, it is best to minimalize my impact. Any extra scents, sounds, and food will send deer packing when they are over pressured.

I hunt Fort Hood which is very heavily pressured. Probably a lot of people trying a lot of different stuff.

Corn and scent killer.

This is what it has boiled down to for me as well. The vanilla don't even seem to work as well for me as plain ol corn.

[timNgarland]

Sit patiently!

A guy that hunts my neighbors place invented a deer call that sounds like a feeder. I never used it.

somebody beat me to it?

[U.S.ArmyRetired]

Yup I do and have, I tried those tactics quite a few years ago with no luck and gave up on em, the only thing I use is coon p as cover scent. However after not attempting rattling in the last 5 or so years I am planning on giving it a shot one more time this season when I feel the time/ place is right.

What kind of coon pee do you use? Can you get it at Academy? How effective is it?

[RangerRick2012]

Only thing I use is cover scent, buck urine/Doe urine; no feeder, nothing else. Just good old scouting and homework to understand how, when and where the deer are moving.

[redfish76]

For the most part, no. However, occasionally I'll hit horns together or blow a grunt. For instance, last Saturday I had a forkhorn not far from the blind grunt and then wander off. I blew my grunt a few minutes after he left and a mature 8 came to the feeder within 5 minutes. Hard to know if the two events are related.

I remember last year I rattled from the blind pretty late in the evening and a small buck came, followed quickly by a mature 8. I know they were both coming to the rattling.

Usually when I rattle I like to wander around the lease and hunker down. Not too often from the blind.

In the right spots and at the right times, rattling can be awesome.

[muzzlebrake]

I sometimes use a jackrabbit squealer to scare sheep away.

[K. Lane]

I use scent killer but nothing else in the way of calls, attractants, etc......

I simply try to be a ghost....so to speak

[RogueSamurai]

Me. very little scent, no calls and the occasional rattle but I haven't done it this year.

[BrianL]

Over the years I have used most everything. I can't see any of it worked. I still carry a grunt tube and rattle bag for that just in case, last chance, please COME BACK buck.