How many bucks have you killed that came to blind grunting

[Arrowbender]

How about giving some tactics for when guys are in that situation where they need some way to get that buck to come to them...

Exactly why I replied to this thread in the first place. I really feel that this forum is not as open minded as some would like to believe. When I started to try to contribute here I thought that the ideals of the BB's and now the Beasts were a little outside of the box for most whitetail chasers. Not unlike some of my own tactics. I liked that!
I have many times tried to start dialogue about my calling tactic and there have been a fair number that have reached out. I hope I have helped answer some of their questions.

[Arrowbender]

Again, they come in on edge, circle down wind, stick to cover, and jump the string more frequently than bucks that have absolutely no clue your there.

I rarely find that this is the case. But yes it does happen. But I like to think that if I hunt inside the bedding area and spook the buck; the end result is really the same. Only difference is that I got to get some adrenaline rush out of the deal.
I have also proven (if only to myself) that if he don't show, I can try it or some other tactic on the same bed sooner than if I step foot into his lair.
Again, if he comes in and there is no success, I quit calling that buck at least until rut starts. More than likely though he is gone from the property.

[Arrowbender]

However, with that said, the most successful big buck killer I have ever met never calls. Andrae never calls, and don't even own calls.

I wonder if you took a poll on 130" + buck killers using Andre's tactics would differ much from the blind calling poll.

Or a poll for those killed purely by Dan's bed hunting method.
Just sayin' !

[Brandon]

I voted 0, but I dont blind grunt either.

Ive grunted in bucks Ive seen tho. My biggest was grunted in after I saw him and a 4 pt. 100 yards away.

Good thread!

[Arrowbender]

Just curious, what percentage of the times you have blind called have you killed a good buck

Just curious, what is the percentage of times you DIDN'T call that you have killed a good buck.

I am really not trying to be a smart alec Stan. But lets get real. I only get one tag in MN and I call a lot, I have passed up a lot of deer and I am pretty sure that most years there are not any 130"ers on my properties. It's hunting for crying out loud! If everyone's tactics were iron clad I guess we would be filled out on our 1st sit eh?

[Arrowbender]

Now this is an Uncle Lou quote,

I told him anyone can feed fish, fishermen trick fish.

I understand that this isn't apples to apples but I really liked it because that is what it is all about for me hunting. Whether it's turkeys, ducks, deer and especially elk. If I just put a whickerbill (ambush) on'em, it just does not seem like it was done proper. Almost like shooting ducks on the water or turkeys off the roost. I like to trick my quarry I guess, maybe that is where the calling passion comes from. Lots of talk about "manipulating" the deer in the marsh bucks vid, I think that calling in big bucks is the ultimate manipulation.

HAH !! Gotcha !!!!

[Stanley]

However, with that said, the most successful big buck killer I have ever met never calls. Andrae never calls, and don't even own calls.

I wonder if you took a poll on 130" + buck killers using Andre's tactics would differ much from the blind calling poll.

Or a poll for those killed purely by Dan's bed hunting method.
Just sayin' !

The only tactic that works regularly is the method each individual hunter uses. If you spend your time calling that is how you will kill the majority of the bucks on your wall. If you spend your time setting up on bedded bucks that is how you will hang the majority of the bucks on your wall.

There is no right way or wrong way, it's about the individual hunters way. It's not really a case of anyone not being open minded, it's more of a case of what works for the individual hunter. The only thing that an individual hunter can do is use the best method possible for his style of hunting.

I think everyone would have to agree if your hunting on bedded bucks clanking antlers and making noise wont be productive. If a hunter has a small area to hunt, giving his position away early in the season will lead to failure later in the season if the early attempts are not successful. Calling does work in certain situations no question about it. Most of the TV hunters push the calling methods. Most of us aren't privy to the type of property those guys hunt.

I would love to see a tutorial on calling, how you do it, and the bucks you have killed calling. I think everyone on the Beast would be receptive and enjoy this.

[dan]

How about giving some tactics for when guys are in that situation where they need some way to get that buck to come to them...

Exactly why I replied to this thread in the first place. I really feel that this forum is not as open minded as some would like to believe. When I started to try to contribute here I thought that the ideals of the BB's and now the Beasts were a little outside of the box for most whitetail chasers. Not unlike some of my own tactics. I liked that!
I have many times tried to start dialogue about my calling tactic and there have been a fair number that have reached out. I hope I have helped answer some of their questions.

Hmmm... I see nothing "closed minded" about not agreeing about a tactic... I am just stating what my observations have shown me... I think you sometimes take things wrong.
I use calls every year, I have even done it a time or two in bedding situations, just never when I am confident I can kill them without it. Its a great adrenalin rush to have a buck come in in hunting you, ears back, searching for you... Me personal;ly thogh, Im just out there to kill big bucks, not for the calling rush... This post is kind of funny, cause just before reading it, I was thinking you might be a little closed minded... Now, don't take that wrong, I like you, and I am amazed at how well you do with your calling... Just to me, there is a lot more to hunting than calling. But to each there own...
I have always wanted to hear more tactical advice from you on calling. I obviously don't want to learn to sit in a straging area that a buck will come to without calling and call, but I do legitamatly want to learn about the type of calls you use, the brands you buy, the frequency, the reactions etc... Cause I certainly don't get as much action or positive results from my calling... No one is attacking you, take your guard down. This was intended as a discussion to make people think about how often they call and how ofyen it actually works on mature bucks... Not a close minded assault.

[dan]

However, with that said, the most successful big buck killer I have ever met never calls. Andrae never calls, and don't even own calls.

I wonder if you took a poll on 130" + buck killers using Andre's tactics would differ much from the blind calling poll.

Or a poll for those killed purely by Dan's bed hunting method.
Just sayin' !

How many are using Andreas or my tactics? Everybody calls, or has called blindly. And if you paid attention, there have been posts asking whom has had success hunting "beast style"

[Stanley]

Just curious, what percentage of the times you have blind called have you killed a good buck

Just curious, what is the percentage of times you DIDN'T call that you have killed a good buck.

I am really not trying to be a smart alec Stan. But lets get real. I only get one tag in MN and I call a lot, I have passed up a lot of deer and I am pretty sure that most years there are not any 130"ers on my properties. It's hunting for crying out loud! If everyone's tactics were iron clad I guess we would be filled out on our 1st sit eh?

Never did the math. I was just curious on your odds.

[Arrowbender]

OK!
Big Beast Hug !

I think the reason that I seem to have my guard up is that there are a lot of folks that respect your opinions; and when you come out and say that a certain tactic is desperation or that it doesn't work for 71% of hunters it may scare some that are new to the sport, or that have not tried it much yet; away from it. And to someone that has had some success with that tactic, I feel that is unfair to them. I am not trying to talk any one into it that is not open to it. But am afraid that less are open to it because of the negative context this thread was spinning.
I am not trying to talk you old dogs into anything. I assume you know what you like. I just want to let others know that there are other avenues.

I do pay attention. I guess I missed the Beast hunting style survey that required minimum size antlers. My Bad!

I do find it funny that I would consider myself more of a buck bed hunter than a blind grunt caller. Although seldom does one happen without the other. (almost every year there is some property that I have to stop calling due to an encounter that gets me throwing everything in the book at the target deer then needing to stop because I gave myself away. That is tough on me when I "can"t" call).

Sorry if I offended anyone! Not my intention. Just trying to spread the word!

Oh, and Dan; I like you too.
And I really appreciate your success.
I think constructive dialogue can be great for a thread. I just disagreed with where this one was going.

[Jackson Marsh]

I think in general "Group Think" is a huge negative in any endevour, which is why I like the Beast so much.........it is outside the norm. The industry standard in most magazine articles and almost all hunting shows just doesn't cut it where most of us hunt, pressured private and public land. Gotta keep an open mind, if another hunter is killing good bucks, I feel like I might be able to learn something from them.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Brad]

I have already commented on here about my lack of success with calling, and I think a lot of it is simply poor setups on my part in the first place, but also I found myself pretty much sounding the same each sequence.

I did the same for years with turkeys, nearly every sequence was the same, same notes, same cadence, same length. I could make toms gobble like mad, but few came in, some ran away. This past spring I changed it up, and I told myself for one that If I wondered if I overcalled, I did. I also went away from yelps and cutting to purrs and clucks 90% of the time, and the birds started showing far more interest. I also had the best luck imitating other hens, that was the single fastest way I found to bring the toms in.

Now, with that said these are mature bucks, a lot smarter animal than a turkey. A turkey is skittish to the max but not overly smart in my opinion. Where I am going is I think MOST guys probably blow the same call, the same notes, the same length, over and over and over. If a turkey can tell the difference, for sure a deer could. I am guessing that the most successful callers are mixing it up a lot more, blowing different notes with different intensity levels, and maybe different calls altogether. I also think you are going to have more luck in a spot that a buck wants to be anyways. Of course if there is very few deer in the area (most likely a viable scenario on a lot of public lands) there are less animals to hear the calls, so less will respond

the biggest problem is all the "how to" videos are usually hawking a particular call so therefore biased, and of course the footage is probably from low pressured deer on premium ground with balanced ratio's. If the average Joe goes out and does the same on high pressured deer, the results will probably be pitiful at best.

So with that said, I would love to hear how you do it, obviously something is working and part of being a successful hunter is finding what works for you and then doing it well over and over. I am not going to go sound like a guy blowing on a trumpet, each fall, but it would be nice to hear first hand how an average Joe does it. and finds success.

Like Dan says, maybe what call(s) you use, when, tone, duration, intensity etc. Possibly a video?

[bowhunter15]

0 for me. Rarely even carry a grunt tube though. During the rut I've had a couple 2.5 year old's come in to blind doe bleats.

[AC Rider]

I voted 0 because none over 130. But I've blind grunt called 3 or 4 younger bucks in and doe bleated 3 or 4 younger bucks in.