Shoot me down: bleats beat rattles

[Ben Long]

I'm a big fan of calling. To me, it's the ultimate in interactive hunting. So when hunting whitetails I rattle, grunt, bleat, etc. I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that the most effective of these is the doe bleat. Last night, I saw this buck 150 yards from my stand, heading for the exit. I gave two bleats and he turned around and sauntered slowly in to me within 50. It makes sense to me that the sound of a lonely doe is more captivating than the sound of fighting bucks, the risk/reward is greater. The only downside of bleating is its volume is low, compared to rattling. Don't get me wrong: I've had rattling work and it's fun and keeps you warm, but I think it's a tad overrated, probably because it is so visual and good for magazine photo spreads and video shoots.

 

[noharleyyet]

Good job...

 

[buck23]

That's a fine buck good job calling.

 

[kansasdad]

Many a story climaxes with this little phrase...”she led him to his death”.

Congratulations

 

[westbranch]

Congrats! I don't have enough experience with calling whitetails to comment. But we will be making an attempt this weekend so we'll see what happens.

 

[Nick87]

Calling can have mixed results imo. If you are between two deer though it works like clock work at least in my experience.

 

[Bulldog0156]

I've had better success getting a response from calling vs. rattling. But man, when they come in to rattling it has been exciting!

 

[3855WIN]

Grunt - snort - wheeze

 

[Hem]

I've had some success rattling and grunting bucks in for a shot.
This year I tried combinations to also include the doe bleat.
Nada.
Hunting timber is the most difficult
More times than not I was wishing to be off the ground in a stand.
I think success comes from being in a high buck density area where competition is elevated.
Nothing better in the deer hunting world than a buck running in to your lap. Imo

 

[Hem]

I might add, nothing worse than the last day of the season and nothing will lure that shooter buck rutting a doe ...on the other side of the fence.

 

[Irrelevant]

Great buck Ben1, great story in Bugle too, read it last night before bed.

 

[Husker hunter]

I haven't even had a buck come to a bleat. I have rattled in lots, grunted in some and have good success with a snort weeze. I'll admit I use the bleat the least, might have to try it more.

 

[grizzly63]

i have had great results with the bleat. They do come sneaking in when you are in the timber. You have got to be on your toes. The whitetail i shot this year was coming in to the bleat. I once pulled an aroused mule deer buck away from 6 does and yearlings he was scent checking. I was wearing the Becky Blacktail hat and using the can. He came in cautiously and got my wind but if i would have had a shooter, he might have closed the deal. I have also watched some deer with binos and got no results at all with the can. I cannot say I have ever scared one though. I have had does flip out when they see a decoy though. Keep trying. Its fun.

 

[Hem]

i have had great results with the bleat. They do come sneaking in when you are in the timber. You have got to be on your toes. The whitetail i shot this year was coming in to the bleat. I once pulled an aroused mule deer buck away from 6 does and yearlings he was scent checking. I was wearing the Becky Blacktail hat and using the can. He came in cautiously and got my wind but if i would have had a shooter, he might have closed the deal. I have also watched some deer with binos and got no results at all with the can. I cannot say I have ever scared one though. I have had does flip out when they see a decoy though. Keep trying. Its fun.

One year I tried a buck decoy while bowhunting in Montana early October.
The does flipped out and ran,even though the decoy was scent free and down wind.

 

[300 win mag]

That is a nic buck