It is just mid summer, but reading the threads I began to think about my hunting equipment. I have several deer grunt tubes from production to custom but never really liked the tone they gave. Would you guys give me your suggestions for a “better “ grunt tube? While you are at it, any comments about doe or fawn bleats will be interesting.

I know that many here may contest this as bad grunting, or "that buck doesn't know how to do it", but I figure he has some idea of what it sounds like.

I’ve probably heard 12-15 different bucks grunt over the last few year but never heard one sound like that one. Sounded more like a doe grunt to me.

I've used several different models over the years and to be honest I don't think that what we hear makes much difference. Deer are just like people in that their voices are individual.

My experience is that HOW we use them is a LOT more important.

Brother, lots of differences dependent on many things. One age structure. In NJ/southern NY where they’re basically youngish they’re sound exactly like that. Almost creaky door like. Years back Halley callers had a call that mimic that exactly. It was fantastic and commonly worked. The muy grande type that is so popular was ridiculous. Too deep and unrealistic. If one or two did sound like that they’d be way dominant and prob scare majority of bucks away. In an area say Saskatchewan, where the age structure is different and you wanted to challenge a bigger buck and where they commonly exist I’d be sure to use deeper sounds. Now in those two dif scenarios which call if you were to present it to a forum would be better? Answer is obvious not what I like or he likes it’s what’s best for you and your area. It can’t be answered here.

FDP consider something. Voices don’t matter right? Imagine you saw this hot chick at a bar. She’s Talking to some guy you couldn’t see around the corner with a big, deep voice. How quick would you be to pinch her ass? Imagine now some squeaky kids type voice, you’d be more inclined to at least take a better look would t you? A robber wants to break in a house. Some deep big sounding dog is barking inside. He’s prob not coming. A little yippy dog might not deter him quite as much. A 2 year old gobbler in a field. You gobbler yelp at him he prob walks off with his hen. Jake yelp might bring a totally different response. Some dominant bird might come to whip the same gobbler yelp. Why? You think type sounds, voices matter when you consider these? Myself I’d err on side that hedges the bet so to speak.

HS tru-talker is the best sounding one I've used.

I’ve used many different ones over the years and heard many bucks grunt. Most older and bigger bodied bucks seem to have more of a gutteral sound where as younger bucks have more nasal sound to their vocals.

I can't tell you how many times I've scared the bejezus out of smaller bucks with a grunt tube that must have sounded just too big to mess with.

The best response I ever got was when I actually burped loudly at a buck. I felt it coming and just let it rip. It trotted to the base of my tree but it was way too dark to shoot ethically.

Ever since I've just used my mouth. One less thing to fumble with in a tree. I practice buck, doe, and fawn calls while driving to work.

I agree with Kodiak, I’ve used a lot of grunt calls but like the HS true talker I’ve called in coyotes with the fawn bleat. I still have my first deer call that I ordered from a hunting magazine in the 60,’s . It was two pieces of plastic with a rubber band stretched between them.

George, Thanks. Sounds like a lot of bucks I've heard grunt over the last 50 plus years.

I've used different grunt calls over the years. They all worked at one time or another.

I just bleet in a gruntal way with my voice. They will come in or completely ignore it.

I use to hunt with a guy who would use a grunt while walking to his stand. He would do a soft grunt every 3 steps.

Thank you for the interesting replies. I am impressed and pleased that the aswer to the my question is mostly in the experience and art of the task and as so, has a wide spectrum of answers......as opposed to a long list of what products to go out and buy. Both ends of the spectrum appreciated. I guess that I will spend time on YT videos and stay with what I have

A cheap night and hale ez grunter has been successful for me on many occasions, in fact it’s probably the only call or scent type product that ever has been.

Never really had any luck with a grunt call I had better response with doe bleat’s

I like the buck roar. for the price I think it has a loud guttural sound. I do not adjust it for foe or fawn, I always carry a can call on a retractable tether.

Same as gutpilepa

But mostly prefer nothing-surprise

I really like my Extinguisher call. I can change the tone from a fawn bleat to a mature buck just by using the thumb slide on the call.

I've had varying degrees of success and failure with grunts, bleats, etc. over the years but when it works, it's great. Every buck is different in my opinion and I think they get in moods just like we do. Something might fool a buck one day and not the next. One of the many things I like about hunting is trying to figure the animals out.

I’ve always did it myself sometimes thru a small tube

All I know is I used one once to try and get a buck to change course, I grunted and he acted as if he didn't hear a thing, 20 minutes later he is right behind my tree looking up at me. Thats the last time I do anything to give away my location.

I make grunts, bleats, and snort wheeze all with my mouth. Don’t like to carry calls with me.

MP

I have an old Primos, I don't know the model. It has the extendable grunt tube and the O-ring on the reed that rolls into different groves for different level/age grunts and bleats. I filed a lot more grooves into it for varying levels until I found what worked best.

One tends to gravitate towards the big buck deep aggressive grunts thinking that they will bring in a big buck and I filed a groove that probably sounded like a T-Rex clearing his throat, but more times than not you are scaring bucks away.

Bucks don't want their asses kicked and will leave the area of an intimidating buck. You are a lot better off reproducing the grunts of a mid-range or lower buck, you will see a lot more deer.

Does, particularly mule head dominant does will rush to the sound of a fight involving grunting, wheezing and rattling. Also, something to think about.

my boys and i have used our own voices over the years, called a lot of bucks in this way. also we do the snort wheeze which really gets there attention!

I am with Trad Pa !!!!

I've probably had a dozen or so commercial deer calls over the years, but my favorite and one I use now is a Flextone... I think the model is "all in one" or something like that... Liked my first one so much went out and bought another for backup in case they quit making them...

Deer are not all going to sound the same. Voices vary, no two people sound the same when they talk, and believe it is the same with deer. As for doe bleats, I've used them and never had much luck. I did one time years ago get a good reaction from a young fork horn buck using a bleat call. I was heading back to camp and coming across the neighboring farmer's pasture at dark. I could just barely make out a deer feeding up ahead of me. The wind was in my favor and as I got closer I hit the bleat call. The little buck raised his head and looked right at me. I was probably 40 yards from him. When he dropped his head to keep eating I moved a bit closer and bleated again, he raised his head and looked in my direction again. I moved a bit closer. This went on till I got within about 15 yards of him. The last time he raised his head and looked at me and started walking to circle down wind from me. I stood stone still but as soon as he got behind me enough to catch my scent, he blew and took off like a rocket. I had a real good laugh out of that.

I use different grunt calls I don't use the same one all The time I think bucks get Used to same sound especially If ya hunt same locations.it sounds Kinda funny but it works because There is a difference in sound

Deer are just like other animals and humans. No one sounds the same, different pitches and tones, so to say that deer doesn't sound correct is incorrect. I have heard deer grunt and some of the time I could barely hear them. Also have heard a bark, which was quite loud. I carry a couple different tubes and alternate.

Prior to the HS Tru-Talker these calls were made of wood on the inside and covered by rubber. I've heard many deer grunts from higher pitches to deep tones in the woods while watching bucks chase does around. I too agree that I can't really say I have heard any two bucks sound exactly the same. I've had a lot of luck with my old Tru-Talker--However I've seen bucks not even pay attention to it. It's all in the mood of the buck being called to. I have had several come in on a string to grunting, and can tell you--they know exactly where that call came from so you better be ready when they get there because if they don't see what they are looking for as in another deer--they don't hang around long. Then I've had others slowly come in looking for the deer that made the grunt--they don't like not seeing another deer. Then I've had deer I tried to call to pull them in, and they either just stopped, and looked, then kept going, and others absolutely paid no attention to my grunting at all. I've never had any luck at all rattling here in the east--however out west I've had some fairly good luck doing that. My usual regime is when I see a buck during the rut I'll give a couple cycles on a can call, and then about four mid tone grunts--this has worked for me on several bucks. On multiple occasions I've done this, and totally missed the deer leaving me sitting their like a total idiot feeling like a failure. I only call to deer that I can see- -like I said they know exactly where that sound came from, and when they commit to coming into the call to check things out you better be ready.

Here in Florida our rutting season isn't as wild and wooly as up north. On the public land I hunt, I've never seen bucks running wild and oblivious to danger while chasing does. I suspect most of that takes place at night, if at all. The few bucks I've actually heard here have a rather soft nasal sound to their grunts, completely unlike the "Big Boss Grunters" sold by the call companies. However, I am indeed a fan of calls. My current one is The Extinguisher. Every half hour I do a couple of fawn bleats and light grunts while on the stand. A lot of does eventually show up. Since I'm basically a meat hunter, that's fine with me!

I carry a Primos w the wheeze tube on top/ It's very deep sound and travels a long ways. I called in a Buck last year from over 400 yds across a valley. Close range I just belch w my voice. I can adjust the volume and depth some that way.

I agree with Fiddler about the Florida rut.I use the one with a slide adjustment that can bleat,doe,buck.I always heard you use a grunt because it works once a year.Hunting the rut in Iowa is amazing to hear the vocalizations I actually saw and heard a buck roar once it was neat.

Tru talker is a good one.

Cedarshooter x 2

Past 15 years I use Knight & Hale EZ Grunt Plus. I have one where I cut the "tube" short for softer grunts and the other has a longer tube for distance or louder sounds on windy days. They work for me, why change.

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