Quick Answer
During rut season, the most effective calls for attracting whitetail deer include grunting, doe bleats, and tending bleats, often used in combination with each other and with movement and scent.
Calls for Doe Grunts
Doe grunts are particularly effective during the peak of rut season, typically in late October and early November, when bucks are actively seeking out does. To use a doe grunt call effectively, start by making a series of soft, high-pitched bleats, then gradually increase the volume and intensity to mimic a doe in distress or estrus. Research suggests that doe grunts are most effective at drawing in bucks when used in the early morning or late evening, when deer are most active.
Calls for Tending Bleats
Tending bleats are a type of call that imitates a doe’s soft, reassuring vocalizations as she tends to her fawn. To use a tending bleat call effectively, focus on making a series of low, gentle bleats, often in a series of two or three, to mimic the doe’s soothing vocalizations. Tending bleats are most effective during the peak of rut season, when bucks are actively seeking out does and are more likely to respond to a doe’s gentle vocalizations.
Calls for Grunting Bucks
Grunting calls are used to imitate the low, rumbling vocalizations of a buck in rut. To use a grunting call effectively, focus on making a series of low, throaty grunts, often in a series of two or three, to mimic the buck’s vocalizations as he moves through the woods. Grunting calls are most effective during the late morning and early afternoon, when bucks are most active and are more likely to respond to another buck’s vocalizations.
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