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Is there a "too Early" for Calling?

tcleartclear Member Posts: 132 ✭✭✭
edited October 2009 in Bow Hunting and Target Archery
I had a buck, not a shooter, but a small 8, walk by about 35 yards off today. Kind of got me thinking. It is only the first week of the season where I am at in PA. FOr some reason, I was taught that rattling and grunting was to be done only in late oct. or early nov., more toward the rut. I have seen small buck sparring already at night in the fields.
My question is, is there such a thing as calling too early in the season? If that had been the buck I was looking for in that spot, I would have tried to grunt him closer, but is that the right thing to do?
Just wondered how you all handle the calling end of archery.
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Comments

  • dcso3009dcso3009 Member Posts: 2,350 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Pre-rut is here in MN. Bucks are starting to chase and I have now seen 2 different sparring matches with small bucks. Also tonight I rattled in a small 6 point. I'm pumped now.
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  • bang250bang250 Member Posts: 8,021
    edited November -1
    If they are in bachelor groups they are just figuring out the pecking order. That generally starts around the time they come out of velvet. a lite tickle on the antlers can't hurt to try but i wouldn't get aggressive with it yet. Just my .02 Still a few weeks before any pre type stuff here. This cool weather is kickin tho!!! had frost on the ground this morning.
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  • tcleartclear Member Posts: 132 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    THanks, that is the basic premise I go by (nothing hard till I see some rut activity). As kids, we were never even allowed to take the horns into the woods until the last couple weeks of the season.
    Had a small 6 this morning at about 9 come in. Paid no attention what-so-ever to the grunt tube. Ours are just starting to break the bachelor groups and do some searching on their own. It was cold this morning, and rain along with it, but the deer were definately moving. Some fun days to come!
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  • bang250bang250 Member Posts: 8,021
    edited November -1
    I talked to the guys that are down at my place this weekend. I'm home with kids, but they said its really slow. 1 guy only saw 2 deer the other saw nothing. I was there last weekend and saw 7. as cold as it is I would have thought they would have seen several.
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  • NUguyinCrewNUguyinCrew Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I had a small basket 6pt about 200 yds out in a field stop and then come in on a string to me after 5-6 short grunts. I had always thought it was too early for grunting but I tried it anyway. At first I thought he ignored me but soon he was 40 yds from where I stood. He busted me because I thought it was still too early for grunting and was moving to get a better position to see where he went. He took off but after that Im keeping my grunt tube handy!
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  • tcleartclear Member Posts: 132 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the input. I have the grunt tube with me at all times (like the buck roar from Primos myself) and have always had great luck getting deer in with that, especially in the rut. I have found in early season that the bleat in heat is even beter though!
    My problem has been the horns I guess. I don't have any luck early season blind calling with the horns. I do not call at all aggressively, but they do not seem to do any good in my area of pa throughout most of archery. Has anyone had any success with the horns yet?
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  • joshmb1982joshmb1982 Member Posts: 8,228 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    deer are really slow to get moving here in ct also it seems. its starting to get nice and cold but tehre is A LOT of feed around for them the oaks put out a huge umber of acorns this year and seems the deer dont need to ove aruond much to feed. being a royal pain getting thm close. was out all day all week long. saw one doe. she was maby 40yds out and lokoed to be this years fawn.
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  • anderskandersk Member Posts: 3,627 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm with you on the output of oaks this year ... I'm in Massachusetts (SW of Boston), and there are acorns all over the place!
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  • joshmb1982joshmb1982 Member Posts: 8,228 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    was scouting around a state park up the road from me. acorns everywhere. had to watch your step in areas was like walking on marbles. never seen them this heavy befor. same thing with hickerys. dont know if the deer mess with them though?
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  • wvhuntwvhunt Member Posts: 822 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It was opening weekend in WV, i decided to try calling even though it was early, I did some ratteling, grunts, and even doe bleats, i dont know if it was the reason for the bucks i saw in the morning, but i am positive the 8 point that came in late evening was coming lookin for a fight, i did some grunts and ratteling and he came running up the trail.
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