What calls/tactics are working for you...trying to get my son his first deer...help!

[finz50]

Fairly new hunter myself, trying to get my son his first deer. We've used everything from fawn bleats, estrus calls, buck grunts, tending grunts and even some rattling and snort wheezes. Haven't seen a thing yet. What are you all having luck with out there? Am I doing something wrong? He doesn't care if it's a buck or doe, just looking to get a shot off. All I've seen in the last 24 hours are 9 fawns. I'd prefer he shot a doe or small buck..... Got any suggestions for us?

[ShaunM]

Patience is the key. Don't give up on calling. I usually only use a doe estrus bleat. I hit it a couple of times every 30 or so minutes. Again lots of patience.

[DaveS]

Right now I like to "lay a scent trail" with "doe in heat". Hang some in the trees also ( Female products work well here). Use some soft doe in heat bleats. I would be very careful with "grunting" right now. The smaller bucks that may come in to your bleats might get scared off with a grunt call. Remember, a juvenile buck (some with decent racks) are looking for pleasure from the ladies of the woods, not a fight with an older buck!

This has been my experience so far this year.

[whiskey]

I don't usually call. I will blow a grunt tube right at day break on a windy day. I will turn up a doe-in-heat can if I see a buck passing by. Other than that I just like to sit still and be quite.

[Guest pfries]

I don't own any deer calls?

[Timestepper]

Teach him to drive. From what I've seen, this year especially, he'll probably hit a deer the first week.

If that's not an option then patience is the key. Oh, and for the most part, rattling is for pros - us rookies ain't gonna' do anything with rattling but make 'em laugh. On the other hand, few things are more satisfying than shooting a deer when he's doubled over laughing at a hunter's ineptitude.

Seriously, keep the calling to a minimum; if you're not hearing it in the woods then chances are it doesn't belong there, or at least not with the frequency that most inexperienced hunters tend to want call. (Remember, you're deer hunting, not duck hunting.)

Most importantly (in my not-so-humble opinion), whether you use calls or nothing at all is to "hunt the wind." Simply put, if the wind is at your back, that's where the deer are going to stay. Keep your nose to the wind and you'll stand a better chance of seeing a deer before it locates you.

Good luck!

...TS...