D
DeerKing
Guest
Its about time to make my pilgrimage back to southern Arizona for the archery Coues hunt. Anyone ever have any luck grunting or rattling bucks in?
C
crazyaboutcoues
Guest
I've had good luck doing both. I don't really do any hard rattling, just medium aggressiveness. Grunting works better in my opinion. Last year I grunted my archery coues to less than ten yards. I can bet your arse i'll be doing it again this year.
Later
Later
D
dds
Guest
I use grunting alot.
I have called in both mule deer and coues. Years ago I used to use an electronic caller with fawn bleats in the winter. It worked great. One day we called in a mule deer doe in to the truck using the vehicles casette deck with the speakers on the hood.
Personally, I have not had much success rattling, but I keep trying.
dds - Darren
I have called in both mule deer and coues. Years ago I used to use an electronic caller with fawn bleats in the winter. It worked great. One day we called in a mule deer doe in to the truck using the vehicles casette deck with the speakers on the hood.
Personally, I have not had much success rattling, but I keep trying.
dds - Darren
D
Dodger
Guest
I have tried to grunting and haven't had much luck. What are your strategies if you don't mind me asking? I'm really trying to get one with my bow this year and a spot and stalk is extremely difficult. I think grunting is probably my best chance.
Happy Holidays!
Matt
Happy Holidays!
Matt
D
DeerKing
Guest
Thanks guys, guess it won't hurt to try if I can't make anything else work.
Dodger
Last year I tried still hunting and stalking through some thick stuff. Got close a few times but they never stood still long enough or presented a clear shot. I watched a waterhole for a while but all that came in were does. I ended up taking a stand in a small saddle the deer were using frequently and on the 4th day I arrowed my buck as he came through the saddle.
Dodger
Last year I tried still hunting and stalking through some thick stuff. Got close a few times but they never stood still long enough or presented a clear shot. I watched a waterhole for a while but all that came in were does. I ended up taking a stand in a small saddle the deer were using frequently and on the 4th day I arrowed my buck as he came through the saddle.
D
dds
Guest
Let me state for the record that I live and hunt in AZ.
I guess the first thing that I consider when grunt-calling or rattling is the fact that any deer that will come to the call has to be within hearing distance of the call. So, it helps to have sighted a few deer first then work into an advantageous position to begin calling.
Alternatively, I try to get to a position that I know deer frequent and then I make stands of about 20 minutes or so, still-hunting as I go.
I also mentioned the use of fawn bleats. I have not used this technique for several years. My dad and I had a Walkman with a speaker and an old Burnam Brothers deer fawn bleat tape. We would put the speaker out away from us, and take positions. In a matter of minutes we may have 30 deer or so surround us. However, it seemed to me that the deer would hang-up just outside of bow range. Therefore, you still had to make a short stalk. We used this technique to hunt deer, and we did not have a preference for mule deer or whitetail.
dds - Darren
I guess the first thing that I consider when grunt-calling or rattling is the fact that any deer that will come to the call has to be within hearing distance of the call. So, it helps to have sighted a few deer first then work into an advantageous position to begin calling.
Alternatively, I try to get to a position that I know deer frequent and then I make stands of about 20 minutes or so, still-hunting as I go.
I also mentioned the use of fawn bleats. I have not used this technique for several years. My dad and I had a Walkman with a speaker and an old Burnam Brothers deer fawn bleat tape. We would put the speaker out away from us, and take positions. In a matter of minutes we may have 30 deer or so surround us. However, it seemed to me that the deer would hang-up just outside of bow range. Therefore, you still had to make a short stalk. We used this technique to hunt deer, and we did not have a preference for mule deer or whitetail.
dds - Darren
D
Dodger
Guest
Thanks for the info. I'm use to glassing for a long time in fairly open country and then making a 200-300 yard shot when coues hunting. That's how I have killed my coues deer. I used to live in Flagstaff and hunted mulies a lot with my bow up there. Never shot one though. I think I just get too excited! I've got a couple of places that seem like they should provide results. I'm going out on Friday so I will let you know what happens. If anything I would just love to get an opportunity at a shot at a coues with my bow.
dds, that sounds a lot like elk hunting. I don't know how many times I called in elk only to have them hang up about 80-100 yards away. Maybe if I where to put the call behind me about 50 yards...
Thanks
Matt
dds, that sounds a lot like elk hunting. I don't know how many times I called in elk only to have them hang up about 80-100 yards away. Maybe if I where to put the call behind me about 50 yards...
Thanks
Matt
D
dds
Guest
Dodger,
Where do you live now? I just moved to Tucson from Flagstaff last July.
dds - Darren
Where do you live now? I just moved to Tucson from Flagstaff last July.
dds - Darren
D
Dodger
Guest
dds,
Well, finally done with the Xmas party and getting the son's gifts from Santa ready for tomorrow (this) morning needed some down time before I head to bed..
I live in Tucson as well. I lived in Flagstaff for 5 years while I was going to college. I moved down here a year ago last August after living in Phoenix for 4 years. I'm originally from Tucson, this is where I grew up, but didn't really get into hunting until I moved to Flagstaff. I hunted with my dad as a kid down here but in Flag it was so easy, get out of class or off work and be in the woods in 10-15 minutes. You couldn't beat it!
Merry Christmas!
Dodger - Matt
Well, finally done with the Xmas party and getting the son's gifts from Santa ready for tomorrow (this) morning needed some down time before I head to bed..
I live in Tucson as well. I lived in Flagstaff for 5 years while I was going to college. I moved down here a year ago last August after living in Phoenix for 4 years. I'm originally from Tucson, this is where I grew up, but didn't really get into hunting until I moved to Flagstaff. I hunted with my dad as a kid down here but in Flag it was so easy, get out of class or off work and be in the woods in 10-15 minutes. You couldn't beat it!
Merry Christmas!
Dodger - Matt
D
dds
Guest
Dodger,
Check your inbox.
dds - Darren
Check your inbox.
dds - Darren
R
RandyWeaver
Guest
RE: Now is the time!
DK, I imagine that you've already left for your hunt, but, either way, good luck! In answer to your question, yes, I've had good success grunting, but lousy success rattling. At this time of year, tending grunts can work very well. When bucks are on a doe, they grunt a lot - much more than eastern whitetails. When a buck is on a doe and she's moving, he'll grunt just about every other step: imagine a deer walking at a fast pace (like a doe trying to get away from a buck), and grunt every other step about 6 to 10 times. Try some contact grunts (medium volume, one grunt) on lone bucks that are out of bow range. Normally (if he hears you), he'll stop and look, but may continue on. Hit him again - a little louder - and, if he's "in the proper frame of mind," he'll come on the second or third grunt. (Tending grunts on deer that are too close will just give away your position.)
As for rattling, I've done some fairly extensive experimentation with bucks in the pre-rut, which is the best time to rattle. I have rattled (with Coues sheds) both softly and loudly at mature bucks (80-90 inch range) that were in a sparring mood in early to mid-December. Every single time, they looked and then ran. This even happened when I tried it on two mid-90 bucks that were sparring at the time.
Bottom line: grunting should be hot right now. Remember the huge buck that I missed in January '94? He was tending a hot doe and wouldn't leave her. While I was stalking him, but especially when I got close, I could hear bucks grunting all over the place.
Venado muy grande!
DK, I imagine that you've already left for your hunt, but, either way, good luck! In answer to your question, yes, I've had good success grunting, but lousy success rattling. At this time of year, tending grunts can work very well. When bucks are on a doe, they grunt a lot - much more than eastern whitetails. When a buck is on a doe and she's moving, he'll grunt just about every other step: imagine a deer walking at a fast pace (like a doe trying to get away from a buck), and grunt every other step about 6 to 10 times. Try some contact grunts (medium volume, one grunt) on lone bucks that are out of bow range. Normally (if he hears you), he'll stop and look, but may continue on. Hit him again - a little louder - and, if he's "in the proper frame of mind," he'll come on the second or third grunt. (Tending grunts on deer that are too close will just give away your position.)
As for rattling, I've done some fairly extensive experimentation with bucks in the pre-rut, which is the best time to rattle. I have rattled (with Coues sheds) both softly and loudly at mature bucks (80-90 inch range) that were in a sparring mood in early to mid-December. Every single time, they looked and then ran. This even happened when I tried it on two mid-90 bucks that were sparring at the time.
Bottom line: grunting should be hot right now. Remember the huge buck that I missed in January '94? He was tending a hot doe and wouldn't leave her. While I was stalking him, but especially when I got close, I could hear bucks grunting all over the place.
Venado muy grande!
