Deer Calls

Types of Deer Calls

• Grunt calls are the most versatile deer call. A soft contact grunt works all season, and a series of short tending grunts imitates a buck trailing a doe during the rut. Adjustable calls like the Primos Buck Roar II, Hardwood Grunter, and the Rocky Mountain Deer Dialect 2.0 let you shift from a young buck to a mature buck tone.
  
• Can (bleat) calls make a doe or fawn bleat when you tip them over, with no blowing skill needed. The Primos Original Can, Great Big Can, and Lil Can cover estrus doe bleats, while the Primos Hardwood Fawn Bleat makes fawn sounds that can draw curious or protective does.
  
• Rattling imitates two bucks fighting. Rattle bags like the Primos Big Buck Rattle Bag pack small and stay quiet in your pack. Synthetic rattling systems like the Illusion Black Rack give you the volume of real antlers in a lighter, easier-to-carry package.
  
• Multi-sound calls like the Illusion Extinguisher 2.0 make several sounds in one call, so you carry less gear in the stand.
  

When to Use Each Deer Call

• Early season (September–early October): call sparingly. Use soft contact grunts and doe bleats, and avoid aggressive rattling.
  
• Pre-rut (mid–late October): bucks are sparring and checking scrapes. Light rattling (often called "tickling" the antlers), grunts, and a few estrus bleats work well.
  
• Rut (November): bucks are actively looking for does. Tending grunts, estrus bleats, and aggressive rattling are most effective. In Missouri, rut activity typically peaks around mid-November.
  
• Post-rut: go back to softer calling. Bleats can still pull in bucks looking for the last does in estrus.
  

Deer Calling Tips

Start soft and keep sequences short, because a deer that's close can tell exactly where the sound came from. If a deer is already coming toward you, stop calling. Call when deer can't see your location, and pair your calls with a decoy so an approaching buck has something to look at.