Calls

A deer bleat is a soft, drawn-out vocalization made by does and fawns. They use it as a contact call. Bleats range from short single notes (i.e., a routine contact) to longer estrus bleats (i.e., when does are in heat during the rut).

Five must-know deer calls include the contact bleat (low-volume doe-to-fawn communication), estrus bleat (does in heat during rut), buck grunt (territorial/aggression), snort-wheeze (buck challenge), and rattling (simulated buck fight).

A turkey box call is a "friction" call that uses a wooden box attached to a wooden paddle. Although box calls are widely considered the best option for beginner turkey hunters, many experienced hunters continue to carry them into the field each year.  

The best turkey calls for beginners include the box call, mouth calls, and the push-pin call.

When spring turkey season approaches, it’s time to dust off the old callers and practice your best yelps, clucks, cackles, and purrs. Experienced turkey hunters will tell you that push-button calls, locator calls, slate calls, box calls, diaphragm calls, and wing bone calls are the six calls you need for successful spring hunts.

Calling in a deer is one of the most exciting things you can do as a hunter, especially during the rut. It means you are perfectly positioned and communicating directly with the nearby whitetail.

One of my favorite sounds of a cold, crisp morning in the field isn’t my boots crunching on the still frozen grass glistening in the rising sun or the panting of an energetic and eager hunting dog. It's that unmistakable two-note call whistle from a bobwhite quail, sharp and clear as the morning air.

The whitetail pre-rut happens once the bucks have shed their velvet and begin to break away from the bachelor groups.  This period is prior to their peak breeding season and is commonly referred to as the "rut." So, how do you call bucks during this time of year?

When you're learning to call turkeys, ducks, or elk, the animals themselves will practically give you lessons in calling. Those species are vocal, and you get tons of chances to mimic them. 

When thinking about deer hunting, most hunters are not thinking about tagging out on a big ol' nanny doe. Instead, they are dreaming of that rare majestic 200" buck we all dream about.

It's that time of year again; you're out in the woods sitting in your favorite treestand, and you see a buck that is too far away — so you bust out some sort of call and start trying to lure him in closer. Instead, he hightails it out of there, never to be seen again.

The grunt call is the sound that deer hunters are always waiting for, as they know that this call means a buck is close by!