Rattling, Grunting and Deer Lures - Make Them Work for You
Day 5: Trio Buck Calling for Deer
 When three hunters go into the woods to take one buck, some sportsmen consider this an overkill. However, think about a deer drive when several hunters attempt to move deer into an area where one of many standers can get a shot. You'll find this triple-calling strategy very efficient on bucks. In one day of hunting in good deer country, all three outdoorsmen may bag bucks. Let's look at the responsibility each hunter has when they triple-call bucks. The Shooter: This sportsman has the responsibility of seeing the buck, looking for a clearing in the woods where he can take the buck, preparing for the shot and then delivering the bullet when the buck steps into an opening. This hunter can focus all his attention on making the accurate shot.
 The Rattler: The outdoorsman responsible for rattling-in the buck with rattling antlers must get the buck's attention and cause him to start moving toward the stand where the three hunters sit. Deer can hear rattling antlers from much greater distances than they can the grunt call. The antlers provide along-range calling implement the hunter can use to make contact with the buck often 1/4- to 1/2-mile away. Since most bucks will come to a fight, hunters using rattling antlers during breeding season will find them especially effective. However, as most hunters have learned, bucks often will clash antlers from the time they come out of the velvet and begin to spar until the end of the breeding when they shed their antlers. Therefore, you can use rattling antlers to lure-in deer from long range throughout the length of deer season in most states.
The Grunter: The grunt tube produces an effective call to lure in bucks only 100 yards or less from the caller. As most sportsmen know, you can use the grunt call to say many different things to a buck. When used in conjunction with the rattling antlers, the grunt call simulates a buck fight much better than only using the antlers.  As deer fight, they often grunt. Also in-between the actual clashing of antlers, deer may grunt either as a sign of aggression or a sigh of relief after the battle is over. To date, I don't believe any wildlife scientist conclusively has determined why deer grunt or what they say when they grunt. But most biologists agree that the sound of deer grunting often will call-in bucks. Also, if a buck begins to walk away before the shooter can take the shot, the grunter often can stop the buck's retreat. If the buck walks-away from the sound of the rattling antlers, many times grunting can pull him back in to the shooter. If the hunter can't rattle the buck, because the buck may spot the movement of the antlers and the hunter, then the grunt call solves this problem too. By combining grunting and rattling, the sportsmen offer a double-barreled approach to deer calling.  With two callers working together to maneuver the deer into position for the shooter, then the shooter will have a better chance of getting a good, clean shot.
"Other than all these reasons, I believe that three people can have more fun deer hunting than either one or two can," Rod Haydel, the president of Haydel Game Calls explains. "Determining calling techniques, where to set up, when to call, when to shoot and enjoying the thrill of a successful hunt can be much more fun, if you have two buddies, and you all share the experience. Besides when you go three-on-one for a buck, you also have two more backs and double the number of arms and legs to help drag the deer back to your vehicle."
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