Doe Bleat Questions

So I am new to the bleating at deer to get them to stop in their tracks.. I have watched videos over and over and over to try to hear what everyone else does.. I am nervous on this though with bow season this weekend. I DO NOT want to get my first bow kill opportunity and then mess up the mouth bleep and he takes off insteads of stopping. Any advice on this?

I don't know how important the sound is. I have known people that whistle, use a grunt call, yell "hey" etc.

I would go for hoping the deer stops long enough for a shot without a noise, past that I think most any noise will stop them for a sec.

Very good to know. Makes for a little more confidence before I get into the stand, which as we all know plays a big role.

Always hope they stop on their own and if bow hunting want them looking away from me or head down. Any noise you make in bow range is iffy, but if you have to stop him, draw first while he's moving, then a super quite short bleat, don't have to be perfect any sound that's close to him will stop him. Be at full draw and ready to drop the hammer because once you make the noise he will have you pinned, so make it count.

I think you mean a "bleat" call. I have used them before, but as Redchevy said, almost any sound can make them stop and look, just make it loud enough for them to hear. Be aware though, once you make the sound, you better be ready, they will have you pegged 9/10 times.

If you see a deer you don't want to shoot, try a few sounds and see what happens, best way to learn.

Important thing to remember is deer are at heart prey animals, thus any noise they hear out of the ordinary makes them stop and scan first. A deer can scan 280 degrees without moving their head so they will be eyeballing everything without moving. Once they sense or see danger they will bolt. So, any noise will get a deer to stop momentarily. If it is a more natural sound, like an animal, the deer may stop for longer than moments. For unnatural sounds, they may bolt almost immediately.

I have grunted, yelled, and done some funny noises to try to get a deer to stop, most of the time I have to be louder than I think as I am gun hunting and the deer didn't hear it the first time. In bow range, I agree, be ready when you make your noise as the deer will see you at full draw and bolt shortly after...especially if accompanied by mechanical sounds of a bow.

Agree the best way to get good at this, or at least effective, is to try it on non-shooter deer. It is fun sometimes to see what you can get away with and see what doesn't work. Try to make every experience a learning experience.

On public land any legal deer is going down haha - but a small one I will let pass and will try if I see.

Thanks everyone for the great information!

I've spent the past 20 or so years learning to make all whitetail sounds with my mouth, throat and nasal passages. I don't think it matters what sound you use to stop a deer. Time of season plays a part, but if you only learn one whitetail vocalization learn the fawn bleat. It's the easiest to replicate and sound natural. 99% of the sounds bow hunters on tv make sound nothing like a deer. But it stops 70% of the deer. As said earlier, you better be on automatic when you stop them!

I find being able to make all the sounds hands free, especially that long, drawn out "clicking" that bucks do, aides tremendously in all phases of hunting the rut, and while rattling. Also works well to attract does for culling. Much more successful from the ground than elevated, too.

I haven't bow hunted in years, but I do like to stop a trotting buck every now and then. I use the "squeaky" ripped from the inside of a dog toy under my boot. You can even cut a hole in the back of the squeaky to help adjust the volume.

I've never had to make a grunt or bleat while bow hunting, but you'd be very surprised at a deer's ability to ignore or "not care" of any noise you put out there at longer distances. I had a huge cull 7 point a few years ago in West Texas sneak past the side of my blind at 60 yards and I couldn't get him to stop for anything. Bleat can, grunt call, and a few mouthed "mehs" wouldn't stop him. He had something on his mind and never even stopped walking or even looked my direction.

If you need to make one stop, try and grunt at them. A short deep grunt and don't be dramatic about it. Loud or repeated grunts will spook them sometimes. If it doesn't respond try making a softer doe grunt or blow a small puff of air out real hard sorta aggressive like a deer will occasionally do. That's what I do but Ive also done it with no luck. Once I had a calf about 15 yrds behind me let out a screetching moo and that got a deer to freeze that I couldn't stop for 30 yards.