Calling Bucks During the Rut: 5 Tips for Success

The weeks leading up to and shortly after early November are a hunter's favorite time of year, when does are coming into heat and bucks are up and moving, searching for their mate. With increased buck movement comes more opportunities for you to bag your next trophy.

So, how do you draw bucks into shooting range during the rut and this period of increased movement? Here are five of the best tactics for calling bucks during the rut.

Updated November 13, 2025

1. Start With Soft Calls (Can Calls)

When fawns are distressed or simply want comfort from their mother, they make a high-pitched bleating noise. This call causes a doe's maternal instincts to kick in and causes them to investigate the noise, even if they don't have fawns of their own.

Hunters use can calls to imitate a fawn or doe's bleating noise, depending on how high or low-pitched you make the sound and how many holes you cover.

This call is best used just before and at the beginning of the rut. Bucks begin looking for does during the pre-rut, so a doe that comes to your call may have a buck close behind her. Bucks may also hear your call and come in to investigate themselves.

Once the rut is in full swing, fawns are stable, and does disregard their maternal instincts. If you are hunting during the early season or the rut, letting out a few can calls even when you don't spot a deer isn't a bad idea.

Deer have exceptional hearing. You may have a big doe just beyond your line of sight. However, make sure not to overcall either, as this behavior is not natural or believable.

2. Escalate to More Aggressive Calls Using Grunt Tubes

Whitetail bucks actively grunt throughout the rut to assert their dominance over younger bucks and attract nearby does. That's why you need a grunt tube if you are hunting the rut.

This call imitates the grunt bucks make, causing mature bucks to head your way to investigate or challenge what they think is a smaller buck encroaching on their territory. Typically, the bigger the buck, the lower the grunt, so when using a grunt tube, your call's pitch should imitate a younger buck.

Grunting too deeply makes it sound like you're a massive male and will intimidate and push away smaller bucks who feel they can't compete.

"Once most does are receptive, and the rut (breeding) is in full swing, I will grunt at any buck I see cruising UNLESS they appear to be coming within range. I've seen bucks respond from long distances.  I blind call about every 15 to 30 minutes to pull in those bucks that might be in the vicinity of the sound but outside my range of vision." – Grant Woods, Growing Deer.tv.

3. Rattle Antlers

Rattling mimics the sound of two bucks fighting and is a useful tactic to use throughout the rut.

This attracts other bucks, who want to see what the fuss is all about and what other males are in their territory. If you've never heard two bucks fighting, check out YouTube to get an idea of how aggressive you should be with your rattling.

If you have some old antlers lying around, that is as real as it gets. Use antlers that are reflective of the deer in your area; you don't want to scare away a good buck by making it sound like two monster bucks are fighting nearby.

Sometimes, carrying full-size antlers around can be bulky and inconvenient, so another option is to purchase a rattle bag. This bag mimics the noise of antlers but is far easier to haul around.

4. Play the Wind

While calling is an effective way to lure mature bucks towards you, it will all be for nothing if you get busted by the wind as the buck approaches your location.

Use HuntWise to check the wind direction and think about your scent drift before you start calling. Always be mindful of where you're set up and which direction a buck is likely to approach, as it could be the difference between filling your freezer or going home empty-handed.

While there are many techniques, tactics, and opinions on how to call in big bucks, these are our tried and true favorites. Regardless of the type of call you have, or when you use it, your goal is always to sound as authentic as possible. So, use these tips to blend in and stealthily lure your next trophy to you.

5. Add Other Realistic Sounds

Grunts and antlers aren't the only sounds going on in the woods during the rut. Bucks respond to other noises, and adding these to your activity can make the situation even more realistic to bucks in the area (which will help draw them closer to you). 

Bucks can quickly pick up on an artificial situation and high-tail it out of there. To enhance your calls, supplement those noises with additional sounds that mimic deer activity, such as stomping, kicking leaves, or shaking branches. This helps a buck zero in on your location. 

Then, stop and listen for a response. Nonstop noise (even if it's a mix of everything we've recommended today) is fake and will scare bucks away rather than bring them within range of your bow or rifle. 

Be patient and listen for a buck's reaction. After making a sequence of calls, pick up your bow and scan the area for responding deer.  

Again, use HuntWise and the Windcast feature to stay downwind and help your sounds carry in the right direction (without carrying your scent toward bucks). 

Use HuntWise for Success When Calling Bucks During the Rut

Successfully calling bucks takes time, patience, and practice. We hope these tips are helpful, but the best thing you can do to improve your chances of tagging out during the rut is to practice your calls during the off-season.

As you notice how bucks respond to your calls, make notes in your Huntwise app. You can also use the app to mark locations of deer signs (rubs, scrapes, and more), pinpoint the wind's direction, e-scout land, and more to prepare for a successful season. Elite users can also pinpoint the ideal time to hunt during rut activity using the RutCast feature in the app. 

If you don't have the HuntWise app, now's the time to get it! 
Download it and plan your hunt for free during your first week in the app.

Content most recently reviewed and updated November 12, 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

We have answers to common questions about how to call in a buck during the rut!

Q: What is the best way to call in a buck during the rut?

A: When calling in a buck during the rut, use a combination of aggressive grunts and rattling sequences to imitate two bucks fighting over a doe. Mix in doe bleats to sound realistic.

Q: Is it better to use a doe or buck call during the rut?

A: Both can work. However, doe calls (especially estrus bleats) often draw in bucks looking for receptive does, while buck grunts can trigger territorial responses from dominant males.

Q: How to attract bucks during the rut.

A: To attract bucks during the rut, use doe-in-estrus scents, mock scrapes, and realistic calling. Position yourself near travel corridors between bedding and feeding areas for best results.

Q: How many miles will a buck travel during a rut?

A: Mature bucks can cover 3 to 10 miles per day during peak rut, depending on terrain and doe availability.

Q: What time of day are most bucks killed during the rut?

A: During the rut, more bucks are killed during the late morning (9 a.m.–11 a.m.) and early afternoon are prime times, as bucks often stay active longer searching for does.