I was pulling poison ivy out of one of my stands 2 weeks ago, making noise and snapping twigs off, i had a 7 point get off of bedding to come and check out what the noise was. It came directly under the stand. I have found that breaking twigs and rustling leaves has worked very well in the past also.

I was hunting my property and was watching the corner of the field from a box blind when across the field in the corner just inside the wood line I noticed a doe with a mission on her mind. She disappered behind the honeysuckles at the end of the field. Then I noticed two dogs eating in a gut pile from a previous deer I had harvested at the other corner of the field where she was headed. I thought if she sees these dogs, it's game over. I grabbed my bleat and grunt call along with a rattle bag and thought, what have I got to lose. I bleated and grunted followed by rattling and within a minute the doe came out the end of the field between the honeysuckle vines looking for the action that was going on. I quickly raised my muzzleloader, took aim and fired, dropping the doe with one shot at a hundred and sixty yards. And yes, I had been practicing and knew I could hit a gallon jug full of water out to 175 yards. So it goes to show you that even does are curious of the calling you make and help fill the freezer with some tasty venison.

Five days ago I was checking out a spot to see if i could find a north entrance to a stand location I had allready set up.
I found a way in to my stand site, then backtracked, just to get a better feel for the lay of the land on the back side of my stand.
Around 11:00 a.m. , i saw two ponds-nearly dry- in what looked like a perfect buck bedding area.
I checked it out quickly, not being to big an area.Then I sat against the bank that seperated the ponds,and saw my tube call allmost fell out of my pack.I picked it up,turned it to an estrous doe, and blew one long slow bleat.
Before I could drop the call the brush about 10 feet away exploded as the heaviest bodied deer I've ever seen-even on versus-charged full speed right towards me,followed by a nice 6 pointer.
I had my bow,arrow nocked, in hand, and followed the bruiser til he stopped directly in front of me, less than 5 foot away and stared straight at me for an eye-blink before charging off after the "hot doe" he heard call.
His rack was what I call a "plate"rack-two giant "plates" with three fat tines at least a foot long coming off each "plate",and a set of brow tines that were huge.
The six pointer following him was normal sized, but he was so wide, I compare it to the difference in width between a quater horse and a clydesdale.
I guarantee he'll weigh 300lbs., easy.The biggest deer I've ever seen. Whats bull crap is that between the time I called and when he dissapeared over the pond bank behind me, was less than 30 seconds total.
So when you hear, "....be ready to shoot before you call", listen!!!! If i would have been ready to shoot before I called I would have a 8 point "plate rack" easy 200's class buck.

I have had a similar experience, putting together a ground blind, snapping and stuffing branches, stepping back to admire my handiwork, a deer snorted loudly and distinctly, only 25 feet away. Photographers use a trick where they turn their backs to game, and begin tugging at tree branches or ripping up grass with reports of the game reacting as if to any natural occurrence in the woods, maybe thinking another animal is feeding. Well, we are, just not quite what they anticipate. Great article.