What’s your favourite grunt tube?

[1Heavyhitr]

Do you have a favourite grunt tube/deer call? What’s your overall experience like using them, do you avoid them or use them? Have you run into any problems with them in cold weather? I’m sure there’s lots of gimmicks out there!

[obsessed1]

I have a couple I use but my fav that never gets left behind is the primos big buck grunter. It's 100% freeze free. Being I bush hunt and track and stalk I have had others freeze up on me....nothing's worse. I would love to find a truly freeze free call that allows to toggle from buck grunt to doe bleat easily and quickly without taking the call apart.

[Smoky buck]

I like calling and it works but sometimes back fires if you are too aggressive or it’s a shy deer

Grunt call the only one I have found that I like is the true talker. Easy to change the tone and has a natural sound. It is made with rubber and wood mostly so you don’t get that plastic sound you get with a lot of grunts. I have a love hate with grunt calls they can be awesome for aggressive deer but can scare shy bucks

I also use estrus bleats and carry 2 different ones. I use the primos original can and the long can. These are simple to use and a non aggressive call. Way less issues with spooking shy bucks. Some does don’t seem to like it at all

Rattling I use natural antlers and not a fan of rattle bags. Great for long range and can very intensity according to what part of the rut you are hunting. Shy bucks often want no part of it other come is running. I find it better then the grunt because you still get less aggressive bucks that will sneak in to the edges for a look. Need to play with it sometimes light rattling is in order other times smashing, crashing, stomping and racking the brush works great

Most under utilized call that most overlook is the communication bleat. This works year round. I use either a K meer deer or deer stopper both a pain to find at times. This call is great for calming deer that are alert but don’t know what you are. It also is good for getting a deer to step out and have a look. Not something for drawing in deer from a distance but can create opportunity that you would normally miss out on. Great for still hunting when deer know something is there but don’t know what you are

Those are my bag of chosen calls and have tried lots that just went in the trash over the years

[Stinky Buffalo]

I have several - the old standby is a standard Primos call, but I have really enjoyed using the HS True Talker.

I can mimic bucks (various tones) as well as doe and fawn calls, varying them just by moving my thumb's position on the call. The aspect that I really like is the wood core (I don't know if the new ones still have it) which I find helps keep it from freezing. The rubber outer shell is nice too, it doesn't click if I accidentally bump it onto something hard or metallic.

I also like using my Primos can. I have the large one but would prefer the smaller one for my purposes. There is art in subtlety.

I have rattle bags, but like Smoky says, prefer the real antlers.

K-Meer deer is a great call as well, and I always have one in my pack as it's light, compact and easy to use. Just can't say that it's helped me seal the deal (of course, I don't use it much... Have to experiment more.)

[weekender7]

https://illusionsystems.com/products...11729421402148

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

I have several - the old standby is a standard Primos call, but I have really enjoyed using the HS True Talker.

I can mimic bucks (various tones) as well as doe and fawn calls, varying them just by moving my thumb's position on the call. The aspect that I really like is the wood core (I don't know if the new ones still have it) which I find helps keep it from freezing. The rubber outer shell is nice too, it doesn't click if I accidentally bump it onto something hard or metallic.

I also like using my Primos can. I have the large one but would prefer the smaller one for my purposes. There is art in subtlety.

I have rattle bags, but like Smoky says, prefer the real antlers.

K-Meer deer is a great call as well, and I always have one in my pack as it's light, compact and easy to use. Just can't say that it's helped me seal the deal (of course, I don't use it much... Have to experiment more.)

I have the old style true talker but my wife bought the new style. I may need to buy one for myself or make a “trade” well the wife is not looking lol

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

I have the old style true talker but my wife bought the new style. I may need to buy one for myself or make a “trade” well the wife is not looking lol

Haha! For sure!

I do like the slide feature on some of those newer ones, like the Extinguisher that Weekender7 posted. Sometimes the tone buttons on the True Talker are hard to press, especially in the cold.

There are times when I'm about to initiate a grunting/rattling concert, take a breath, press the section of the tone selector that I wish to present, blow into the call and it sounds like someone just farted out a duck.

[obsessed1]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

Haha! For sure!

I do like the slide feature on some of those newer ones, like the Extinguisher that Weekender7 posted. Sometimes the tone buttons on the True Talker are hard to press, especially in the cold.

There are times when I'm about to initiate a grunting/rattling concert, take a breath, press the section of the tone selector that I wish to present, blow into the call and it sounds like someone just farted out a duck.

I.have found that's because the reed is partially freezing. Happens to me all the time with blow in calls with a closed reed, my breath freezes them up then they quack like a duck or make no sound at all.
I have the HS true talker ( new version) but it seems to freeze up on me as well...

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by obsessed1

I.have found that's because the reed is partially freezing. Happens to me all the time with blow in calls with a closed reed, my breath freezes them up then they quack like a duck or make no sound at all.
I have the HS true talker ( new version) but it seems to freeze up on me as well...

For sure... When it's really cold out, I'll stick the call into my jacket and gently draw warm air in for a while in the hopes that it'll clear up. Usually works. I'll also to a quiet test grunt while it's in there to blow out the last of the ice chunks and get the squawkiness out of its system before I begin the concerto in earnest.

[58thecat]

Duel....

[338Bluff]

True talker

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by 338Bluff

True talker

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Been running this system for 5 years now with no issues at all....the doe bleat has gotten me some beauty mule deer bucks to....freeze up so place in jacket is all....the grunt tube is awesome cuz I can extend the tub giving me deep grunts etc....very versatile system and like I said have not had any issues to date....my go to stuff.

[Passthru]

I also use the duel grunt tube. No problems in the cold

[Big Lou]

I liked the Buck Roar for the sounds but was a pain to change sounds quickly and notorious for freezing up.

Current go to and I like quite a bit is the previously posted Extinguisher. Super easy to change sounds. Still freezes up but working the slide a couple times usually frees things up. If not, the slow breaths through the call until she’s free and start making music again.