The Buttalo - Amazing

Robbo25

Well-Known Member
Some years ago a good friend of mine brought me a Buttalo.

I thanked him for the gift and after a few too many Beers and copious amounts of Whiskey I layed it to rest in the bottom of one of my draws.

I'm sad to say it stayed there until desperation hit and on Saturday evening I retreived it from the draw, and dusted it off in the hope that this black rubber and plastic would work a miracle.

I've not had the best start to the Roe Buck seasons in Hampshire which is very unusual and with a general lack of Visible Deer over a 400acres pick your own and livestock farm I decided to give it a go.

Believe it or not apart from the odd picture of this device in the regular Bushwear catalogue that drops through my letter box.. I've not seen the feed back on this site or within magazines.

I gave the device a few test goes at home trying to mimick a Roe and got what sounded a little like a Roe Doe in my view. I arrived at 1900 hrs on the ground and after a short walk around some fields I opted for one of my high seats just over the brow of a hill, over looking a small strip wood with a water course running through the middle.

The seat has been in position here for around 2 years, however despite hearing deer moving through the woods the seat has had limited success.

I climed into the seat with a good vantage point over the surrounding ground, I gave it 30 mins or so for the area to settle after my not so quiet arrival! I then started to use the Buttalo on a limited basis to test and see what happend.

Within 10 minutes I spotted movement from my far left and saw a young Roe Doe running along the barbed wire fence in my direction. She followed the Buttalo tones and came to rest around 10 feet from the base of my high seat! Success but it cant be the Buttalo I thought! How wrong I was.

I watched the young Doe browsing along the hedge row and edge of the wood and she slipped away towards the top end of the farm and the pick your own that would soon be the hampshire version of fast food.

Within a few minutes I tried again.. A single peep and then a few more.. I tried to limit the amount of use and it worked again with a mature Doe coming in from the forestry to my left!

Again she came to me running fast and then skidding to a halt. She wasnt so sure! She steadily and carefully walked the last 50 yards and winded me as she was higher up the hill. With a bark she was gone and the white flash of the Roe's backside was the last I saw of her.

Again I gave this simple device a press and within 3 minutes a young Buck was in front of me.... I watched captivated as he came out of the woodland and I played with the Buttalo to watch his reactions and to learn the varied noises to which he responded.

He was with me for 10 Minutes but I wanted to see if I could tempt a better buck from the woods.

The buck finally headed out and hearing further movement in the woods.. I gave the Buttalo another series of peep's and crashing through the woods and into the clearing came a good buck.

The angle wasnt great but the shot was clear and I squezed the trigger on the .243 sako 75. Over went the Buck and a couple of kicks and it was all over.

The shot unfortunatley ruined the front left leg of the Buck as you can see but none the less the buck was in the bag and heading home for the freezer.

So my view... Without doubt this simple little device costing around £20 worked miracles for me. It's going to stay in my jacket ready for each trip I take and when the time is right I will use it again.

I've talked to my stalking buddies.. none of who'm have a Buttalo and as coincidence would have it another bush wear catalogue came through the door today. There's a picuture of the Buttalo and a pointer to their website were there is some excellent footage of the Buttalo in action.

It brought back the happy memories of a warm sunny stalk on Saturday with the success of a Buck in the freezer.. Happy days!

I cant recomend this little device enough.. at £20 it's worth a gamble.. give it a go.

Robbo25
 

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Yep I'll agree it's messed up the leg :D but the rest looks fine and that's one of your Bucks down and out after as you say a very slow start. Nice going. Glad to hear your getting into them now :tiphat:
 
Some years ago a good friend of mine brought me a Buttalo.

I thanked him for the gift and after a few too many Beers and copious amounts of Whiskey I layed it to rest in the bottom of one of my draws.

I'm sad to say it stayed there until desperation hit and on Saturday evening I retreived it from the draw, and dusted it off in the hope that this black rubber and plastic would work a miracle.

I've not had the best start to the Roe Buck seasons in Hampshire which is very unusual and with a general lack of Visible Deer over a 400acres pick your own and livestock farm I decided to give it a go.

Believe it or not apart from the odd picture of this device in the regular Bushwear catalogue that drops through my letter box.. I've not seen the feed back on this site or within magazines.

I gave the device a few test goes at home trying to mimick a Roe and got what sounded a little like a Roe Doe in my view. I arrived at 1900 hrs on the ground and after a short walk around some fields I opted for one of my high seats just over the brow of a hill, over looking a small strip wood with a water course running through the middle.

The seat has been in position here for around 2 years, however despite hearing deer moving through the woods the seat has had limited success.

I climed into the seat with a good vantage point over the surrounding ground, I gave it 30 mins or so for the area to settle after my not so quiet arrival! I then started to use the Buttalo on a limited basis to test and see what happend.

Within 10 minutes I spotted movement from my far left and saw a young Roe Doe running along the barbed wire fence in my direction. She followed the Buttalo tones and came to rest around 10 feet from the base of my high seat! Success but it cant be the Buttalo I thought! How wrong I was.

I watched the young Doe browsing along the hedge row and edge of the wood and she slipped away towards the top end of the farm and the pick your own that would soon be the hampshire version of fast food.

Within a few minutes I tried again.. A single peep and then a few more.. I tried to limit the amount of use and it worked again with a mature Doe coming in from the forestry to my left!

Again she came to me running fast and then skidding to a halt. She wasnt so sure! She steadily and carefully walked the last 50 yards and winded me as she was higher up the hill. With a bark she was gone and the white flash of the Roe's backside was the last I saw of her.

Again I gave this simple device a press and within 3 minutes a young Buck was in front of me.... I watched captivated as he came out of the woodland and I played with the Buttalo to watch his reactions and to learn the varied noises to which he responded.

He was with me for 10 Minutes but I wanted to see if I could tempt a better buck from the woods.

The buck finally headed out and hearing further movement in the woods.. I gave the Buttalo another series of peep's and crashing through the woods and into the clearing came a good buck.

The angle wasnt great but the shot was clear and I squezed the trigger on the .243 sako 75. Over went the Buck and a couple of kicks and it was all over.

The shot unfortunatley ruined the front left leg of the Buck as you can see but none the less the buck was in the bag and heading home for the freezer.

So my view... Without doubt this simple little device costing around £20 worked miracles for me. It's going to stay in my jacket ready for each trip I take and when the time is right I will use it again.

I've talked to my stalking buddies.. none of who'm have a Buttalo and as coincidence would have it another bush wear catalogue came through the door today. There's a picuture of the Buttalo and a pointer to their website were there is some excellent footage of the Buttalo in action.

It brought back the happy memories of a warm sunny stalk on Saturday with the success of a Buck in the freezer.. Happy days!

I cant recomend this little device enough.. at £20 it's worth a gamble.. give it a go.

Robbo25

I like the Buttalo and find it the easiest call to use, and while bucks can respond to the call from the first week in July, the main calling period will normally fall between the 20th July and mid August.
IMO although you may get the odd buck calling before this period only alerts the deer to your presence.

Calling works best in thundery weather and between 8.00 am and mid afternoon, its usually a waste of time to call in windy weather.
 
it always makes me laugh when i'm out with someone who has forgotten about the buttalo in their pocket and then tries to crawl - piep - piep - honk!!
 
Thanks for the feedback Gents.. and the usefull info from Bogtrotter re calling periods and times of day.

I'm interested to understand why you think the best calling time is between 0800 and mid afternoon?

I've always had best results on warm sunny evenings with the bucks when they are out and active starting to look for food or a Doe? Always delighted to learn something new.. but just wondered if there was any reason or known logic to it? regards Thundery weather I kinda get that with the pressure change etc.

Gary, Are you sure that's their Buttalo and not something else less pleasant!!!!

Many thanks

Robbo25
 
it always makes me laugh when i'm out with someone who has forgotten about the buttalo in their pocket and then tries to crawl - piep - piep - honk!!

Thats exactly what happened to me recently while stalking a buck, im not sure which one he heard, the buttolo or me cursing myself while getting very wet laying in a bog!

A very experienced stalker i know swears by the buttolo and has said hes had does trying to get in his car before now..

I tried the call last time i was out and not sure if it worked but a buck did appear.. It also sent a doe running for the hills, so think my technique leaves a little to be desired.. Note to self: put it somewhere where it cant peep in my pocket!!
 
Buttalo's are good but if you want to have a great variety use a reed call. You can alter the pitch from tiny fawn to terrified doe. Slightly harder to use though but worth the effort!
 
Hi Deer Man,

So having played a bit and some great initial response I'm up for some more experimentation.

So to Reed Calls.. I've not seen these or heard one used.

I suppose the question is name a brand and product and I'll take a look.

Any one with any other suggestions which work in Novice hands????
 
Thanks for the feedback Gents.. and the useful info from Bogtrotter re calling periods and times of day.

I'm interested to understand why you think the best calling time is between 0800 and mid afternoon?

I've always had best results on warm sunny evenings with the bucks when they are out and active starting to look for food or a Doe? Always delighted to learn something new.. but just wondered if there was any reason or known logic to it? regards Thundery weather I kinda get that with the pressure change etc.

Gary, Are you sure that's their Buttalo and not something else less pleasant!!!!

Many thanks

Robbo25

I am not 100% sure why best results are obtained during the day with a call, just what I have experienced.

But I do have a couple of theory's[unproven]

A just as there is more rutting activity in warm weather it may have something to do with the warmest part of the day.

B And I think this is more likely, in the early morning and evening the normal times of Roe activity, during the rut theres a good chance that the buck is already with a doe, its just about impossible to call a buck that has a doe in attendance, your only chance is with a fiep call [kid call] this may bring the doe and the buck will follow, you are calling the doe not the buck.

He will not respond to a doe call if he is already with a doe

During the day when they are lying up and he is likely to be on his own, he will be much more responsive if he hears a doe
calling.

Baring in mind that with Roe deer its the doe that calls the shots, a doe in heat goes looking for a buck, not the other way round, so he will respond to what he thinks is a doe in heat.
 
Hi Deer Man,

So having played a bit and some great initial response I'm up for some more experimentation.

So to Reed Calls.. I've not seen these or heard one used.

I suppose the question is name a brand and product and I'll take a look.

Any one with any other suggestions which work in Novice hands????

You could try a Hubertus, Richard Prior, Faulhaber, Nordic, there are quite a few on the market.
 
only ever seen them work once in 6 or 7 years ive been stalking ...due to always being away with work during most of the rut. (brother used it a bit and reeds)

but it can be deadly from what ive seen ...but...

it either works or not... no in between....seen it work on an evening then next morning scant hours away its totally ignored.
also heard of a local guy who squeaked his in his pocket out stalking whilst trying to cross barbed wire fence quietly whilst out stalking only to turn tround check his rifle and have a buck squaring him up 30 yards in front of him...come thundering out of wood edge hehehehh ehehehehee bit of a shock apparently

sauer /paul
 
I found the 'Roe Calling with Richard Prior' CD from BDS quite informative for the different sounds and when they are made.
 
Thanks for the feedback all.

I've still to look into the reed calls.. but will do so tomorrow when I should have a bit more time.

Mel, I'll keep an eye out for the CD too... As said initial response was amazing so i'm hopefull of continued success through the peek of the Buck season.

All the best

Robbo 25
 
you are calling the doe not the buck.

He will not respond to a doe call if he is already with a doe

A couple of times last year, it was the buck that came to the call first leaving the doe behind, now that got me thinking..;)
I also don't normally blind call as a rule , I like to see what the initial reaction from the deer is from when they hear the first pheep from the call, that way i can alter the way i call to suit the moment ( I use a buttalo mainly)
 
only ever seen them work once in 6 or 7 years ive been stalking ...due to always being away with work during most of the rut. (brother used it a bit and reeds)

but it can be deadly from what ive seen ...but...

it either works or not... no in between....seen it work on an evening then next morning scant hours away its totally ignored.
sauer /paul

Paul
this piece shows a little doe about 5 years old
taken in last year's so called rut



initially she came straight at us , so I stopped calling hoping she would circle around us so if a buck was following it would of followed her out into the open for a better shooting option , no buck present at this time
so carried on calling bringing her further around still no buck following, so a couple of dodgy pheeps sent her back to where she had come from
just to show my guest it was possible to call her back again and no fluke
i used a seperate series of pheeps to stop her , then started calling her back just for fun

The doe in this next clip was just unbelievable
we were stood in a gap in full view, wind blowing towards her and mobile phone aswell as me talking
but still she wanted to come



The buck in this clip buck was just plain stupid, i don't think he actually came to the call as such, probably more intrigued by the 2 men and a dog stood in the open trying to immatate a roe doe on August 20th,not the normal sort of response you see when a buck is settled with a doe
as it did not ignore us or even come straight in, sort of took a little to coax it and then just well.... you can see for yourself



ATB
 
if by any chance you spook a buck i think the buttalo calm's them down as myself & range master on here have had over the years great fun calling in the bucksbarking away not just at our presence
Thats exactly what happened to me recently while stalking a buck, im not sure which one he heard, the buttolo or me cursing myself while getting very wet laying in a bog!

A very experienced stalker i know swears by the buttolo and has said hes had does trying to get in his car before now..

I tried the call last time i was out and not sure if it worked but a buck did appear.. It also sent a doe running for the hills, so think my technique leaves a little to be desired.. Note to self: put it somewhere where it cant peep in my pocket!!
 
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