Muntjac Answering The Call

Out yesterday morning, well before first light, to a local wood where we control the Muntjac. Stalked the rides and glades for an hour but nothing seen so decided to do some calling. Crept about 30 yards into the wood near some bramble and got set up with a large tree at my back and twin sticks to rest the rifle on. Scope set at lowest mag 6X and closest focus. First four squeaks with the Buttalo and not 30 yds away I saw a Muntjac buck get from his couch beneath low bramble to see what was going on. An easy head shot produced a 14.9kg carcass.
I moved on for about a quarter of a mile and did the same again but this time a small doe appeared from beneath bramble so close that I had difficulty locating her in the scope. Another head shot. At the shot I saw two others departing that I had not been aware of so they are now educated.
As the wood has a high level of public access, it was time to go and I had run out of time.
Even after so many years of stalking Muntjac, it never ceases to amaze me how sometimes they can be called and other times no response. The reason why remains a mystery to me.
 
Apart from educated animals, have you ever found it to have the opposite effect and scare them off. Me and mate are still trying to get our heads round the calling. He's had luck with the call but I haven't. Just wondered if sometime you clear the area of them by using the call.

Cheers. Matt.
 
Apart from educated animals, have you ever found it to have the opposite effect and scare them off. Me and mate are still trying to get our heads round the calling. He's had luck with the call but I haven't. Just wondered if sometime you clear the area of them by using the call.

Cheers. Matt.
Matt it just so difficult to be sure as they will creep up and stay in or under cover and we may never be aware that they have been there. I have on occasion squeezed the call too hard and produced the 'terror cry' by mistake. That definitely sent the approaching Muntjac off at a rapid rate with tail flagged up in alarm. I have heard some people say that they use the 'terror' call to attract them but I do not find it successful on Muntjac. I use four or five soft squeaks by rolling my thumb forward on the call so that it gives the impression that a fawn is calling then taking a breath. Sometimes it works like a dream and others not at all. I simply do not understand why.
 
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I've been meanting to try calling Munty's into a high-seat, but I thought I'd missed my chance this year. Obviously I've still got lots to learn . . .

Triffid
 
I have found the Buttalo really quite effective on Muntjac and Roe in some of the woods I work....BUT....not all the time....It really must depend on what
is going on in their lives / space at that time.

Cheers + ATVB

Phillip
 
Out again this morning, same wood but different sector, a mile or more away from where I was on Saturday. No Muntjac seen on the rides and glades so thought I would try them with the call. First three locations no response at all. Fourth location, started calling and had an answer but some way off in the wood. Answers got steadily closer until about 50 yds away but in thick cover.
A ten minute intermittent 'conversation' followed but the Munjac would not show itself. I didn't even get a fleeting peep at it. The deer lost interest and steadily returned to the centre of the wood, barking intermittently as it went.
Weather today was NW slight breeze with clear sky. On Saturday it was SW wind that was strong enough to rustle the branches but a clear day. I think a little bit of wind helps ?
Fascinating creatures!
 
nice to here , uncle norm did you use the same call with those two muntjack or did you vary it or have you tried varying the call . i would like to try my rotumtaller on muntjack as it can do so many different noises, had some good fun with the roe this year ,atb wayne
 
nice to here , uncle norm did you use the same call with those two muntjack or did you vary it or have you tried varying the call . i would like to try my rotumtaller on muntjack as it can do so many different noises, had some good fun with the roe this year ,atb wayne

Hello Wayne
I have tried all sorts over the years. As I no longer have my own teeth, I find the mouth/blow types problematic as I easily make a 'bad' call with them. I now exclusively use the Buttalo squeeze type and have tried all imaginable variations, usually where I know there are Muntjac but there is no stalking done. The one I find most successful (but not always) is the soft peep made by rolling my thumb gently and muffling it by either keeping the call in my pocket or shielding the holes with my other hand.
I would never claim to have got it cracked. If I did and someone asked me to demonstrate, then that would be the morning when the Muntjac say 'No reply, no one at home' and I would appear a class 1 bulls****er. It's really interesting to try and work it out if not a little frustrating sometimes. Have fun. Roy.
 
In your last situation you should have tried the terror call. He knows your there and a nice loud set of calls may have brought it out of cover. Your buck was probably a doe. A buck would possibly have come out for a look but does are much more cautious!! Notice I say "may and probably", all deer are capable of giving you two fingers!
 
Thanks guys always interesting to here how people get on had alot of success calling in kids and mums this year had one kid come that close and i could have reached out and touch it ,i had also some good bucks come in and on one day got a cracker come flying in from two fields away after he chased another buck off, atb wayne
 
When calling muntjac do not get fixated on the first deer you see. I have seen them come from different directions at the same time. You can easily have 3 different deer come to your call at the same time! Also if you do shoot one keep still for a couple of minutes and call again, you might be pleasantly surprised.
 
When calling muntjac do not get fixated on the first deer you see. I have seen them come from different directions at the same time. You can easily have 3 different deer come to your call at the same time! Also if you do shoot one keep still for a couple of minutes and call again, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Yes I very much agree with this we also can never be sure just how many of them are present and watching proceedings. When we first started stalking a heavily damaged wood, in 2005, where there had been no previous stalking I managed to shoot three bucks one after the next. They had been attracted to the call then when the first was shot, the second came to look and the carcass and was duly shot followed by the third who did the same. We took 60 per year for the first two years then lesser numbers as the population was reduced and the woodland understory recovered. For several years our aim has been to manage the population at a level where the wood continues to improve and hopefully the nightingales (amongst others) will return. The remaining population of Muntjac are much more canny and have much more ground cover, particularly bramble and young saplings to hide in. Culls per stalking outing are much lower now but it is very rewarding to see the recovery of the wood and I enjoy it as much as ever. I still do not kid myself on the I have learned the 'language' of calling Muntjac and am very interested in the experience of other members. Best regards.
 
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