Calling Muntjac

Dorset

Well-Known Member
I was out this evening for a quick look on one of my few Roe permissions to try for a buck. After stalking along a ride and round a release pen to a nicely positioned tree in the middle of a wood I let everything settle for a while and started to call. Nothing doing after a few minutes so I took the call from my pocket and called loudly. I hadn't done 1 set of loud calls before there was a hell of a crashing and a young, just about fully grown Muntjac doe appeared about 30 yards away and shot to within 2/3 yards of where I was standing (wish i'd had a camera ready), looking straight at me; she looked for about 10 seconds then bounded to 30 yards grunting where I dropped her on the spot.

After gralloching her and hanging in a nearby tree I went back to the original tree and thought i'd try my luck again. After a few repetitions, I tried a loud call again. I caught movement between the trees although the light wasn't good enough to tell what it was at that distance, there was another deer approaching me, it used all the available cover to get to around 30 yards where it stood with its head behind a bush, it was a huge Muntjac buck but by the time I was able to properly id him, he had winded me and was gone.

I have read here and elsewhere about calling munties and heard conflicting opinions on whether it is worthwhile. I have tried a few times but in fact have never seen a munty on an outing when I have tried calling and had written the idea off, even thinking it could be scaring them away. I have always used highseats or sat overlooking likely places with good results but tonight has convinced me that calling for Muntjac is worthwhile, at least at this time of year. I'd be interested to know if it's just the time of year or whether people who have sucess in calling muntjac are able to do it all year round. I was surprised when the first one came but amazed at the second, there was only about a 5 minute gap between shooting the first and seeing the second, the wood was only a few acres and my rifle has no moderator.
 
Benc

Where I stalk we regularly call muntjac all year round. What it is that attracts them I can't say (but would be interested to find out if anyone else knows) but it can be a very effective way of calling in munties. I have had muntjac come almost within bayonet distance :eek:

That said, if you have muntjac and roe then you need to be careful about using the call for muntjac before and during the roe rut, as the roe will get very wary. We tend to stop calling the muntjac when the bucks shed their antlers, which gives us plenty of time before the roe rut to 'rest' the ground.

Like so many things, calling is a tool in the toolbox that should be used appropriately. Use it too much and its efficiency can suffer.

willie_gunn
 
Benc said:
I have read here and elsewhere about calling munties and heard conflicting opinions on whether it is worthwhile.

Succicntly, always!

The only caveat you may wish to consider is that a doe may have a fawn nearby and might respond to the call, suspecting her offspring to be in danger. Drop the doe and the fawn will suffer the obvious consequences.

That said, I have yet to read any positive support for this argument, i.e. somebody actually finding such a fawn, so it must remain simple supposition until such time as supporting evidence can be presented.

Happy squeaks!
 
I have called loads of Muntjac using a Buttallo, I don't know what it is but both buck and doe can react very aggressively, it can be young or old! It does not work all the time and some muntjac just ignore whilst others charge at you or some times in the opposite direction!.

I have watched a muntjac buck feeding and thought i'd be lazy and get him to come to me with the call, he just ignored it but another unseen buck came steaming out of cover for a foot stomping challenge!

Great additional tool but don't become dependent on it!
 
Was out in a high seat this morning after a roe buck and saw one out at about 300+yards. He started to head further away from me, so I thought I'd give him a bit of squeak and see if I could get him in range. He wasn't in the least interested, but a munty doe appeared within minutes and actually came so close under the seat I couldn't get the rifle down on her even if I'd wanted to take the shot (she didn't appear pregnant so suspect she may have had a fawn nearby??)
 
75,

I'd suspect the same - but if there was a feeding fawn nearby - you'd see her (depending on how you were able to view her) as a lactating. I've seen a few recently - that said l have been ground level - not sat in a high seat.

Apparently (seen on other posts) a blade of grass between your thumbs and blowing (like we used to do as kids) attracts munties well?!?!

T
 
Thanks for the replies.

Iwrch, I appreciate what you are saying about taking does with dependant young and couldn't agree more, on this occasion I couldn't have had a much better view of the doe as she was literally 3/4 feet away from me before she went away, I could tell she was not lactating and only approaching full grown, hence why I took her. The reason I didn't take the buck was that I couldn't id him well enough when the shot was on as it was only the fron of the chest visible between the trees, I'd much rather be safe than sorry so left him for another day as his head was not visible for a 100% id until he was going away.

Willie_gunn, there aren't all that many Roe round here and landowners seem to be a bit funny about shooting them so although there are Roe on all my permissions, there are few places that I am allowed to take them, the call will definately be used on my Muntjac only permission to see what the results are, especially as the Roe have to be left here anyway. Now I have discovered it, I will try to use it sparingly!
 
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