You grunted. You rattled. You tipped your bleat can. He just didn’t come in. Now you’re sitting in the boat enjoying spring and contemplating what you could’ve done differently. Well, here you go.

Increase the Intensity

Of course, you could have and probably should have snort-wheezed. Keep that in mind for this deer season. The great thing about a snort-wheeze is the fact that replicating it doesn’t even take a call. You can simply inhale a good amount of air and aggressively say phit, phit, phiiiii! Be aggressive with it, and if the buck doesn’t immediately begin walking your direction, hit him with it again. And again. Often, a snort-wheeze will be enough to bring a buck bowhunting close.

Now for my favorite, and one you don’t hear much about: roar at that buck! A roar is a loud, aggressive sound that starts as a grunt then quickly turns into a deep, throaty scream at the end. It is made when bucks are at the highest point of frustration or anger. Because this sound is tougher to mimic with your voice than a snort-wheeze, check out the Primos Rut Roar call (right). Use it correctly this season and you might find yourself hanging a new set of antlers on the wall.

How to Play to a Stubborn Buck

When simple grunting isn’t working, step up the tone of your calling aggression. Start by making more aggressive grunts, and then mix in a snort-wheeze. After that, watch the buck’s reaction and check the temperature on his attitude. If he still refuses to come in, make another snort-wheeze, this time followed by a bellowing roar. Be ready to reach for your bow. If the target buck is high enough in the pecking order, he probably won’t turn down the chance to assert his position in the herd.