The 5 Best Deer Calls You Should Buy

Being a successful hunter requires more than grabbing a weapon and dashing into the wild. It involves strategies, processes, timing, and the habits of your targets. 

Calling is an age-long strategy hunters use to entice prey into close proximity. The same holds true for deer hunters. They imitate the grunt, bleat, snort-wheeze, and rattle sounds produced by deer to improve their game hunting experience.

A deer call is a critical part of a hunter’s gear that ensures a good outing in the wild, despite its size. It’s a small device used to mimic the sounds of another deer to attract the animal’s attention. 

However, deer calls are not always futile at every point of the hunting season. Pre-rut is when you stand the best chance of attracting a buck because they are most active during the period. 

Different deer react to various sounds. Therefore, know which deer species will respond before making a call. Whether trying to lure a whitetail or a red deer, ensure that you use a suitable and realistic call.

Before shopping for a deer call, peruse this comprehensive guide for the best options available on the market. 

Best Overall: Illusions Systems Extinguisher Deer Call

Best Overall

Illusion Systems Extinguisher Deer Call - Black

• Approved by the North American Hunting Club.
• Allows for directional calling.
• Free instructional videos available on the free Deer Society mobile app.

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The Illusions Systems Extinguisher Deer Call is our best overall deer call. It is an exceptional product in more ways than one. The NAHC Field Test standards highly rated this device as the loudest deer call on the market.

Thanks to its unique ModiSlide, you can easily navigate the different realistic deer calls to lure a doe, fawn, or buck. Yes, you get all you need in one device. It has a throat tube made with double-layered technology to produce realistic sounds.

 Although this deer call is versatile, it is designed with whitetail deer hunters in mind. These sounds were created to lure the frequently encountered whitetail deer into traps without frightening them.

The sliding chamber enhances sound quality and makes it easy to adjust pitch and tone. The device has sturdy aluminum construction. It is easy to use and maintains excellent performance in all atmospheric conditions. 

 It is made in the USA and features free instructional videos from the manufacturer to learn how best to use the device. 

Although the spring-loaded lanyard is a good addition, the spring can come out too quickly when not in use.

A user bought this call to prepare for the last hunting season. The mobile app, which includes instructional videos and videos of actual hunting, is a nice touch for them.

Pros and Cons of the Illusions Systems Extinguisher Deer Call

Best for All Phases: Primos Hunting Original Can Deer Estrus Bleat Call

Best for All Phases

Primos Hunting unisex adult The Original CAN Deer Estrus Bleat Call from Primos, Green, One Size US

• Estrus bleat sounds attract bucks by telling them a doe is ready to breed.
• Easy and simple to use.
• A good value for its cost and what it offers.

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This deer call from Primos gives off a superb Estrus bleat, which tells a buck that a doe is ready for breeding. The top and bottom of the can are each equipped with rubberized, non-slip grips.

Perhaps, its best selling point is that it can be used during all phases of the rut to draw buck species, particularly whitetail, blacktail, and mule. It features a raised thumb locator that guarantees steady sound and a secured seal. Remove the sticker at the bottom for better sound quality.

The can makes noise while walking or even when it is kept in a sturdy hunting pack. So you may need an extra thick pouch to block out the noise.

A long-time user of Primos hunting products had this to say. “This call has never failed me. When the rut was in full swing, I used to halt many bucks in their tracks. As a result, my freezer is full of venison, and I always have friends over.”

Pros and Cons of the Primos Hunting Original Can Deer Estrus Bleat Call

Best Beginner-Friendly: Nationwide Scents Deer Hunting Grunt Call

Best Beginner-Friendly

Nationwide Scents Cherry Grunt Call for Deer Hunting - Buck Calls for Whitetail Deer - Wooden Deer Call - Must Have Deer Hunting Accessories for Men

• Mimics multiple sounds, including rutting buck grunts, young buck calls, regular doe bleats, estrus doe bleats, fawn bleats, and breeding bucks.
• Can call loudly or gently, with dedicated holes to cover for each.

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With its cherry wood finish and ability to produce a range of realistic grunts, this deer call offers a balance between aesthetics and functionality. It can imitate a breeding buck, rutting buck grunt, estrus doe bleat, fawn bleat, young buck, and regular doe bleat. Unfortunately, although the stylish laser wood engraved finishing touch gives it a distinct look, wood is often quick to decay.

The Nationwide Scents deer call is designed to help beginners succeed. You can easily adjust the reed and sound volume to fit every situation.

It has a freeze-resistant tip and a lanyard to make it portable. The manufacturer also guarantees money back. 

“This call was suggested to me by a teammate, so I bought it. My husband loved it so much that once it was delivered, he requested I buy him one. It worked better than my husband’s old call in the cold weather. So I tried the bleating call, and it attracted 2 does,” a user said of the Nationwide Scents deer hunting call.

Pros and Cons of the Nationwide Scents Deer Hunting Grunt Call

Best for Grunt Call: Hunter Specialities True Talker OG Grunt Call

Best for Grunt Call

Hunters Specialties True TALKER OG Grunt Call, Green, One Size

• Exterior is made of soft rubber.
• Offers fingertip control.
• Lanyard included.

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The materials and design of the original True Talker are used in the production of the True Talker OG. As a result, the OG sounds similar to previous True Talkers, including doe bleats, fawn bleats, young buck grunts, and mature buck grunts. 

The improvement is in the reed design, which generates a fifth sound, an aggressive buck growl specifically for grabbing the attention of aggressive mature bucks. The upgrade is also evident in its resistance to freezing.

The exterior design is made with rubber, and its unrivaled grip packs a punch. A rubber sleeve covering the bellow/ grunt tube controls the direction, volume, and tone. You can make these adjustments at the flick of a finger. 

Despite its great features, you may need to resort to online resources to assemble this call as it does not come with a manual. 

A hunter based in Ohio participated in the months-long pre-rut season and got an eight-pointer with the True Talker OG call.

Pros and Cons of the Hunter Specialties True Talker OG Grunt Call

Best for Ease of Use:  Flextone Headhunter Deer Lure

Best for Ease of Use

Flextone Outdoor Hunting Realistic Mature & Young Buck Sounds Freeze-Proof Headhunter’s Extractor Deer Game Call

• Soft construction keeps the call quiet if it bangs against any other hunting gear.
• An X-glide slide allows for quick adjustment of call type, with buck grunts, doe bleats, and fawn bawls.
• Slide adjustment makes learning to call a simpler process.

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The Flexstone technology stood out in our review of this deer call. It allows a seamless change in tone by applying pressure to the corrugated hose on the flexible molded tube. But it does not stop there. It goes further by offering hunters realistic sounds with added inflection. 

However, you must be careful because the tube tends to slide off.

This deer call mimics buck grunts of all ages, fawn bawls, and doe bleats. Thanks to the snort-wheeze chamber, hunters can draw a deer close.

It comes with an X-Glide button, which makes it simple to switch between different sounds. The  X-Glide design involves sliding the button back and forth to clear any ice build-ups and protects the reed from freezing.

A Texas-based hunter describes the value of this call as being in spades. “I have tried other calls, but they do not come close. All three calls being in one unit and the performance being so good is perfect for me.”

Another satisfied hunter had a good season with the Flextone The Headhunter Deer Lure. “It was really effective and brought in a number of bucks. Doe and fawn bleats also attracted a lot of does. I grunted at a herd of bucks at the peak of the rut season in mid-November and harvested a big 10-pointer. I cannot wait to use this call next season.”

Pros and Cons of the Flextone Headhunter Deer Lure

Choosing The Best: What To Look For

Sound Quality

Your chances of luring deer depend on the sound quality of the deer call. Deer will only be attracted if the sound is authentic and loud enough. Otherwise, you risk a likelihood of scaring them away. Look out for calls with internal reed systems.

Deer Call Type

The three most common sounds used by hunters are grunts, bleats, and rattling. However, deer produce a variety of sounds. Therefore, do not select a deer call that features one particular sound. 

Deer Species

Your purchase decision should also be based on the deer species you are likely to encounter often. For example, many deer calls are targeted at whitetail deer because of their prevalence. Therefore, choose the deer call that works best for the species in your area.

Durability

You do not want to spend your buck on bucks every season (pun intended). Ensure you select a weather-resistant and durable deer call.

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