Two nights ago, I was sitting in my tripod in a wooded creek line. At 4:45 a nice buck trotted across the creek, nose to the ground. He was only 40 yards from me, broadside, but there was no shooting lane I grunted at him when he got behind a big cedar tree and he stopped and looked my way, but I couldn't get him to come in any closer. I continued to grunt, but after about a minute he trotted off up the hill and away from me. What would you guys have done to try and get him to come in closer?
You did about what you could at the time except for maybe throwing in a doe bleat. I would however investigate where he crossed that creek to see if there is a trail there you should be focusing on or have a shooting lane to.
Once he stoped after your initial grunt I wouldn't have made another peep. If he started to walk away I would hit it again. If he was going to come and investigate that would do it. If your doing the star spangled banner on your grunt tube its not gonna work.
I have walked this area many times, and as of September there wasn't a trail through that spot. This land is my neighbors pasture, and usually he has cattle on it, so it is pretty open in the wooded areas. Theres a bunch of cedars and hardwoods, but hardly any shrubs or anything else. And I didn't grunt a whole lot, just a little. I always try to restrain myself haha
Gone back the next opportunity. Really nothing you could have done, it's hunting. Be patient, quiet and smart, he'll use the same path again.