rattling?

[loneranger]

Never been much for rattling. Figure hard hunted deer too wise to respond much. A big preserve,,another story. Anyone have much success? If so when and how much should ya rattle.? I know rut is prime time. Every sit? Once in awhile? Also anyone use the ,,rack pack,, plastic rattlers? thanks...

[Cut N Run]

I haven't had much success with rattling. I have had a few come in to it, but no big bucks. I've had better luck using a grunt call. A grunt call is much easier to transport than antlers too.

Jim

[loneranger]

Well that is just it with the rack-pack idea. Ever seen them? Just round plastic ovals, no hauling around clumsy antlers. I have has sucess grunting at a passing deer. Blind calling I think is a no-no, as the deer will sneak around to find the source and wind you or spot your movement. Some say rattling is different. I once again say however,,not wanting to get on this soap box again, but I still feel alot has to do with your deer herd, regarding any of these things,, like sents and calling. Sure you might spark interst in the young or occasional dump buck ,but if your deer have had alot of interaction with humans and hunters,,they get wise fast. Big acreages,,managed light hunt acreages,,deer are different,respond different. I have seen this first hand. all the crazy celeb hunt shows show a different kinda deer. There,,now I just talked myself into not wanting to try the rattling. Why I don't think it is worth much. My deer, are hunted deer.

[Woods Walker]

I used to rattle a lot. I can only say for sure that it actually called deer in twice. I've had far better luck with a grunt tube.

Be advised........When you rattle, if a buck comes in, even though it may have been 10 minutes or more since you rattled, he will still be able to pinpoint where he heard the sound coming from, and he will be LOOKING. The 2 times that I had it work I was bowhunting, and I had no shot because although they weren't looking up into the tree, they WERE looking, and any movement I would have made would have had them zoom right in on me. I think that for bowhunting you're better off with 2 hunters. One doing the rattling, and the other (the "shooter") set up 100 yards downwind of the caller.

One other tip, when you are done doing a rattling sequence, immediately get your bow back in hand and reaady for a shot, because when the come in, the come in quick, or at least it did the times when I had it work..

[loneranger]

That is still my idea about it too. Someone told me rattling was different from grunting, but I still think most sits, is better to be quiet and let the deer make the mistakes, unless you are on a large piece of controled land,,as seen on the Hunt Shows,,where deer are less than educated....

[charlie 01]

Like everything else timeing is important. I rattle most of the time, but only mornings. I use real antlers, but heavy ones, they are different sounding. I believe bigger older bucks can tell the difference. As soon as I can see at least 20 yds, I start my first rattle, and I make it hard and loud. I try to reach out to try to catch a mature buck before he gets to his bedding area. Some are reluctant to leave beds after sun up, unless full rut is going on. You will never get a buck to leave a doe, in fact I have had a buck herd a doe away from me. He was a big mature 10. But you could always have the chance to catch a stragler in between does. I will wait 20 to 30 min. between rattles. any less and I've been caught with my hands full of antler. Depending on the type of day, clear day I may just rattle 2 or three times. Cloudy misty, I will try a few more to try and catch some travelers. Never try to rattle in sight of a buck unless he is far from you and you have some cover in front of you. I only use the grunt call when something I've rattled in won't come close enough for a shot or if I hear a deer grunting. I believe the very best time to rattle is the last week in Oct. before the actual rut. I believe most bucks to be " ready" and waiting, and fight sounds will trigger them into thinking they are missing something. During the rut, it's like rolling the dice. You could bring some in or you could turn some away. I always prefer to try. Most younger bucks will come in quick, where older ones will take their time. I've had some work over a tree or bush before coming to the area. that's why I wait 20 to 30 min. in between. But probably, the most important thing here is the weather. Warm spells, not worth the effort, a cold frosty still morning, the best, or at least cooler temps. From my stand point, if you don't rattle you don't know what your missing. It's not a magic wand, it will not work every time, but when it does, you will be thoughly amazed. I used to think, be quiet out there, don't make any noises, but that was 25 years ago.

[loneranger]

Thanks for that answer Charlie,,detailed too. Being from Ill, you must know what you are talking about. Good deer State! I will have to try it more this year. Even though I only have a little 40 acres. I am going to give the rack pack, plastic antler rattling thing a try. I have heard good reports about it. Easy to carry around..

[kellory]

Are the rattleing bags any good at all? I have had one for years, but heve nevr used it. Or even know for sure HOW to use it best.

[charlie 01]

Are the rattleing bags any good at all? I have had one for years, but heve nevr used it. Or even know for sure HOW to use it best.

I don't know about rattling bags. I started with real antlers before bags were around. I do have one that I found once a few years back that some hunter had either lost or thru away. I don't like the sound of it, too light sounding, but thats just me. They sound like small young deer. I don't condem them, I'm sure hunters have used them and brought deer in. Most rattling sounds do not carry very far in big woods. I would think one would have to bang one of those bags pretty hard to have the sound reach out. That's why I prefer real and heavy ones. I feel when big bucks fight, they know that sound, it's not like small bucks fighting. That's just my take on it, my chalenge now a days are big mature bucks. But, real antlers, bags or whatever, they should draw something in, if they hear it. It's like you hearing a party going on, on the next street. You know something is going on there. Deer are sometimes inquisitive and bound to check it out, young deer that is.
Like I said, I prefer mornings, but have rattled in small bucks on some afternoons, on some days. When I rattle, time length is only 15 to 20 seconds, and 20 to 30 min. in between. I just want them to know something is going on, let them figure it out, and they will. There are some draw backs as with anything. Some mature bucks will try to sneek in, into the wind to try to locate the doe thats being fought over, in hopes of getting her for himself. You could get busted. Unless you are in fairly open country, you will never know that he has found you. He will quietly sneek back out the way he came, cause he knows it was safe till then. The only time you are going to scare anything is if they see you moving. Always take a good slow look around before starting to rattle. It's sometimes uncanny how they can pin point where the sounds came from.
A good hunting friend rattled in a small 8pt last Sat. morn.. It's early in the season, so elected to pass on it. A few minutes later he rattled again in hopes to attract some thing bigger, but just brought the small 8 back. Three different times he said he brought that buck in. If your careful, you have nothing to lose. It's just great bringing something to you and shooting it. One more thing, windy days are a waist of time.

[charlie 01]

Check out," anybody doing any calling yet" in General Discussions. The post I added to, is how I got my learning on rattling.