Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Has anyone had success with rattling?

I've had it work once that I know of. Used a rattle bag while bow hunting in mid-Oct. It worked in a big way, it brought in 3 of them at once. I was so shook, my lower bow limb hit my thigh when I shot...so you know the rest of the story. And yes, it hurt like a Beeeyoch!

I never had a lot of luck rattling until one year while hunting elk, I was fortunate enough to have a couple of small mule deer start a sparing session right in front of me. While I watched, I saw two very nice bucks come to the edge of the clearing and watch, and then grandpa himself came in and broke up the match.

I learned right then that I had been over rattling. After the elk hunt I went out and practiced and had some create success calling the deer in. The only problem I have now is getting a chance to hunt when rattling is effective.

Well said JB. I don't think a lot of people realize how many deer they get to respond to the horns that they never see.
It's not always like it appears on TV.

Tom-
The chootin' iron in that pict is a 300 wizzum.

I like it.

I don't remember ever trying the rattling approach, although I did shoot a buck two seasons ago that was fighting about 150-200yds from where I was sitting. They were in a thicket and it sounded like they were thrashing the bushes with everything they had. Every now and then, you would hear the antlers hit together. The antlers were making relatively little noise and it took me a good 30 seconds to figure out what the racket was.

I have used real antlers with some success.

IME, less is more in terms of how long you rattle; but more is more in terms of getting after it and making noise while you rattle. You can't make more racket (of the right kind) than 2 bucks really fighting. Kick rocks, stomp your feet, thrash brush, and whack the horns like you're trying to break them when you start - but do it briefly and get still and peel your eyes and spot the buck sneaking in downwind. Always downwind.

See him before he sees you, then you can use the horns or grunt at him if you need to or if he moves out of sight. The big ones will usually sneak in.

Set up with your rifle in a position where you can get it into action with minimal movement, and expect to see deer. I think most deer that come in don't get seen.

If young bucks come in, sit tight and wait. Their presence is gold for older bucks showing themselves.

BE STILL AFTER YOU RATTLE! Bucks will know within a few feet of where you are, and that's where they'll be looking.

Get some open country downwind and force a deer to show himself before he can wind you.

I don't rattle if I'm not set up right. It just educates them and fouls things up.

Be patient and search for parts of a buck in cover. Ease your binos up and pick stuff apart before you give up and move. I've spooked bucks I didn't know were there when I stood up.

If you rattle in a doe, there's likely a buck trailing her.

If you know it's safe, showing an antler to a deer - raising it above brush and turning it like a buck looking around - can have some interesting results - but don't do it if Elmer Fudd is around and might shoot you. Another good reason to use the real thing - plus, I just like them better.

Mass and points on rattling antlers make them that much better, IMHO.

I've also had much better results when I'm above the deer - I always try to rattle where deer will have to come uphill if I can, although I've had it work all kinds of ways.

DJ

Almost parallel to coyote calling DJ...grin...

Buck, I've been in the woods many moons about 45 to be exact and this is one topic where you will get lots of different ideas.

There are so many variables to talk about...one primary that I have always followed is ..how much hunter pressure is in the area you hunt? Everyone nowdays is into rattling/ cover scents/drip bags and mock scrapes...just when you think you have the ideal spot you may be dead wrong...just because you see none of this at your favorite spot doesn't mean that this isn't going on down or up the trail 3-4 miles.
Bucks are creatures of habit and do get stupid during the rut but also learn very quickly!!! You will usually do much better in an area that's not frequently hunted.

I live in an area of medium pressure and we can still rattle in bucks but mostly youngsters...the big boys go nocturnal when the bow hunters start hanging their stands in mid Sept!! Here again it has to do with where you are and how you hunt...to sum it up for me rattling has such a narrow window that I don't count on it much...you'll be much better off spending time to watch and set up for that trophy to give you a shot !!! Regards .....FLEM

I've done it in Texas with alot of success during the prerut and rut. Here at home it just flat hasn't worked for me. I have rattled at several mature bucks on our land that simply went the other direction, not really spooked, just showed no interest at all. I feel we've had so much success with it in Texas simply due to the ratio. Much higher buck to doe ratio where we hunt in TX.

Last year I was sitting on the ground in the middle of a huge broad open field and rattled a 9pt into around 25yds. He wouldn't leave, just circled until he got a good sniff down wind and eased off. We also rattled a bruiser 130 class 7pt in on the same trip. Same deal, sitting in the middle of a field, sticking out like a sore thumb, and he ran across the field almost into bow range. I have seen it many times in Texas. It's the damnedest thing if you've never seen it before, they will flat run right to you.

loder

It has worked well for me in southern BC in late Nov. using real antlers, plus some panting, thumping the ground, raking bushes and a couple of times, a grunt to get the buck to take a step into position for a shot. After each series of sounds, put down the antlers and get rifle IN HAND. Most sneak in and some charge in.

I've been rattlin' bucks and callin' varmints for more than forty years...I've not found any absolutes, but I have found some things that are consistent. The better quality bucks consistently come in downwind..not always, but most of the time. Coyotes much the same..bobcats not nearly so much. About 25 years ago, my son became the shooter [at least most of the time] When terrain, cover and wind permit, he will set up fifty or seventy five yards downwind of where I'm rattlin' He kills most of the bucks to one side of the other of his position as they make their way downwind and before they turn upwind [likely because if he dosen't see em'] and they really get downwind, we never see em' Still once in a while one will come charging in right on me whilst carrying a brand new can of whipass. I get to shoot those. Some days seem to be perfect days and nothing works.

Yup and real horn trumps artificial by a large margin....this guy was rattled in

I tried it once here in Florida. I had 3 does out about 150 yards. I rattled real horns and all I saw was white tails disappearing. They didn't even glance my way, just took off.