Have you ever rattled in a buck? (Poll)
Have you ever rattled in a buck? (Poll)
- Thread starter Spurhunter
- Start date
Back in the late 80's-early 90's, and during the last week of October through the first week of November, I could take a rattle bag and bring a lot of bucks in if I saw em first. I'd have bet money on it.
These days, I don't even carry a grunt call. Most bucks I see now will either move away quickly or avoid the area if they hear horns or grunts.
Just my personal observations.
These days, I don't even carry a grunt call. Most bucks I see now will either move away quickly or avoid the area if they hear horns or grunts.
Just my personal observations.
I'm torn on it. Rattled a week ago in a hardwood bottom and had two bucks cruise by at a distance. Nothing came running in on a string right to me. Hard to know if those bucks would have shown up anyway. I'm also hesitant to do anything that is going to alert deer more than they already are. I try to use geography and wind and don't really want bucks circling downwind if I can help it.
I had tried off and on for several years with no success. One year I guess I hit the timing just right, and it was like majic. I could hit the horns and a buck would show up. I've never had that degree of success again, but it occasionally works.
Interesting poll, I've never had luck rattling and I've tried. But I've blind called multiple deer in.
I have rattled in a few with real antlers, but have had much better luck blind calling with a grunt call.
swampbadger
Well-Known Member
Ooooh I'm very surprised with this poll!!
We are 50/50 pro vs con?!?!
I have tried and tried rattling every couple of years. Lately, Ive been under the conclusion that I do not help my chances rattling and have never heard of anyone that has recent success using them in our area.
I call a lot! Doe bleats all season and start using buck grunts intermixed halloween- the end of December. unless a deer is inside 100 yards I will call a lot throughout my hunts.
Only time I've spooked bucks with a buck grunt is if they are small and non dominant and likely a buck I don't want to shoot anyway. They usually drop their head and slink away.
We are 50/50 pro vs con?!?!
I have tried and tried rattling every couple of years. Lately, Ive been under the conclusion that I do not help my chances rattling and have never heard of anyone that has recent success using them in our area.
I call a lot! Doe bleats all season and start using buck grunts intermixed halloween- the end of December. unless a deer is inside 100 yards I will call a lot throughout my hunts.
Only time I've spooked bucks with a buck grunt is if they are small and non dominant and likely a buck I don't want to shoot anyway. They usually drop their head and slink away.
FLTENNHUNTER1
Well-Known Member
I've had success doing it and have come to the conclusion that it draws so much attention to me I haven't seen most of the bucks coming to it. All mine have been young bucks. IF, and that is a big IF, any mature bucks came in they probably did it from down wind and busted me.
I believe the quieter you are in the woods the better. And STAY STILL.
I believe the quieter you are in the woods the better. And STAY STILL.
Great discussion. The reason I asked is that I used to carry a rattle bag and never had any success. Then I read all the raving about the Black Rack and bought that. I haven't had any success with it either. Plus, it's a PITA to carry in a backpack and it hooks everything in there.
deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
I don't rattle that much anymore. But that very last week of October it does work. But I don't rattle like on TV and hit them as hard and as fast as I can. I try to mimick an aggressive sparing. But thats pretty much the time and about the only time I do it now. It takes the right time and the right deer for it to work in tennessee I am convenienced on that. The success rate is very low in tn.
First buck I ever killed my dad rattled in. It was a little 6 pt.
Rattled in and killed an 11 pt some years back.
I don't rattle much and those 2 instances were the only times I've seen it work. If I do decide to rattle I don't go all out. Just tickle the horns together a little.
Rattled in and killed an 11 pt some years back.
I don't rattle much and those 2 instances were the only times I've seen it work. If I do decide to rattle I don't go all out. Just tickle the horns together a little.
30-06 type of guy
Well-Known Member
It's too easy
30-06 type of guy
Well-Known Member
I've killed one with a rattle bag. It's ok but I use the black rack now. I find that tickling and grinding it together works best for where I'm at. Usually hit a sequence soon as I can see about 20 yards. Usually once per hour unless I'm seeing quite a few.
Yes. I marked "fairly often" because it works very well for me in terms of bringing deer to me stand. Problem is it could be bucks or does and any age. Deer are curious and social so they come to the commotion. The deer least interested often times are the bucks that have already been whooped, and older bucks with no interest in fighting. But sometimes they are interested and that's when rattling is fun.
Yes but I do it rarely.
Couple instances:
1)Rattled one day sitting high about a really grown up field. 12-15 min later I spot a buck sneaking through it. He was wide. Shot at him with muzzy roughly 150 yds and missed. Waited maybe 30 min and rattled again. 12-15 min later I killed the second biggest buck I've ver killed.
2) watched a young 8 point walk right under me but I had no interest in shooting. Watching him walk straight away from me and disappear through the woods. After he was gone for several minutes I decided to rattle to see if he reacted (although I could no longer see him). He came back in on a string.
I prob rattle 1-3 times per year. This was 20 years ago and it's never worked again to my knowledge unless they circled and never showed.
Couple instances:
1)Rattled one day sitting high about a really grown up field. 12-15 min later I spot a buck sneaking through it. He was wide. Shot at him with muzzy roughly 150 yds and missed. Waited maybe 30 min and rattled again. 12-15 min later I killed the second biggest buck I've ver killed.
2) watched a young 8 point walk right under me but I had no interest in shooting. Watching him walk straight away from me and disappear through the woods. After he was gone for several minutes I decided to rattle to see if he reacted (although I could no longer see him). He came back in on a string.
I prob rattle 1-3 times per year. This was 20 years ago and it's never worked again to my knowledge unless they circled and never showed.
Smo
Well-Known Member
Personally I think I've ran more off rattling than anything…
Grunt calls have been the death call of a couple over the years.
The BIG Can , I've called in several young bucks with, but the time has to be right or it seems nothing works.
One call I found works better than any of the above..
Falling bark as you're climbing your tree…
I can't tell y'all how many deer I've had come too the sound.. bucks included.
Of course the trick to it is too be able to pull up your gun or bow without being noticed!
Grunt calls have been the death call of a couple over the years.
The BIG Can , I've called in several young bucks with, but the time has to be right or it seems nothing works.
One call I found works better than any of the above..
Falling bark as you're climbing your tree…
I can't tell y'all how many deer I've had come too the sound.. bucks included.
Of course the trick to it is too be able to pull up your gun or bow without being noticed!
MidTN97
Member
Unfortunately I've only been able to rattle in spikes. I rattled one in early November and it caught the zoomies and started running laps around my stand. I got a good laugh out of it.
FredRog72
Well-Known Member
Only a few times and only once where an actual shooter buck came in.
Joe2Kool
Well-Known Member
Many years ago, mainly on public land, I carried rattlin' bags and rattlin' antlers, and used them. Never did I have a deer come by that I thought was due to rattling. So I quit carrying them.
Four years ago bow hunting on private land in South Dakota, the landowner told me to hunt from the ground, and rattling was effective. Having never bow-hunted from the ground, I thought he was crazy. But I tried it, and it worked! Sometimes I would rattle and multiple deer would come in looking within a few minutes.
A big difference in that SD ranch and TN is on average, in TN, a good day would be seeing 3-4 deer. On that SD ranch, I saw 25+ deer a day that were close enough to warrant caution. What I mean by that is they may not have been within bow range, but they were close enough I would worry about spooking them, say 75 yards. Many within 30 yards. And that's not counting the 50 deer I would see in the alfalfa field from 400 yards away.
On public land in Iowa, I've heard rattling while I had deer in sight and the best thing to happen is deer pay no attention it. Most of the time, they run or just drop down to hide.
Four years ago bow hunting on private land in South Dakota, the landowner told me to hunt from the ground, and rattling was effective. Having never bow-hunted from the ground, I thought he was crazy. But I tried it, and it worked! Sometimes I would rattle and multiple deer would come in looking within a few minutes.
A big difference in that SD ranch and TN is on average, in TN, a good day would be seeing 3-4 deer. On that SD ranch, I saw 25+ deer a day that were close enough to warrant caution. What I mean by that is they may not have been within bow range, but they were close enough I would worry about spooking them, say 75 yards. Many within 30 yards. And that's not counting the 50 deer I would see in the alfalfa field from 400 yards away.
On public land in Iowa, I've heard rattling while I had deer in sight and the best thing to happen is deer pay no attention it. Most of the time, they run or just drop down to hide.
vanleerbuckbuster
Well-Known Member
I've commented on this before but to be clear on the subject. Rattling will bring bucks and does in for that matter. My biggest issue with it has been the bucks have always been able to pinpoint my exact location therefore spooking long before I got a chance at them. I don't want to alert them to my location which is why I rarely use calls unless I can see an animal and never blind call anymore
Have rattled in several but only in states with better deer herds. Iowa and Missouri. I rattled in three bucks bowhunting in MO this season. Two I saw in the distance and rattling brought them in closer. Brought one stud to 35 yards but he stayed behind thick stuff and didn't offer a shot. One buck i had no clue was around. I finished a sequence and heard some limbs popping and here he comes in a beeline to me through the thicket. All three bucks ended up downwind of me and smelling me.
My very first morning ever in Iowa I saw a nice buck about 120 yards off. Hit the antlers and he beelined it to me and I was so shook up I missed. Lol.
Ive tried countless times around home along the TN/MS line and never had any luck.
My very first morning ever in Iowa I saw a nice buck about 120 yards off. Hit the antlers and he beelined it to me and I was so shook up I missed. Lol.
Ive tried countless times around home along the TN/MS line and never had any luck.
BigAl
Well-Known Member
I answered occasionally. But I'll add I've never rattled in a big buck. Always seems to be little ones.
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
Selected never tried on the poll..closet description to match my experience. The few times I tried I just felt like I was drawing attention to my location and I would stop. So...I hadnt done it enough to really comment much....as for calling, the big can call....I have witnessed as being effective...if I can see the buck out of range and Im able to watch his body language....Im comfortable using the can and/or grunt call....but blind calling hasnt brought them in on a string for me.
Outdoor Enthusiast
Well-Known Member
Same.
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I have two old Knight and Hale rattle bags, a black rack, and multiple cans that I probably just need to put away.
BigAl
Well-Known Member
I did call in a decent buck with a can once. It was a unique situation. I was going to my stand for an afternoon hunt. I jumped a buck that was with a doe and they managed to get separated. As soon as I got in my stand I hit the can and the buck came back looking for the doe.
