how early do you rattle and grunt?

bigwhitetailbuck · 07-14-2008, 08:33 PM

Just wondering but when do you start to rattle and grunt? Beginning of november?

elkhuntinut · 07-14-2008, 08:49 PM

I have rattled as early as the second day of our archery season...with success of smaller deer. Course not real loud or hard. I know wait till I see bucks runnin' the does before I get serious with carrying my rattling horns.

I would say now it tends to be the last week of October, first two weeks of November.

bigwhitetailbuck · 07-15-2008, 07:41 AM

Thanks for the help... oh yah, and another question.... Do you do your grunt right after you rattle or do you wait a little or do short bursts in between your rattles?
Thanks again

BTBowhunter · 07-15-2008, 08:55 AM

Late October for me. The best advise is to go easy at first. Keep it like a casual sparring match. The real bone crushing sessions dont happen that often and then usually only when two alpha bucks are competing for a hot doe

ctwny1 · 07-17-2008, 04:52 AM

I've had the most success rattling between pre rut and peak of the rut (right in the middle). and again between (in the middle of these two periods)peak of the rut and post rut. I've seen people rattling during the rut. Deer are NOT fighting,
there breeding then. Fighting was done earlier and they will fight towards the end of the season. Remember too that if a 6 pointer is the dominate buck in that area why are you trying to sound like 2... 12 point bucks? Always better to sound like a smaller buck and have that doninate buck come looking for that smaller buck to kick is butt.

As for grunting I grunt from the opening of bow season right thru the end of gun season. Deer communicate with each other year round. Again don't go in the woods sounding like a 12 monster. Better to sound like a small buck.

bigwhitetailbuck · 07-17-2008, 08:25 AM

thanks! some good advice

mauser06 · 07-17-2008, 05:00 PM

rattled and grunted in a 1.5yo buck oct 12th last year...

then the 13th i rattled/grunted/used the can to bring in atleast 2 1.5yo bucks and 2 unidentified deer...

nothing heavy...a grunt here and there...barely rattling..just hitting them together lightly..using the can once in a while...

but, this was in northern PA on deer that havent seen a hunter since they saw us in January the year before....they seem to be more curious up there...and my buddy had good results doing the same...even called in a BIG big...which he missed and then killed the SMALLER 1.5yo that came behind it...lol...but thats besides the point