Finally rattled and decoyed one in!

[Elk Killer Wannabe]

I have seen a lot of hunting shows where they rattle bucks in to them and I have been trying to do that for a couple of years now with no success. This weekend I was set up in some wooded urban property. I brought my 3D buck target with me as a decoy and set it up broadside about 20 yards in front of me, upwind. Later, I heard and saw a deer about 80 yards away. I couldn't tell if it was a buck or a doe but I grunted twice at it. It stopped and looked for a while and then continued walking away from me. Then I pulled out my rattle bag and rattled for afew seconds. Pretty soon he came trotting back my way. I grunted a couple of times and he circled downwind of me. When he stepped out from behind some brush about 50 yards away and saw the decoy he started acting really aggressive. He started walking towards the decoy and scraping the ground and rubbing on branches. It was way cool! He came into my clearing and presented me with a broadside 20 yard shot and I took him. He's not the biggest deer I ever killed (a small 6 pointer) but I consider him possibly my best trophy because I was able to call him in like that. Talk about exciting! I don't have any pictures since my wife had the camera this weekend but I will try and get some posted. I can't wait til next year to try it again.

[swancott]

That is so cool! Great job!

[zrexpilot]

Rattling has been very productive for me. The gratitude is also great when you rattle one in and take the harvest. I am so confident in rattling that I feel i can pull a buck to me in any patch of woods. I have friends that ask me to rattle for them, they have seen me in action.
I rattled in 14 different bucks in 3 differentcounties one year.
It's the only way I hunt for bucks,I sit in stands or blinds for deer, but when the time comes, out come the horns and it's me on the ground, one on one with the big boys. I love it. I have had bucks come in so dazed and confused looking for a fight, they will be slobbering at the mouth. It's too cool to see steam blowing out their nose, they are that close at times. Took a descent 11 pointer this year at 15 yds.
congrats on your kill!

[Elk Killer Wannabe]

Here is a picture of my buck. You can see that he is not exactly a monster but both his G2's are broken so he was obviously a fighter.

EKW

[Elk Killer Wannabe]

Here's another one.

[Steve F.in MD]

Good job! I've never made it work. Maybe I'll give it a try tomorrow.