RE: Pullin out the rattles in ILLINOIS!
I havent rattled in a buck this year because I have already harvested my limit of 2 bucks, but last year I was successful in rattling in the largest buck I have had a shot at so far. I have multiple sets of rattling antlers but I opted to use a rattle bag this morning. I was hunting the fringes of a river bottom bedding area, that is bordered by a ridge. I used a doe esterus bleat can call with a grunt tube set at medium followed by the rattle bag( I was attewmpting to simulate 2 medium size bucks fighting over a hot doe) and when I completed the rattle session I esterus bleated a couple of times followed by a couple of tending grunt calls. Within 10 minutes a large racked buck desended the ridge trail leading right into my shooting lane. He was straight necked ,stiff legged and brisstled up. And of course I missed him, My arrow hit a twig and deflected, I ended up harvesting a 24 point sappling <img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>Good luck in your rattle hunt.