HuntingNet.com Forums - View Single Post - rattling antlers?
View Single Post
Old 01-26-2008, 10:48 PM
  #3  
skeeter 7MM
Giant Nontypical
 
skeeter 7MM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saskatchewan Canada
Posts: 6,921
Default RE: rattling antlers?

Like mentioned previously competition is the key to rattling success. Assuming it is,rattling can be effective from early pre rut to post rut stage. During the pre stages sparring simulation works really well. Bucks are rubbing, strengthening, feeling themsleves and others out, curiosity call. The chase phase is the time that works best for me in regards to mature bucks, this is a precurser to the "rut" and is prior to bucks being saddled to a doe. During the rut is also effective however you must realize you'll never pull a buck off a doe to your rattling...unless you pose immediate thread. You will however pull cruising bucks of all sizes if your set up is right. Deeper the better IMHO, as close as you dare to bedding areas in transition can produce amazing results. I like to rattle such an area late morning (10-11 am) to 2-3pm. When the bucks are cruising out in the wide open by themsleves during broad daylight you are heading into post rut, this time can be extremely effective, though the negative isbucks are wary and you must pay particular attention to your downwind side. During this time IME it is rare to have them roaring in, they love to circle in the best of times using their nose before anything else but more so after they have had a few licks.

I use buck grunts outside the context of the rut, during the rutting stages I add tending grunts to the mix andmay throwin doe bleats. When rattling to simulate a fightI like to rake tree's, ground, stomp on the groundto add realism.
skeeter 7MM is offline