ORIGINAL: GMMAT
Hoyt....THE reason I asked you about his "dominance" is.....why chance it? I'd use rattling (or anything else) as a last resort.
Just because a buck is the largest racked buck in an area (or even the largest bodied).....it doesn't mean he's the dominant buck. What Im getting at is....he might not be looking for a fight.
Good luck.
I agree with this completely, no sense in possibly educating him or making him nervous. Play it cool and pull out all the stops in the 11th hour if needs be.
Shane