I have used a rattle bag with success. But, I seriously doubt if at a distance a buck can tell the difference between a bag, real horns, fake horns or if he even cares.
I once witnessed a fight between two bucks, it taught me that no matter what we do, no human being can actually simulate the noise made when two bucks are fighting. If you've never witnessed two bucks fight probably won't believe it but, you could lay on the ground and roll around knock down every sapling in sight and still not come close to the noise they make when they are trying to kill each other.
If you really want to come close to simulating a real buck fight get on the ground crack the bag against a tree one time, grind the bag or horns then run in circles & kick every bush in sight and break tree limbs until you're out of breath and you might come close to 1/3 of the noise two bucks really make. A real buck fight is more about shuffling in the ground type noises, breaking brush and tree limbs than it is about grinding horns together.
Last edited by Chris.S; 08-26-2009 at 07:44 AM.