If you plane to rattle antlers from your tree stand...drill a hole just above the base of each antler, with a big enough diameter for a nylon parachute cord. Tie the two together, about a foot apart, and then tie another piece of cord to the middle of the string, that is long enough to reach the ground from your stand. The deer expects the buck fight to be on the ground and not in your treestand.
Lower the antlers to the ground and shake the cord lightly, so that the antlers are only ticking together with occasional grunts mixed in --- If no response...shake the cord more vigorously, so that the antlers are clashing together and hopping up and down off the ground. If a buck comes in an starts to lose interest and starts to walk away...just shake the cord lightly so that the antlers are only just ticking together --- The buck should stop in his tracks and possibly afford you a going away lung shot.
Here in Maryland...I like too start to rattle October 21 on.
Last edited by Erno86; 10-04-2018 at 09:42 AM.
Reason: added a word