3 Step

Does it really work?

click

from what i have read and seen the success of rattleing varies from different areas. Like i have heard that it works a lot better in the West than in the East. But i am not sure how true that is. I know that i have tried it with no success, but that doesn' t really mean much

skeeter 7MM

I rattle out bucks each year, in fact my success has increased in the past few years. The key to rattling is location of course, I like to set up in deep transition areas close to the bedding area of bucks. I favor spots that force the deer to come out rather than get around me, ie: meadows or ridgelines... under good cover. While I do get some interest in early pre rut, I tend to rely on rattling in the later stages of pre to early post rut. I like to add grunts, tree raking, ground stomping & even some scents to my rattling sessions. My routine is usually: rattle using the above technique, wait 15 minutes grunt, then wait 15 minutes and rattle again. I start off soft and then bring up my intensity, tone and duration as time goes on. I usually start with 20-30 sec session, then move to 45 sec session, following this point I will start to tone vary and change things up a bit but still remain at that 45 sec range for each session. If you rattle in deep transition and do not have the luxury of funnelling deer out before they get around you, make sure to have a shooting lane and keep an eye on the back door. This is where estrous or rutting buck scent can provide you with some additional time. I always set up with my nose to the wind and the bedding areas upwind of my location. If using scent I place tampons soaked in scent in a half moon around my location (upwind) and vary the height I hang them from the ground (18" to 36" ). I use tampons because they swell to pick up lots of wind drift and they come complete with a hanger system. BTW, I have rattled more bucks in between 10 - 3. I only rattle mid day during late pre rut(chase phase) and Rut. The other times I may try and rattle at peak movements, but quite honeslty my best success has always been in that chase phase or full rut at mid day. Also I will only rattle for 3 hours in one spot and never rattle in the exact spot in the successive days. I think of it as a one shot deal when they are running does. I do however often rattle the same spots year after year and in some cases they have produced harvest each year. This year I rattled out 3 bucks in the spot I took my 6x5 the previous year, a buddy ended up taking a nice 4x4, the biggest of the 3. We shot both these bucks from the same tree darn near. I also rattled out my buck this year in a spot where I have always had bucks respond in the past, this was the first year I actually pulled pin on anything. So once you find a rattling hot spot as like any other honey hole, odds are you' ll be successful again, if you play your cards right.

I will caution you by saying rattling is like anything else it doesn' t work everytime and not always in the same manner. Liken it to fishing, you sometimes have to search the tacklebox to find the right lure and other times nothing seems to work. But you keep trying and just maybe next time you' ll get a bite!

Solax

I rattled in my first buck last year..........a fork horn. I had a decoy out and stated rattleing just before shooting time. He came out right at first light and I had a nice shot but let him go. It felt good knowing that it actually worked.

I' m going to try it this year in a tree line between two corn fields, hopefully it will work, I' ll let you know.

Deleted User

[Deleted by Admins]

MA Jay

I experienced my 1st rattling success at the end of October in NY last year. I was sitting in my stand in the late afternoon and thought I saw a piece of a deer about 120 yards out, pulled up my binos and just caught a glimpse of antler as he slipped through the only window I had out that far. The deer was walking parrallel with me and wasn' t coming any closer so I figured what the hell. I hit the bleat can .. followed it up with a few loud grunts.... and waited. No movement and I didn' t see or hear any deer so I picked up the horns and created 1 hellacious fight, with some grunts mixed in for dramatic appeal. I sat quiet for about a minute when the buck' s head popped back into the window about 120 yards out .. looking right in my direction. He was just staring and not moving for about 2 minutes .. so I hit the horns again and added the grunts and he started walking in my direction. He didn' t come in to fast, he was a nice 7 point .. nice buck but definitely not the area Super buck .. but he came in steady. At about 50 yards he hung up looking for the fight. I hit the bleat can 3 times and he started back up again ... when he crossed behind a thick pine I came to full draw and stopped him with a mouth bleat on the other side. Perfect broadside 27 yard shot ... my arrow actually stuck in a tree behind the deer. He dropped about 40 yards away. I waited about 15 minutes, calmed myself down .. packed up my stuff and went to find him. When I reached the tree with my arrow in it the woods went completely silent ... the kind of quiet that occurs just as the first snow flakes start to drift down. It was so quiet the flakes sounded loud as they hit the ground ... it didn' t take me long to find the deer .. but it' s like it happened 10 minutes ago .. seeing the buck laying beneath 2 small pines .. the hush of a few flakes falling down in the woods. All by myself....

I can' t wait till hunting season starts!

CatskillHuntr

I really don' t think it works to well, unless there is a buck passing within earshot of you.

Last year I rattled/grunted in my first buck. It was a 6 or 7 pointer. Also grunted in a spike, which I took on opening day of gun season here in NY.

justhrowit

Last year was the first year I rattled, and it worked pretty well. Unfortunately I had the wind change directions on me from the time I got into the tree and daylight. I started to rattle at first light. I did' nt even have time to pick up my bow when all of the sudden a nice 8 walked in. Hit the wind, and he was gone. Too far out for a shot (55 yards). I saw 7 bucks that morning. NO SHOTS though. I was pretty bummed out about not getting a shot off, but it was an exciting morning.

3 Step

Good stories! do u ust horns or a rattleing bag?

Thundergut

I have rattled in and shot bucks in the past. I think one of the biggest mistakes that people make when rattling is to rattle too hard, too aggressively. If you are whacking your hands and winceing in pain, you are hitting the antlers together too hard.

When a buck does come in, it is a real sight. They come in with ears slciked backl and hair standing on end looking for the intruders. It is real exciting. Good luck.