Which do you prefer? A rattle bag or actual antlers?

I have in the past used a rattle bag. This year I decided to cut a couple of antlers off a skull plate I had hanging around and use them for rattleing.

What I've found is a rattle bag is 100% (maybe more) more conveient then antlers but IMO antlers had a much better sound. I'm just curious what everyone else uses and if you'd like to post what has yeilded the best results I'd be interested in that as well.

Thanks,
Adams

Just got one of them rattle bags this year. I have always used real antlers in the past. But since I seem to carry everything but the kitchen sink in with me anymore, I decided to try the bag.

I've had some intense success with the antlers we will see how the bag works, in comparison. They do sound different but I'm sure different antlers make different sounds also.

I use the bag. I also think the real antlers sound better but are to bulky to carry around.

I used to use antlers, but had limited success. I bought a rattle bag a couple years ago because carrying antlers around had become so much of a hassle for the small amount they had helped me. I don't think the bag sounds as good as real antlers, but I rattled in a huge buck last year that thought it sounded good enough. That's what I'll be carrying from now on.

personally i like the real antlers but they are a pain to carry in and out of your hunting area, so i stopped using them. now i use a rattle box which i think would work too....sounds good but last couple years it didn't prove to work for me. Might have to switch back to the real thing

I prefer the real thing only because of the volume. I can make a lot more noise with the real thing. My philosophy is the louder I rattle, the further away my sound will be heard. This leads to more ear being reached and a potential for more bucks to be called in. It's worked well so far.

As for the authenticity of the sound, I don't think it really matters. My grampa once shot a buck that came running in to the goose-like sound of him blowing his nose. That's a true story! A buddy of mine called in a buck last weekend by simply making a "baaaaaah" sound. That one's now in the freezer. My point is that I don't think deer are too particular. They're pretty curious no matter what you use.

I use the real thing. In my opinion, a set of real antlers sounds much more realistic and you can get more volume than a rattle bag or rattle box. Plus you can scrape them up and down the tree to imitate the sound of a buck making a rub. I used this technique last season and rattled in a bruiser that stayed just out of bow range. I don't rattle very much, but I am convinced that it can and does work at certain times.

I use shed antlers for rattling. I too did not like the conventional set of antlers for rattling because they were too clumbsy to carry throught the woods. I started matching up same side sheds. I look for a shed that will fit just inside the other. I cut the browtines off and then grind them smooth to keep them from eating up your hands while rattling. They are super easy to pack. I put tuck them right in behind my fanny pack. I drill a hole through the base of each shed and attach a leather strap for hanging while on stand. I also use the strap to wrap around them for tucking in between my back and fanny pack for packing, which keeps them nice and quiet while walking and hands free while climbing in a stand.

I have both but I too don't always feel like carrying the antlers in. the bag fits nicely in my fanny pack...........dabow

adams...I have always used antlers and have never used a bag so I don't know that I can offer a non-bias opinion. What I do know is that I absolutely love to rattle and rattling is a huge part of my strategy from late October through the end of November. I have a pair of 140ish sheds that I use and I would be very curious if a bag could produce the volume of noise as these sheds. I agree with the convenience of the bag and I may buy one strictly for close encounters because you can bet I've been caught with the horns in my hands and my bow on the hanger more than once.