Same here slowpitch42, I followed some advice from TV shows of when and how to rattle, but to no avail. Grunting has worked for me. Two weekends ago I turned a 6 pt. 90* from 100 yards and let him walk once I saw clearly what he was. 20 minutes after that I had a Nine come in from a grunt call, but I had no shot. We have done a good job of thinning the DOE population and I hunt in an EAB county. Last year we took 16 does from a fifty acre lot. I thought that would help bring bigger betetr bucks to a rattle, but no good yet.

Last Saturday evening I tried rattling in Spotsylvania County - within about 2 minutes a little fork horn came in to about 40 yards and stood there looking around. I rattled again and he perked up and then bolted - a much larger deer (never saw its head) showed up at about 60 yards busting brush, and then walked off into the undergrowth. Tried to grunt and rattle again -- nothing.

This is the only time I've ever had a response to rattling - though I've only tried it four or five times over the last couple of years.

I have one time. Rattled in a nice 6pt buck 3 different times. He was pissed and hair up on his back, ready to fight. It was awesome experience and he came in to 10yds, but I didn't shoot him.

I know it works in some areas in VA, but not where I hunt either. Too many does, they don't need to fight much I guess - though I know they do. I think bringing them in w/rattling - the deer have to be in the right frame of mind to respond. Not had much luck with grunting either around here.

As far as bucks fighting - last year I did kill a unicorn -- one antler broken off about an inch above the hairline and the other broken off at about six inches. I guess the ol' boy got his butt kicked. I'm still looking for the guy that did it to him!

Va Hunters
 

we have like 100 does to 1 buck

That is what I call a lucky buck.

I have never had any luck rattling. Give my rattle bag and antlers I had made up from a spindly 8 point I shot years ago to a friend of mine. Whenever we hunt together if we sit close enough together I can hear his rattling sequences. He uses them religiously. He has said he has had small bucks respond a hand full of times over the years during pre-rut, rut, and post rut. I think out buck to doe ratio is way to far out of whack.

I set the same profile pic up for my brothe rin NC. Thats a nice doe there jrfrmn!!