Icetrey

I have deer hunting for four years now.And the season starts saturday.So,I thinking about trying rattling.But I dont know what to use(bag,artificial,or real)I also would like to know the best time of day and the best techniques to usewhen rattling.Hope You Answer

LarryP

I use real deer antlers, but I haven't had any luck here in Oklahoma rattling. The only deer I have called up that way came in a few days before rifle season, traditionally the Sat. before Thanksgiving, came in while I was chopping small trees to make a ground blind. I know he came in because of the noise because of his attitude when I saw him. He was all excited with the hair standing up on his back. Maybe he just took a disliking to me. Ha! Check with some people in your area, I think it started in Texas and it depends a lot on your buck to doe ratio. The closer it gets to 1 to 1 the better it should work. Good Hunting, LP

RDHunter

Here we go again , this question has been popping up on the bowhunting and deer hunting forum for weeks now.
Anyway to answer your question : if you can use real shed antlers that would be better than a bag or those harden plastic antlers they sell in the store.
As for how and when to rattle : between now and about the middle of Nov. would be the time to do a little light rattling.
You wanna try to mimick two young bucks sparring justclick the antlers together a couple of times real soft and short , about two to three minutes then wait for about twenty to thrity minutes.
Don't forget to throw in a couple of soft grunts whlie your rattling , I use a hands free grunt call when I'm rattling.
I rather rattle when I'm in my ground blind reason for this is I'll stomp the ground with foot every now and then.
Now I'm not claiming to be an expert but I help my friends call in bucks for them and they do the same for me.
When the rut gets in full swing thats when I really get into it I'll be in my ground blind while my one of my friends will be in a tree.
I start off with a couple of buck grunts followed by clashing of the bones and I even use that snort /wheeze call , its works pretty good around that time of year.
I'll rattle for five minutes using the grunt and stomping the ground trying to make it sound like an all out battle is going on then I'll stop and wait for thirty to forty minutes.
Well I hope this information answer your question and I also hope it helps you to call a buck in , good luck to you and have safe / sucessful season .