I know it's better to use a set of real antlers if you have some available. But has anyone used a rattle bag with any success? To me a rattle bag sounds identical to the real thing. Andit would be a lot easier to transport than real antlers.

I've tried them with zero success. They sound like a bag of wood or plastic to me but nothing comes in when I use real horn either. I just don't think the buck/doe ratio is right for it.
A bag is sure alot easier to carry into your stand thats a fact.

I rattled in a 5 pointer that I took this year using one.

i bought the knight and hale rattle bag and i rattled in a small 6 pointer. i used to use real horns and i rattled in tons of bucks but i thought the rattle bag would work the same and it was easier to carry around

they dont sound real to me..

I've had bags and real horns work at the right time. The main advantage to the bag is the ease at which they can be carried to your spot.

I couldn't rattle in a buck with my rattle bag for nothing, and I started really listening to the sound it was making and the tone sounded natural but the loudness sounded way off. I took 3 rubber bands and put around the bag to tighten all the stuff inside up and then tried rattling and have rattled several in with it now. if your not having any luck with it, put some rubber bands around it to tighten it up and give it a try.

For those of you who say rattle bags don't sound real....

I work at a taxidermy, and so I have access to recently killed big racks all the time....if you compare your 6 month old set of rattling antlers to the sound of 2 freshly killed racks banging against eachother, you'd be caught breathless by the difference. The fact that deer even respond to old, dried out antlers proves that the sound doesn't have to be anywhere near on the spot....and forget about it if your rattling antlers are OVER 2 years old.

From this observation I've come to the conclusion that deer are not looking for the pitch and tone of the sound itself, but rather the frequency of the banging to make a connection that there may be a buck fight going on. My bet would be you could rattle in a buck with two sticks if youwere in the right area. I would try it, but I only get out about 5 times a year to hunt so I don't have time to experiment. I think the rattling bags effectiveness would be no different than antlers in the hand of THAT same person.

I have a rattle bag. Works great for me, just have to know when to use it.

I use a rattle bag with good success and would rather carry it than either fake or real antlers. I always keep it in my pack and can use it anytime the conditions are right. The cadence and wind is way more important than tone IMO.