This year was my first year deer hunting. I really want to bring in some big bucks. I did a little antler rattling in the first season and brought in a decent six pointer but he was to far to shoot. Did it in the second season and saw nothing anyone know when the best time to antler rattle is?

In the rut but idk when yours is so just ask other hunters from your area when the rut happens where you are at

I live in southern il any idea when it is here?

It's over. Second rut may be kicking in

I hunted in the first rut antler rattling and lured in one not too bad. The second rut wouldn't be when they have shed their antler would it?

I have had my best luck rattling during the post rut up here in south dakota. Tending grunts also have worked very well for me. Took my biggest whitetail to date with a bow this last monday morning with a tending grunt and the first rut is over. I dont know much about it but i think the second rut kicks in early to mid december, the does that were not bred during the first rut come back into estrous at this time i think? somebody else might be more knowledgable on this than i.

Ok thank you everyone!

A doe that isn't bred will cycle back in 30 days after her first estrus period. That first time is normally late October to around the third week of November up here in the midwest. That means some does that didn't get bred will be coming in again the first couple weeks of December and also some yearling does will come into their first estrus later in December. If a buck has lost his antlers, it would be because his testerone level has lowered to the point where he would probably not be successful even if he tried to breed a doe. A buck is ready to breed does as soon as he sheds his velvet until his horns drop. That time frame varies based on how old the buck is and the level of testosterone in his system. I have rattled bucks down in the brush country of Texas in early to mid December before the rut really kicks in down there until it really gets going in late December into January. I've never tried it in other states that I have hunted, including up here in MI.

Good info so far and I would agree...they still fight when there are does still in estrus but I have noticed early morning seems to be the best time to rattle around here....of the few bucks I have rattled in the earlier I have rattled the better it worked. Also depending on the time and how good the rut is they may not be as aggressive as other times. You'll need to rattle accordingly Like early season an all out battle isn't likely but clanking antlers may bring in a dominate buck wondering who the two young deer making noise are...

until this season i have been skeptical of rattling, or even much calling for that matter.... however having thanksgiving week off an a lot of time in the stand to be extremely bored i brought a grunt call and a pair of old rattlers withe me, hoping to change my luck. after about 5 hours of watching does run back and forth across the powerline i had been watching i decided i couldnt hurt anything by trying these noise makers, one short, loud grunt and ten seconds of rattling and a great ten point comes RUNNING out of the woods straight for me, stops at 40 yds and stomps his hooves,blows,grunts, and gets a 150 grain hornady in the pumphouse! im sold, but i believe that the deer will need to be one of the areas dominant bucks, and be in full rut, whenever that is in your area