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Anyone ever had luck rattling

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PancreasBroke

Active Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2022
Messages
126
Location
Central Virginia
Hunting both public and private in Virginia, and using rattle bags, real horns, and the black out horns, I have never called in any deer. I've even been 100 yards from some and nothing. 99% certain it is the user, but what success do others have or tips?
 
PancreasBroke said:
Hunting both public and private in Virginia, and using rattle bags, real horns, and the black out horns, I have never called in any deer. I've even been 100 yards from some and nothing. 99% certain it is the user, but what success do others have or tips?
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Only public experience in Tennessee and literally never has it worked for me either. Grunted some in but even that is a small percentage.
 
Rattling here in MS it seems to be deer repellent. They high tail it the opposite direction. My friends say the same thing. I've had it work in Ohio.
 
Rattled an 8-point in last year in N. Louisiana. Slung an arrow roughly 25yrds but hit a small branch and flew just over its back.

After a spike cruised through I rattled and within 3 minutes the 8-point came walking through with nose down the whole way.

Worked for me but that was pre-rut timeframe.
 
I have done well rattling on private land in VA when the bucks are ready to fight. Everybody and their brother rattles and rattles badly on public. Kind of like calling turkey on public land, don't so it unless you are good or can thrash around like a real fight. On private I have called in a few. They usually come running right in, heads up and chests out looking for a fight. If you don't have a buck ready to fight, it won't matter. On public I have called in 2 shooter bucks by answering their grunts. I don't think I have ever called one in blind grunting.
 
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PancreasBroke said:
Hunting both public and private in Virginia, and using rattle bags, real horns, and the black out horns, I have never called in any deer. I've even been 100 yards from some and nothing. 99% certain it is the user, but what success do others have or tips?
Click to expand...

it generally does not work on mature bucks in WV

i have grunted in a few curious younger bucks, however

i believe it has to do with how hard the deer are hunted and also the buck to doe ratio

why fight over Sheila when Dawn, Becky, and Tammy are at the bar giving you the eye?
 
raisins said:
it generally does not work on mature bucks in WV

i have grunted in a few curious younger bucks, however

i believe it has to do with how hard the deer are hunted and also the buck to doe ratio

why fight over Sheila when Dawn, Becky, and Tammy are at the bar giving you the eye?
Click to expand...
Did you just name the Waffle House night shift?
 
NMSbowhunter said:
Rattling here in MS it seems to be deer repellent. They high tail it the opposite direction. My friends say the same thing. I've had it work in Ohio.
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i've read that the smarter bucks that have been around a lot of hunters will circle down wind from a call and scent check the area and usually smell you and then move on

so, if that's the case, then you're actively giving the bucks intel and helping them avoid you

i have no idea if it's the case, but the mature bucks in the midwest i've seen on hunting videos act differently than older bucks around here in WV, like being in relatively open woodlands during daylight outside the rut

bucks that do that around here never live to grow decent antlers
 
raisins said:
it generally does not work on mature bucks in WV

i have grunted in a few curious younger bucks, however

i believe it has to do with how hard the deer are hunted and also the buck to doe ratio

why fight over Sheila when Dawn, Becky, and Tammy are at the bar giving you the eye?
Click to expand...

thats an interesting point, we have too many does on the private space I hunt. My dad and I are only ones who take does of the 5 other hunters on 500 acres, it’s annoying. Bucks lock down hard with a doe and ignore everything and everyone
 
raisins said:
i've read that the smarter bucks that have been around a lot of hunters will circle down wind from a call and scent check the area and usually smell you and then move on

so, if that's the case, then you're actively giving the bucks intel and helping them avoid you

i have no idea if it's the case, but the mature bucks in the midwest i've seen on hunting videos act differently than older bucks around here in WV, like being in relatively open woodlands during daylight outside the rut

bucks that do that around here never live to grow decent antlers
Click to expand...

WV public may be similar to the VA public i hunt (GW NF). So easy to wind anything in the mountains.
 
PancreasBroke said:
WV public may be similar to the VA public i hunt (GW NF). So easy to wind anything in the mountains.
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i just got back from monongahela national forest (pocahontas county)

there are a few techniques, but there are topographic forms that you can only hope to get lucky if you hunt them at all
 
I don't have much experience rattling as much as I do grunting, but my experience with grunting will translate with rattling as well.

I have grunted in a bunch of deer in my time, but you need to understand the area you are in.

Some properties (public and private) are more pressured than others. Some properties (public and private) have higher deer densities.

For the most part, if you are in a high pressured area, I would call very little if any at all. I believe because the deer have been there and seen that, so you are actually alerting deer there is danger over there. If I did call it would be very softly because in high pressured areas the deer are not screaming at each other and would use the nose more to locate each other. I would only call right before abandoning the stand, and wait at least 30mins after calling before leaving.

In not very high pressured areas I call, but not often and definitely softly. I just use a standard doe grunt that is used all year round to communicate, nothing more ever. Usually I won't call until I been on the stand at least 2hrs, and definitely no more than twice an hour.

The deer density part of the equation comes into play if there aren't many bucks in the area then there is not going to be many, if any, scuffles. Deer (bucks and does) can sense who in the same sex group is dominant. Kinda like playing backyard football. After the teams are picked, you know which ones you can tackle and which ones you hope never run the ball in your direction. From time to time, you guessed wrong and wind up with a little scrape. One area I hunted for years had bucks, but not enough bucks for them to even have rubs in the area.

This is just my experience with the areas I hunt.
 
PancreasBroke said:
Hunting both public and private in Virginia, and using rattle bags, real horns, and the black out horns, I have never called in any deer. I've even been 100 yards from some and nothing. 99% certain it is the user, but what success do others have or tips?
Click to expand...
I have had limited luck. I usually try it about a week before the rut heats up. Rattling very quiet and shutting up for half hour. I swear they know exactly where it comes from. If you want them on your right, rattle on your right.
if the come they can pinpoint that sound to the tee!
Twice I have brought bucks in by dropping my horns back to the ground after pulling my bow up and tinkling them on the ground. No shots taken. I have had success with passing bucks with a bleat can and grunt call. I’ve had them turn around and come back to investigate my calling. Rattling, I have had less success than the bleats and grunts.
Others may have gotten different results. Depends where you are located and age classes.
 
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