Anyone ever had luck rattling

[raisins]

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.

i've never used a doe grunt

which is your favorite one?

 

[raisins]

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.

a few years back, i was watching a little 4 point chasing does near a bedding area in late october

i know he had no idea where i was at prior and i know he was at least 60 yards away when i decided to let out 2 or 3 buck grunts

he walked in quickly and as soon as he could look in my direction, he was looking right at me

i was in a great tree with good cover but it seems he could tell exactly where the sound was coming from

i was impressed

 

[sb220]

Calls and rattles are out but only used when Ive seen a buck I want to shoot but hes walking away and youre trying to change his interest. More than likely youre going to scare deer away and the more deer around you the more comfortable the bigger ones are imo

 

[Sbrammer]

i've never used a doe grunt

which is your favorite one?

Right now I use the Extinguisher, but really any grunt call from Walmart works great. I do like the calls where you can adjust from fawn, doe and buck. The reason is some of the doe calls tend to be on the 'fawnish' side for sound, so I like the ability to adjust the tone.

 

[woodsdog2]

I have had decent success both grunting and rattling. I’ve actually grunted more in than rattled them in but the ones I’ve had come in while rattling and grunting have usually been more mature bucks. I don’t rattle like the tv shows do but I do try to make it sound real by raking leaves and beating the ground if I’m on the ground or taking the tines across tree branches to mimic aggressive rubbing. I also throw grunts in. My best sequence for calling is to mimic a three deer situation with a buck chasing a doe with tending grunts and a doe bleat or three then a pause. Then another series of grunts. Pause. Then a snort wheeze, pause, then a rattling sequence with moderate aggression. Pause, then a few more grunts. If there is going to be a response, it will be within the first 10 minutes after the close of the entire sequence. My rattling never sounds like the Texas rattling although I have done that a couple of times with some moderate success. I also never call unless my downwind scent stream blows over a cliff or water or other barrier. The biggest deer come in just shaving the wind as best they can. Young ones come in any which way but two and half year olds are mixed. I love calling deer and I think as long as it’s not over done it is a great way to add to your hunting toolkit. Finally, when I’ve had a dry run with no deer sitings, I will get in a big expanse of low to moderately pressured public with a Pac seat and move crosswind or with the wind in my face as best as possible and call like I’m calling turkeys. Be sure to be all set up already before calling and always make sure you have your downwind blocked somehow. Good luck!!

 

[woodsdog2]

I meant to add to my previous post, I typically call within the first hour of daylight or the last hour of the day but from October 25th through now I’ll extend that a little later in the am and a little early in the pm and certainly from 10 am through 2pm during the rut intermittently depending on how windy the day is. I’ll wait for lulls in the wind and call then.

 

[woodsdog2]

Just yesterday I watched two eights spar for about 3 minutes and when they started to walk directly away from me I “threw” a stacstto of three grunts out of the shooting house window toward the back of me. The wind was from the west and the bucks were west of me. The bigger buck stopped and turned around facing where the grunts “came from” then he walked straight by the shooting house. I almost took him but I know there are a couple of older ones in the area too. Yesterday I had three decent eight points within shooting range before 8:30 am. It’s hard to see the racks in this but these are the two eights squaring off. I took a 2.5 minute video of them sparring it was cool.

 

[Fgirtyman]

Just yesterday I watched two eights spar for about 3 minutes and when they started to walk directly away from me I “threw” a stacstto of three grunts out of the shooting house window toward the back of me. The wind was from the west and the bucks were west of me. The bigger buck stopped and turned around facing where the grunts “came from” then he walked straight by the shooting house. I almost took him but I know there are a couple of older ones in the area too. Yesterday I had three decent eight points within shooting range before 8:30 am. It’s hard to see the racks in this but these are the two eights squaring off. I took a 2.5 minute video of them sparring it was cool.

Cool!

 

[raisins]

I meant to add to my previous post, I typically call within the first hour of daylight or the last hour of the day but from October 25th through now I’ll extend that a little later in the am and a little early in the pm and certainly from 10 am through 2pm during the rut intermittently depending on how windy the day is. I’ll wait for lulls in the wind and call then.

why do you wait for lulls in the wind?

 

[woodsdog2]

why do you wait for lulls in the wind?

So they can hear my calling.

 

[Fgirtyman]

Just yesterday I watched two eights spar for about 3 minutes and when they started to walk directly away from me I “threw” a stacstto of three grunts out of the shooting house window toward the back of me. The wind was from the west and the bucks were west of me. The bigger buck stopped and turned around facing where the grunts “came from” then he walked straight by the shooting house. I almost took him but I know there are a couple of older ones in the area too. Yesterday I had three decent eight points within shooting range before 8:30 am. It’s hard to see the racks in this but these are the two eights squaring off. I took a 2.5 minute video of them sparring it was cool.

Where are you hunting? I see snow.

 

[woodsdog2]

Where are you hunting? I see snow.

Western New York.

 

[Fgirtyman]

Western New York.

Here in Wisconsin had snow and mostly melted. Most of the rut and sparing is over. Must still be happening where you are.

 

[woodsdog2]

Here in Wisconsin had snow and mostly melted. Most of the rut and sparing is over. Must still be happening where you are.

Big buck activity on cameras waning for sure now, not like last two weeks. We got quite a bit of snow last week but ours has melted off mostly too. It’s a bit deeper in that picture as the wind drifts the snow pretty good in there. I was pleased to see the bucks still sparring.

 

[Fgirtyman]

Big buck activity on cameras waning for sure now, not like last two weeks. We got quite a bit of snow last week but ours has melted off mostly too. It’s a bit deeper in that picture as the wind drifts the snow pretty good in there. I was pleased to see the bucks still sparring.

Be fun to hit the rut again. Probably burn me out even more .lol Best of luck!

 

[Dsabhunt]

I only use calls as a last resort to try to get a deer to come in range that otherwise wouldn't. At that point I figure I've got nothing to lose. I don't want to give up my location to a deer if I can help it. Their ears are great for pinpointing the source of noise. Having said that I have called a few young bucks into bow range with a grunt tube and one by rattling.

One year on public when I got to the parking lot in the morning I ran into other hunters and they said they were going to be rattling. One guy was within earshot of me. Probably 150 yds away. I watched a nice buck get up 75 yds from me and walk straight away from the guy rattling. Imo the guy was over calling. He was rattling really loud every 30 min or so. I'm sure after a couple hours of that the buck figured that's not normal and took off

 

[The_Fit_Ness_Monster]

Biggest thing about rattling is if youre hunting a place that doesnt have huge dominant bucks most wont respond to that (gotta think of a stud thatll want to engage in 2 bucks already fighting). Like here on public land in LA ive never rattled and anyone i know who has has quickly realized it was doing more harm than good and stopped. Now grunting, works like a charm.

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

Mixed results. I feel like I rattle more smaller bucks in and actually this year I think I rattled some does in. Maybe one or two good bucks have come within 40 yds to rattling for me. But I honestly sometimes wanna throw my rattle bag in the trash. I think I use it because of the few times I have seen success vs the majority of the time I see nothing or spook something that came from a spot I didn’t expect.

 

[Fgirtyman]

I only use calls as a last resort to try to get a deer to come in range that otherwise wouldn't. At that point I figure I've got nothing to lose. I don't want to give up my location to a deer if I can help it. Their ears are great for pinpointing the source of noise. Having said that I have called a few young bucks into bow range with a grunt tube and one by rattling.

One year on public when I got to the parking lot in the morning I ran into other hunters and they said they were going to be rattling. One guy was within earshot of me. Probably 150 yds away. I watched a nice buck get up 75 yds from me and walk straight away from the guy rattling. Imo the guy was over calling. He was rattling really loud every 30 min or so. I'm sure after a couple hours of that the buck figured that's not normal and took off

I had some goofball rattling every 10 minutes strait for 2 hours. About drove me nuts. I wanted to cut his tree down. I ended up leaving an hour before prime time. Scared me off and I’m sure every buck in the area!

 

[Ambushd]

Yea but it was in Texas .