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Rattle bag vs Antlers

What do you find more effective for calling? Antlers or rattle bag?

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I don't have a lot of confidence in rattling here in New Hampshire as my area doesnt have great deer density OR buck to doe ratios... but I still do use a smaller set of 8 pnt horns harvested years ago a few times every year. It does "work" fairly frequently but mostly on 1-1/2 year olds and I've had several 2-3 year olds that come in but stage up couple hundred yards away or in thick cover. I mostly only do it now when I can put one of my boys or a buddy 100 yards downwind of my position. I've only managed to shoot one 8 pntr that I rattled in on my own but have passed on several spikes and forks.

But I ALWAYS use doe bleats and/or young buck grunts with or w/out the rattle. I have a rattle bag I try some times but it just doesnt sound as good to me. Actually the one decent buck I did get was when I had a buddy set up crosswind from me maybe 3-400 yards. He had a rattle bag, I had my horns. The buck quartered in from upwind of us right to in front of me- seemed he liked my sound better!
 
I don't go out of my way to rattle loud. I do occasionally tickle them. However, If I see a buck in the distance and he's not coming my way and looks like he never will, so I have nothing to lose then I will bang them together. I've only called in two this way and killed the one of them. It was w/ a bag. The other came across a field to 40 yds and wasn't coming any further cause he could not see the "other" bucks fighting. Pretty sure if I had decoy he would've came in. That was w/ actual sheds. Killed far more of them grunting. I've also killed one good one w/ an estrus can.
 
2023 was my first year trying to rattle. I purchased a bag to try and save space and weight. I used it a handful of times during the rut. The last time I used it about 30 min after the last go on the bag I had a spike come jogging into range, he didnt make it out lol. I cant say for sure if he came into the bag or if her was just coming that way, I was blind calling in a thick location. Next season I will be cutting up an 8 point I have and giving them a go. I think there is something to having a real set of antlers and rubbing them on the trees and ground.
 
I've seen some success but not on really big bruisers. I too like real antlers on a cord, just use my pull up rope. Rattling doesn't sound too real w/ the antlers being the only sound made. If you want to use a bag, just tie a chunk of limb to your cord and bounce it around while rattling. It sounds much more realistic.
 
I live in pa. I picked up a set of sheds that i use for rattling. I never had much success until I started hunting this private farm and successfully rattled in several buck this season during pre rut. I think human pressure and number of bucks in the area, the timing, and also the area you are hunting matters when rattling. All morning I had the best success and very little in the afternoon/evening.
 
Moderate success with a rattle bag full of oddly cut dowels. Definitely attribute it to a few young buck encounters, potentially a couple of mature deer (usually small bucks first then there’d be a big guy in the far back lol). Round will do you no good IMO. Bags filled with real bone sound waaaaaaaaaaaay better. I like bags for the packability. I hear all the time about people who rattle off their pull-ropes or lifelines, this is genius but I’m no good at finding sheds and my wife likes euro mounts so I haven’t shot a basket rack “just” for rattlin’ horns (and meat) though it’s an option.
One guy I knew had a knack for finding sheds, used to leave a set at each treestand in a weather-proof bag during Oct/Nov. That’s prudent as hell in terms of packing and minimizing noise walking in.
 
I haven't had any success rattling. I've used a rattle bag and real antlers.

However, it seems you can find plenty of examples on YouTube of guys who are successful. Especially THP - they seem to use them alot.

I've read at least one scientific study that showed that rattling can be effective.

I just think it depends on location, time of year, etc...

Sometimes I've wondered if I haven't rattled a buck in closer than he was but not close enough to see?
 
Tknapp said:
I live in pa. I picked up a set of sheds that i use for rattling. I never had much success until I started hunting this private farm and successfully rattled in several buck this season during pre rut. I think human pressure and number of bucks in the area, the timing, and also the area you are hunting matters when rattling. All morning I had the best success and very little in the afternoon/evening.
Click to expand...
I have found morning to midday to be the best if rattling for myself but dont rattle last hours of light. In the past when I did rattle in evening, I had multiple times that I heard what sounded like big deer come in but lock up out of sight or downwind. Twice I got up after dark to move toward where I heard them last and they were bedded right there!
 
Considering the rattle bags full of dowels, and @HuumanCreed putting antler sections on paracord.... what about using bone sections? Some ribs, maybe tibia sections? If plastic and wood sound enough like antlers to bring in a buck, shouldn't bones also sound close enough?
 
Never had anything come in to rattling, either antlers or other devices. I have had bucks come in to raking trees and brush with an antler. Or just me making noise while climbing.
 
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