Dangle rattling

[RGKulas]

Sounds stupid (perhaps there is a more awesome name)but we started it two years ago and its been a very positive addition to the bag of calling tricks.

 Deer don't fight up I trees. Sparring or fighting should include hoof pounding and leaf rustle at ground level for realism. Rattling with a real set of large antlers is a two handed activity meaning you don't have ahold of your bow and if deer are close you have to go through the motion of putting away the antlers and picking up your bow. Dangle rattling is a one handed activity and you don't have to put anything away, simply ley go of the rope (which is tethered to the tree your in.) The dangle rope is used to wrap the two antlers together for transport.

 Just another way to go about it.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GQLk3DMRsE&feature=youtu.be

[H1tman7]

Have killed several good bucks using that method, I'll also rub the antlers on the tree I'm sitting in while ratteling. In November I will also look for an oak or other leafy tree on the way in and clip a branch from it and tie it off to my pull up rope before climbing up. In grunting sequences I'll Tug on the rope and it sounds like deer chasing... also effective. Both seem strange as usually we're trying to be quiet... I'd toss up some pics of the multiple bucks I've killed using these methods but they were before my trad evolution and I I had training wheels...

I hate it when my danglers rattle.  That's about the same my rattling antlers make when i am walking.

[South MS Bowhunter]

The Wensel and Mitten brothers have talked about this for a number of years now and have been productive in using it.

[Burnsie]

Been very successful for Mike Mitten

[TIM B]

Looks interesting and simple enough....bet tying 3 or 4 antlers together would work also
Tim

[Trenton G.]

Originally posted by TIM B:
Looks interesting and simple enough....bet tying 3 or 4 antlers together would work also
Tim

If two bucks are fighting, there are four antlers involved, so makes sense.

[KentuckyTJ]

Have also done that for a long time. It also has worked for me when seeing a cruising buck and I am calling it with a doe estrus bleat. I then can pull only one side of the cord on one of the antlers and it sounds like a deer walking in leaves. That tends to really sell the deal when the buck can't see any doe.

I tried and call in the ugliest buck that I have ever seen.  One single beam on the left and a spit beam on the right with about a 2 and 1/2 year olds body, about the same size as the six pointer that also came in.   I felt a little odd making that much commotion, but then they didn't seem to mind it.  Of course, I was not in a tree, so they came straight to me, now that winter is coming, maybe I should have shot.  who knows with all the clackety sounds those bigger antlers were making when I walked in, they were probably following me.

[Dave Earley]

I use my bow haul rope; pulled in a button buck yesterday.  He walked straight to my tree and wandered around the base of it, sniffing, but not spooked.  Will try again today !

[Herdbull]

I called this method of rattling "Puppet Fights" in my article by the same name in TBM, Oct/Nov 2009. I use four heavy sheds because they make more realistic sounds by crashing brush and thumping the ground. If you use them alot the tethers of 2 feet will begin to tangle and eventually ball up the sheds. So, I now use about 12 inch tethers attached to each shed and the long haul line that reaches me in the stand. After a few days of use I just cut the tangles and retie with new tethers.
I have had much better success using the puppet fights during late season in the midwest when I find conflict to be more prominant due to increase in buck to reseptive doe ratio in proximetry to a good food source.Young does may come in heat during this time of year, and mature bucks are not "tied up" with other does and seem to be more apt to come in. Having the sheds on the ground and a single line to me in the tree provide the ablity to turn a buck at close range as they circle trying to scent check for the doe. Much less movement on my part and sound coming from ground level.
There are also terrain features and windy conditions that also lead to improved success with this technique. Be sure to swing the sheds well out from the base of the tree when climbing down for safety. You may also find additional comments of puppet fights in my book or in the free reading section of the Brothersofthebow.com site in an article called "Calling throughout the season."  Have fun and good luck! Mike

[Herdbull]

[Herdbull]

[PeteA]

Has anyone used this tactic while hunting from the ground? I thought about running a rope over a tree limb to the antlers 15 yards away from my ground blind position. Thoughts?

[stiknstringer]

Back in the late 80s my buddy was climbing a tree with antlers dangling together and had a 140s ten point run right up to his tree and he managed to get an arrow off and killed it.  

[joe ashton]

I've often thought it would be a good idea.
Dang now I have to wait 10 months and 6 days to try it.
Joe
Ps where I hunt there are a lot of raccoons.
I frequently tie a rag on my rope to mess with them.. they are very curious. It's entertaining.

[Kevin Dill]

It definitely works and it sounds more realistic when heard from a distance. Antlers (alone) rattling sound somewhat sterile. Add in some leaf rattle and thumping...suddenly the effect is very compounded. I've watched bucks ignore grunting and rattling, but as soon as they hear other deer running, chasing, walking or making ground noises they begin heading that direction.

One of the first times I did it: I tied my rattling antlers to a line and lowered them down to the ground beneath my stand. I danced them around in the dry leaves and made a decent sequence. I paused for a minute and then repeated. When I paused the next time I had a good shooter walking straight in from behind me. He was under 100 yards in open woods and coming head-up. I couldn't do anything about the antlers below me so I left them on the ground and got my bow ready. That buck walked right to my tree and found the antlers...which he sniffed...and then lit the afterburners getting out of there. I had no chance to shoot.

[Steve O]

Mike told me about his "puppet fight" technique many, many years ago. I  watched this 5.5 year old Iowa buck from over 300 yards, peel off a group of does and another buck he was chasing, charge into me full bore looking to destroy whatever bucks dared to be in his area fighting over a doe. I will never forget the sight of that buck blowing steam backlighted by the morning sun, walking stiff legged looking to kick some butt. He looked like a brahma bull!

   


I believe that was 2008.

[Sawpilot 75]

I'll chime in and agree with the above.. I have had luck with Rattling given the right situation weather it be "Blind Rattling" or rattling to a specific buck. I had my haul rope set up yesterday with my set of sheds tied to it at the base of my tree and did a sequence about 1:45 in the afternoon. About 3 minutes later a big 6x6 comes busting over the ridge and he's looking for the source of the sound. The set up and situation were perfect and I had the wind. He started working his way right to my tree but it was super thick and he just stayed out of range. No shot.. Anyway this method works.