Originally posted by svenska:
can anyone tell me do black tail bucks respond to rattling and grunt tubes they way whitetail do during the rut? I've not hunted either in the late season yet, but that is going to change.
Thanks
svenska...Blacktails will respond to rattling and some calls. My favorite calling method is rattling for bucks. Over the years I've been fortunate to rattle in bucks from late October to Jan 6th.
I've heard bucks doing grunts like whitetails, but have never actually had a buck respond to grunts. I don't think I have the confidence with a grunt tube as I do my rattlers.
25 years ago when began playing with rattling I used some smallish 3 or 4 pt shed antlers, but as my experience grew so did the size of the antlers I used. Today I carry antlers in the 140" class with long tines.
Don't be afraid to make alot of noise. I've heard some actual buck fights while photographing bucks and you simply CANNOT make as much noise as 2 live bucks duking it out.
Confidence & Patience is the key to getting a Blacktail buck in. If you have confidence in your rattling, you'll have the patience to keep doing it. Eventually a buck will respond, either come walking in or come on a dead run with his ears pinned back and his hair on end. A lot of hunters go out hoping to rattle a buck, I go out expecting to rattle a buck. I don't always get bucks in, but I never give up on rattling.
Between Nov 14th and 18th is the time when I've rattled more bucks then any other period, but anytime from late October into mid December you can expect a buck to respond.
Good luck and have fun!
Topic: black tail rut (Read 453 times)
