rattling whitetails question?

[waknstak IL]

I've been thinking of trying to use rattling horns more this year. I have been using a bag last couple years with some luck.  I am going to try some real horns this season. My first question is when do you start rattling? What time of day do you have the most success?( for me it seems to have worked best in the afternoon) Any other tips?

[Morning Star]

I've always had my best luck starting the last week in Oct through the rut.  When they are chasing hard, not so much luck.  Mornings have always been my best, but it can work anytime.  

Have a way to hang them up really fast and out of your way.  When they work, sometimes they come running and catch ya off gaurd.  I got stuck 2 years ago with a dandy right below me and antlers in my hand.  By the time I could move and hang them up, he was out of my range.  

[Rough Robbie]

I have tried both bag and horns.  I like the bag because of the packablility of it.  I usually do most of my rattling late morning, like 9:15-10:00.  I go lite early in the season and rattle harder late October.  I have had good luck using a bag and the buck growler call.  I don't make the growl sound with it until late October but it has a great low buck grunt sound that deer of all sizes seem to want to come and investigate.  I had a four point come right to my tree last week and couldn't finish the deal.  Long story that I may tell at a later date.

[Herdbull]

I tie four large sheds together and attach to a haul line so I can shake and rattle them against the brush and leaves on the ground at the base of the tree when I'm in an elevated stand. It is a lot more work and I have to take a larger pack, but I have had good luck with stuborn buck during the late season. As Morning Star said, my hands are easily free and often hold my bow or video camera in my left hand... just let go of the cord and I'm ready to shoot.
It depends on the mood of the bucks. Small bucks will come in readily, but the mature bucks often take their time and circle down wind. Mike

[VAFarmer]

I use a small 4 point rack, in a bag.

Nature made the antlers, I just bagged 'em.  

I can grab them both in the bag, hold firmly and smack'em together a couple times, then let'em go.  
Bag hanging right beside me.

Farmer

[wapiti792]

I use Mike's technique except I use 3 seperate sheds and try to give myself enough rope to catch it on brush etc to make it sound good. I love it when it comes together even on a raghorn. My biggest buck to date came in on a run leaving 2 does behind the day before Thanksgiving 2 years ago using the rope/sheds. Shot him at 10 yards!

Some bucks will bust out, some will circle and wind you, but ever now and then the testosterone level is just right and they come.

[owlbait]

I've rattled in and shot bucks from the ground on Oct. 17th and 18th.(Not this year) Your late! Get started. I like real horn the best.

[waknstak IL]

Already learned the hands free thing the hard way, had a really large buck coming across a milo field from about 200 yards away, the deer was on a rope coming right to me and I knocked the rattle bag off the seat of my stand and onto the platform, it blew the deal rather quickly.

[kennym]

Bag is handier,horns sound better to me.

The bucks don't seem to care,from what I can tell. If he's ready,he'll come.

One thing with horns,if he hangs up,you can rake a tree and sometimes get im goin again.Just gotta be careful of movement.

[kbetts]

Horns work the best.  Pain to carry, but they work.  Deer will hang up....have something heavy on your pull up rope if in a stand...the sound of the leaves moving is the deal closer.  I've had more than one deer hang up and wait for me to climb down after dark before he came to my footsteps.  Rattle with the size you want to take. I like short and heavy horns better than long and thin.  Like others have already said, rattle with the time of year.  Deer aren't poundin' each others' a$$"s in early and mid October.

[jhg]

I always soaked my horns in water over night to give them that fresh sound. If they dry out too much they sound "off" and are not as effective. I have had most bucks come in after a long stretch of quiet- aften when I think nothing is coming at all and then there he is. Don't let the little ones that sneak in to watch the big boys bust you though.

I like to rattle in the early afternoon.

Joshua

[waknstak IL]

I have some extremely heavy horns I got off a dead 8 pointer I found last year. they will be at the end of a rope tonite!! Do any of you use decoys when rattling??

[wapiti792]

Well my only experience with a decoy was a complete mess. I've seen it work on TV, and have a buddy that swears it works, but when I tried it I had a 200 class buck with a doe out in the field...the doe totally wigged out and took the best deer I have ever seen on the hoof away from me on a dead run. I nearly puked. The buck got killed a quarter mile away during the gun season the following weekend. I haven't had the courage to try it again so try it for me and give me a report  

[BRONZ]

I will carry a bag with wood dowels (plastic sounds terrible to me) early season when bucks are tickling antlers and sparing.

When rut approaches, before the chasing phase, I'll carry horns.  This year I'm going to try Mike's puppet fighting.  I was trying to configure the pack last night to accomodate 4 antlers without sounding like a women in stilettos walking through the woods!

[Ryan High]

Herdbull just had a great article in TBM on rattling check it out.

[waknstak IL]

Wapiti, I tried a renzo doe decoy several times and the does completely freaked out as soon as they saw it. Have never tried a buck decoy. Thought it might be a good visual with the rattling. Ryan, I'm definately gonna have to check out Mikes article.

[kbetts]

IMO Renzo dekes look well...like dekes.  I've used my Montanas on a half a dozen occassions with success.  Had a small six come to the doe in a partially cut cornfield already this year.  Make sure you set up on the down wind side.  Buck or doe, they will loop it to catch a whiff.  I prefer to be on the downwind side almost out of range so when the deer turns, they aren't even lookin at me.  Still have a lot to learn about using them though.

[b.glass]

About how far will a buck circle to wind check? If you have a buddy rattling for you, how far apart should you be?

Bona

[wapiti792]

Wak, mine was a Renzo too! Maybe that was it..might try a Montana but if a giant runs outa the field again I'm shooting that decoy.

[waknstak IL]

My brother has a boss buck full body I was thinking of trying, I don't know if it will bring in a deer but it sure will cause the brakes to lock up on a lot of vehicles if its within sight of the road.