Rattling in whitetail

[Fleatrap1]

I have never tried rattling in deer.  I have a set of antlers and plan to try this weekend.  I have rubs everywhere, two nice scrapes and all the signs but never see this guy.  Saw one young six pointer about two weeks ago, other than that nothing!  New signs every day but he must be there at night.  Any tips for rattling in bucks??

[KentuckyTJ]

Get in a place where they cant get down wind of you. A mature buck will most always try to circle downwind. You can us a river bluff, fence or even an open field will work.

Another thing a buck coming to rattling expects to hear and see another deer. When they don't they tend to hang up just out of shooting range. Crunch leaves and using a decoy would be a good call also. Adding some toilet paper to its tail is a killer when waving in the wind on them as they can see that movement.

[Fleatrap1]

Thanks. I don't have a decoy, but the leaf idea is a good one.

[wapiti792]

I use Tom's idea with the leaves. I rattle hard for a short sequence especially if I see a buck across a field and want him to come. When he comes and does the whole hang up thing I am ready.

Soon as he knows I am there I lower my horns down on my bow rope. When he hangs up I pull on my rope with horns attached. They hear the leaves making noise and the rack clanking around. I killed my best buck ever doing this.

Decoys are hit and miss for me. Half the time it spooks em, but when it works, holy smokes is it fun.  I am going out in the am with a decoy where there are several mature bucks. I face the deke towards me. By the by,  it is not a true decoy. It is a "shooter" buck target from rural king that weighs next to nothing. I sawed off his rack to make him a busted up one-horned deer. He looks small and not intimidating. Combined with rattling I have a good feeling about this farm. Full disclosure though...I gave up dekes a few years back because an old long nosed doe saw it and freaked, taking a 200 inch monster with her forever. He got killed on another farm in the gun season. But a deke with rattling can be magic!

[cahaba]

I incorporate a True Talker grunt tube and sometimes a doe in estrus Primos can in with the rattling. It can be real effective at times.

[Gordon martiniuk]

get to your stand in the dark wait for first light ,, rattle hard for a min or 2 ,, pick up your bow get ready to shoot they often come in hard and fast , have had up to 6 different bucks come in to one set up in the peak of the rut ,, one year I rattled in a good buck shot him ,, as I was gutting him another buck came in and would not leave he circled around a few times before I chased him off