Why am I afraid??

[VA Elite]

I am a very passive hunter and though I have rattled in the past with very little result, I want to do more of it. But i am afraid that I will blow the woods out. For those of you that brave to rattle, can you explain how you go about it?

[meatCKR]

Just my humble opinion but if you rattle I think it is best to mimic a real buck fight.  That means a rattling sequence of at least 5 to 10 minutes.  I think a short rattle every 30 minutes or so sounds unnatural to deer.  Remember, when a buck hears a buck fight he is thinking "unattended doe!".

Good Luck.

Steve

[VA Elite]

I have heard two fights in the woods and they both sounded like the woods were going to explode!!

[highlow]

I do it but apparently incorrectly. Had a deer out in a field the other morning. Couldn't identify buck or doe so figured I had nothing to lose. Tickled the ivories and that deer took off for parts unknown. Maybe not the right time of the pre-rut to use them. Don't know. Maybe next time it will work in reverse.

[Pat B]

Rattling like dominant bucks can run lesser bucks or even some does off but rattling like lesser bucks sparing can bring the big guy in to kick some butt.
 I've never scared(that I know of) off deer with rattling or grunting.

[30coupe]

I think it depends on the time of year on how long you rattle. Early season, I keep it pretty short because the deer do. Bucks aren't really fighting much then, but they will click their antlers together a few times on occasion. I've watched them do it several times. Once there is a hot doe involved though, they really go at it.

Last fall I had two young bucks fighting over my doe decoy for about 20 minutes. Neither was a shooter, so I just sat in my blind and watched the show. They would shove each other around for a couple minutes, then back up and do a stare-down for a minute or so...catching their breath maybe...then go back at it again. It finally got dark and since the "doe" didn't seem to respond to their display, they finally moved off and I was able to go home to supper.

So at this time of year, I rattle for a minute or two, wait a minute and look around for any buck that might be attracted, then go back at it again. I haven't been able to rattle in anything worth shooting yet, but have pulled in a lot of younger bucks. One of these times it will be a good one...I hope!

Anyway, don't be shy. Things are starting to heat up!

[D. Key]

Pre-Rut the bucks are sparring without grinding too hard.  When the rut kicks in, all bets are off. They will crack and clash like there is no tomorrow in order to establish dominance and fight to the death if necessary.  

I have rattled in numerous bucks before and I always gently tickle the antlers first, so that if one is close by, it will not spook them.  If it is during the rut, on the second sequence, I hit them harder and grind them for at least 1-2 minutes always breaking them apart like one has submitted to the other.  Don't spare the noise when you are aggressively rattling; use a grunt call, hit the brush, pound the antlers on the ground, anything that would sound like a buck fight.  

Always look downwind as any buck approaching a fight will circle downwind before coming in.

Best of luck.

[Doc Nock]

Just my theory based on reading and such, but---, success with horns seems to be largely dependent on the ratio of buck to doe...where the herd is better balanced, and bucks MUST compete for breeding privileges, they're seemingly more familiar with the sound and what it means.

In areas like I grew up, with boucou does to every buck, even spikes of the year got into the breeding game... and we had a 2nd and even 3rd "mini" rut where some of the does didn't get bred first time or two in estrus.  Why go to a fight and risk getting your tail kicked when there are more pretty girls at the dance then boys???

In those situations, I think rattling has a more negative effect...

Early season, those who recommend the horns, say to just tickle them as the bucks that were in bachelor groups tend to be establishing dominance with some mock pushing and shoving...but not full blown fights!

VA, if you have heard full blown fights that weren't other hunters, then your ratio must be pretty good where you are so have at it... course, they will know EXACTLY where you are so don't move or twitch!

I saw a deal where guys drilled and tied loosely together a couple pairs of sheds, tied to a rope and then let them bang around on the ground under their tree stand so the deer came in looking at ground level and not UP where the noise emanated from.      

I also hear tell you want a good bit of brush around you so the deer has to come IN to see what's going on..if it's OPEN, they can hold up far off and see there are no deer, get hinky and vanish like the mist!

Good luck!

[Sean B]

There IS no wrong way to rattle if you really stop and think about it. Ive heard Gene Wensel say the same thing and I tend to agree. I've watched some knock down drag out battles and I've seen a few head butts and it was over. I've had bucks come into all different types of rattling

[Sam McMichael]

I have had a few bucks run to me, and I have had some cut and run. Mostly, I rattle only when I have been on stand for a long time with no movement.

[Tree Killer]

Here's what has worked for me since I began banging bones in 1985. I've modified a few things along the way, and will continue to do so as my knowledge of the creatures increases. Even though I've hunted blacktails since 1967, I still don't have them figured out!

I prefer big antlers, the sound will carry further in the dense timber and brush. When I began years ago I had a smallish 4pt set, they worked and I'm sure they'd continue to work. But as I increased the size of the antlers with longer tines, I could really tell the difference in sound...they seemed to RING and my responses increased. I've heard 4 or 5 buck fights over the years, and they are loud...you can't make as much noise as two live bucks duking it out! My current rattlers are a 140 class 4pt set.

I used to use a grunt call, rake brush, stomp the ground, etc. But I hardly bother anymore, those bucks are tuned into the antlers and all the other stuff will just distract you and maybe prevent you from seeing the buck before he see's you. If you want to use the calls, by all means use them.

I start out with a loud crack of the antlers, then rattle loud and steady for about 30 to 45 seconds. I'll try to wait 4 or 5 minutes and if nothing shows up I'll rattle another 30 seconds, then wait another 4-5 minutes. If I'm really confident that there are bucks within spittin distance I'll continue to rattle from this location for as long as 30-35 minutes before relocating.

Quite often a buck will start coming from a distance at the first crack of the antlers, usually moving fast. But as soon as you stop rattling, that buck will stop...he might stand there watching and listening for a minute or so, then begin walking toward where he heard the antlers. Meanwhile, he's closing the distance and then you start rattling for your second sequence and he's close, so as soon as he hears those antlers again he comes charging in fast and will catch you holding the bones! Bucks have caught me many times, usually during the second sequence.

CONFIDENCE & PATIENCE

If you have confidence in what you're doing, then you'll have the patience to wait and continue doing it.

I don't get bucks to respond every time I set up, or every day for that matter, but I go out expecting to rattle a buck where most guys go out hoping to rattle a buck.

It obviously helps to be in an area with plenty of fresh buck sign...or at least near a flock of doe's this time of year.

Good luck and have fun!

[VA Elite]

for the record, the two fights I have heard were years ago and years apart on different properties... I have not heard a fight on current land but I do know they have come to rattling for others.

[59Alaskan]

I have only had one response and that was when I was in a blind and really banging things up.  Kicking, hitting dirt, leaves etc....really hammering it.

I assume it was a young buck that immediately came in behind the blind, winded me, stomped, grunted, blew, and ran off.  I say i assume he was young as I assume an older Buck wouldve winded me and disappeared without me ever knowing.

I have heard bucks fight and even watched it once.  There is nothing quiet or predictable about it.  Based on my limited knowledge the comment that "there is no wrong way" makes sense

[damascusdave]

If a buck is in the mood to come to a fight it really matters little how you do things...I have seen a buck come to a single crack of the rattling antlers just to see what was going on

DDave

[damascusdave]

The problem I have with rattling for bowhunting is that a deer coming to rattling is always on the alert...for bowhunting we want calm deer

DDave

[VA Elite]

yeh that is true Dave. they will be looking and he may catch me banging away.

[amicus]

I think its in the timing. Last year hunting with my Son we watch a buck with his nose to the ground turn and walk away from us and into the brush. I figured I didn't have anything to loose so I grabbed the horns and bang them a few times. The buck came out the brush with attitude and was almost on top of us before my Son shot him.

Gilbert

[VA Elite]

I'm leaning towards not blind rattling at all. just rattling in a buck that is out of range of going away or cruising

[foxbo]

I hunt here in eastern VA too. In my experience, the deer in my hunting woods feed 10% of the time and spend the other 90% searching for something to run from. Rattling never seemed to work for me.

I do recall once when I was rattling up a storm from a tree stand. I dropped the rattling bag and climbed down to retrieve it. I didn't see the buck, but I will never forget that strong smell of a rutting buck. He must have been on top of me and I never knew it. Still, I seem to have better luck with just staying quiet. These deer are spooky to the max, maybe cause it's a dog chase zone. I don't know, but I think they're too scared to act natural, unless it's dark.

[VA Elite]

ain't that the truth !! yeh you know where I am In Sussex co it's all dog country... they do not act like normal deer for sure!