rattling ?

[weewilly]

When is a good time to rattle ?

[klmt]

usually midday when deer are least active.

Originally Posted by klmt

usually midday when deer are least active.

have you had much success with bucks coming in to the horns? I've had a little but rattling is most effective where the buck to do ratio is near 1 to 1. I find here early and late seem to be the times i get any kind of response but our buck to doe is like 1 to 12 much like everywhere else. 1 to 1 is on very highly regulated/managed high fence properties.

[klmt]

around my area i would guess about a 1:2 or 1:3 buck to doe ratio, so i have had some success, but is is limited. When i did, it was in the heat of the rut around midday.

thats a darn good management program. kudos to whoever is doing the managing.

[Hunting Man]

I prefer rattleing as a pre-rut tactic and up to the prime peak rut days. Then I switch to grunt tube and estrus scent.

[weewilly]

Thanks, do you use real antlers or do rattling bags work better? Does it work on smaller bucks ?

i'm with hm on the when, pre rut. I use the bag but have had a little luck with both real and the bag. never had one come running in but doing the deer sneak, young and old.

[Predator]

The first time I tried it (pre rut), I had a buck making a beeline straight to my stand 5 mins after the sequence. He stopped 5 yds from my tree. I found out later that that was not the norm in the woods I hunt. The bucks here generally will walk away quickly when confronted by the oppertunity to meet another buck.

I have not had that kind of success since.

I can relate to the conveneince of a bag but I think I prefer real horns. matter of fact, I really would like to get a new set soon. like maybe 10 pts.