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rattling \time of day?
- Thread starter olroy
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QuackAddict
Senior Member
The time I had success was a very cold morning at 9:00 am.
horsecreek
Senior Member
for its been when ,
wait. ...I cant help ya....sorry.
wait. ...I cant help ya....sorry.
When the mood strikes them, they'll respond ANYTIME.
I've had them come to the horns morning and evening alike. The biggest was a SOLID 140ish 10pt that came in 45 minutes before dark. Last year I had 2 bucks thrashing bushes and grunting after coming to the horns at 830 in the morning. As I recall, I've had more response in the morning than afternoon.
I have confidence with the horns so I'll try 'em anytime.
I've had them come to the horns morning and evening alike. The biggest was a SOLID 140ish 10pt that came in 45 minutes before dark. Last year I had 2 bucks thrashing bushes and grunting after coming to the horns at 830 in the morning. As I recall, I've had more response in the morning than afternoon.
I have confidence with the horns so I'll try 'em anytime.
Trial and error.
My best recommendation is to get past the feeling silly-making racket-I'll spook every deer in the county-this will never work-mindset and just try it. It may take a few times (trial and error) but when it finally works for you, you'll have to confidence to try it again, and again. Before you know it, it's in your bag of tricks for good.
You can find information on the internet, in hunting mags, tv shows, and video tapes. Listen to the sequences they use, including grunting, and whipping brush/saplings. Sometimes they'll be hunting in places like Texas or the midwest where buck/doe ratios are more favorable to rattling. Other times they'll be in the southeast or out west. When conditions are right it'll happen for you sooner or later...right here at home.
As for buying horns, sound quality is the key. I had a pair of real antlers that were PERFECT for rattling. After a few years though, they made more of a 'THUD' than the sharp, crisp 'CRACK' when you hit them. That's supposedly where synthetics are more durable; they maintain their resonance and don't dry out or shrink.
Junebug
My best recommendation is to get past the feeling silly-making racket-I'll spook every deer in the county-this will never work-mindset and just try it. It may take a few times (trial and error) but when it finally works for you, you'll have to confidence to try it again, and again. Before you know it, it's in your bag of tricks for good.
You can find information on the internet, in hunting mags, tv shows, and video tapes. Listen to the sequences they use, including grunting, and whipping brush/saplings. Sometimes they'll be hunting in places like Texas or the midwest where buck/doe ratios are more favorable to rattling. Other times they'll be in the southeast or out west. When conditions are right it'll happen for you sooner or later...right here at home.
As for buying horns, sound quality is the key. I had a pair of real antlers that were PERFECT for rattling. After a few years though, they made more of a 'THUD' than the sharp, crisp 'CRACK' when you hit them. That's supposedly where synthetics are more durable; they maintain their resonance and don't dry out or shrink.
Junebug
QuackAddict
Senior Member
You definitely have to have confidence when it comes to rattling. I tried it a few years ago and then I gave up after a couple of tries. Last year a friend of mine took his horns to the stand and I thought he was wating his time. He ended up rattling in a monster 10 pointer at 10 am. I decided to try it the next morning and rattled in a 16" 9 pointer. I went back that afternoon and rattled in an 18" 8 pointer about 30 minutes before dark. Now I have confidence in the rattling and I will not hesitate to rattle this season. I used the larger Knight and Hale rattle bag and it worked great. It is also compact and slips easily into your pocket or a bag when a buck comes in.
mpowell
Senior Member
i rattle so hard my hands get sore and i bloodied my thumb one time when i crashed them and missed by a hair! i use the big, primos synthetic horns and you can hear them a mile away when i really go at it.
i rattle morning and afternoon. in my experience, i usually have bucks cruise in within 20 minutes of the sequence. if nothing shows, i usually let them have it again.
my feeling is if a buck's within earshot of the rattling he's going to get curious and come check it out. you might have some charge in all bowed up and some sneek in quietly. i've seen them circle me outside of bow range looking and listening for the two bucks going at it.
you never know what'll happen rattling and it makes me feel like i'm actually doing something to make the action happen instead of just waiting around.
i rattle morning and afternoon. in my experience, i usually have bucks cruise in within 20 minutes of the sequence. if nothing shows, i usually let them have it again.
my feeling is if a buck's within earshot of the rattling he's going to get curious and come check it out. you might have some charge in all bowed up and some sneek in quietly. i've seen them circle me outside of bow range looking and listening for the two bucks going at it.
you never know what'll happen rattling and it makes me feel like i'm actually doing something to make the action happen instead of just waiting around.
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Handgunner
Senior Member
I think time of year has more to do with it than time of day. Meaning, if the bucks are still grouped together, no hot does around, they usually aren't going to "go at it" then. They'll usually spar and such. That's when you want to "tickle" the antlers. Just click them together a little bit, rub them together, tickle the tips of the tines, and so on, maybe a little grunting, etc...
When you start finding big scrapes, rubs, and start witnessing the smaller bucks chasing the does, that means the big boys are about ready to play, and that's when you want to get with it... Don't be scared, like Junebug said, get past the "this is silly and ain't gonna work" attitude. You have to remember that you're trying to imitate two, 200lb bodies going at it, no-holds-barred. So don't be afraid to make racket, stomp your feet if you're on the ground, or bang the antlers against the tree if you're in a stand... While you're rattling, blow on the grunt a few times, and maybe ever do a doe bleat a few times.
One thing I like doing is after the rattling sequence is doing "the can" a couple times, and follow that with a tending grunt, it's just a short series of quick "urp urp urp..uuuurrrp, urp urp"... To me, what I just mimicked is two bucks going at it over a doe, one winning and getting the "prize".
One thing to remember is set-up so you can see downwind. 90% of the time, any buck responding is going to circle downwind and try to catch the scent first... If you have some scent out, maybe of doe in estrous or tarsal gland, all the better in that situation. If not, be sure to cover your scent as much as possible and be READY. If they come in they're going to be looking for two bucks. If they don't see that, they're not going to spend much time looking around for it...
Good luck and remember, it SURE ain't gonna work if you don't try it!
When you start finding big scrapes, rubs, and start witnessing the smaller bucks chasing the does, that means the big boys are about ready to play, and that's when you want to get with it... Don't be scared, like Junebug said, get past the "this is silly and ain't gonna work" attitude. You have to remember that you're trying to imitate two, 200lb bodies going at it, no-holds-barred. So don't be afraid to make racket, stomp your feet if you're on the ground, or bang the antlers against the tree if you're in a stand... While you're rattling, blow on the grunt a few times, and maybe ever do a doe bleat a few times.
One thing I like doing is after the rattling sequence is doing "the can" a couple times, and follow that with a tending grunt, it's just a short series of quick "urp urp urp..uuuurrrp, urp urp"... To me, what I just mimicked is two bucks going at it over a doe, one winning and getting the "prize".
One thing to remember is set-up so you can see downwind. 90% of the time, any buck responding is going to circle downwind and try to catch the scent first... If you have some scent out, maybe of doe in estrous or tarsal gland, all the better in that situation. If not, be sure to cover your scent as much as possible and be READY. If they come in they're going to be looking for two bucks. If they don't see that, they're not going to spend much time looking around for it...
Good luck and remember, it SURE ain't gonna work if you don't try it!
mpowell
Senior Member
delton--i completely agree about the time to do it. right now, i've been tickling them the past week--with no luck, unfortunately. this weekend, though, i'm going to let 'em rip. usually after the first week of october, down where i hunt, you can really crash them down and draw interested bucks.
