LungBuster101

Welp this year i'm gonna give it a try , i bought a rattle bag but never ever used it ! But i was wonderin when is a good time too start rattlin ? Like the end or October or before ? Please help me out , when too start rattlin , also what is a good scent too use , also is a buck urine also good too use with doe in heat scent ? And one more thing will this rattlin scare off Little Bucks like spike and 3 and 4 pointers ? Sorry this might be a stupid question , and i bet i'm buggin the piss outta ya ! Tell me if i am ! Sorry just tryin too find out stuff ! Also i live in East Tennessee if that helps yall out any !

Thanks Alot ,
LungBuster101

Illini_Sportsman

I'm by absolutely no means a calling expert at all. I have, however, rattled in bucks on several occassions. It's not necessary to use a scent with your rattling, but it is necessary to time it correctly. The rut is undoubtedly the best time to rattle. Anytime during your hunt will work, but very early in the morning and late in the evening or when you know the deer are moving are excellent. Listen to some rattling on the internet or TV from people who know what they're doing so you know what to mimic. Think about two bucks duking it out and try to copy the kinds of sounds they would make. If you hunt from the ground, kick some leaves and sticks around to make "background" noise, but keep the visible motions to a minimum because when the deer start coming in, it's usually at a spirited pace. I was just like you last year, trying it out for kicks. I was absolutely thrilled to bring in a forkhorn on my very first attempt one morning. So to answer that question, you will bring any size buck in. It's like two kids getting into a fight on the playground, everyonecrowds around to watch. If you're looking for a big boy though, pay little attention to the youngster who may be roaming around your tree and look carefully into the timber around you. I had a more mature buck sit back out of rangeand watchthe younger one run around underneath my tree. The older boys are smart. NEVER continue to rattle once the deer is within a range where he can figure that there are no deer present and that the sounds are coming from above. Basically, just go for it and you might be suprised at the results. I had fun just calling in a youngster because it really does work and I know I have another weapon in my arsenal if I see a bruiser walking out of range.

texhookem

I do it all the time. The best and only time to rattle is during the rut. Whenever that is wherever you hunt, thats the time to rattle. In texas its December. Also you may want to use real horns instead ofa rattle bag. Another thing to take into consider is the buck to doe ratio in your area. IF you have a high buck to doe ratio rattling will not be very effective. In south texas the ranch i hunt on has a 1:1 buck to doe ratio which provides very good conditions for rattling. No scent is necessary but i dont suppose some doe in heat or buckurinewould hurt nothin. My normal rattling routine consists of rattling at one location and waiting awihle. I also prefer to be on the ground while rattling.Bucks dont fight in the trees. Dont forget to scrape the ground around you and brush up against some trees around you. If nothing happens i move on. Small deer also react to rattling so dont worry about scaring anything off.

Illini_Sportsman

While it's probably a bit better to be on the ground as far as realism, it will definitely work in a tree though.

Charley

I think real antlers sound better than any rattlebag I've heard. I prefer to sit on the ground against a tree, screened by a bit of brush. Camo isn't needed, but a face mask helps...can give you another few seconds while the deer look for the source of the noise. I start softly, and work up the volume. If you've ever seen video of bucks sparring before a fight, that is the sound you are looking for. Scrapes and clicks at first, then you work up to crashing the antlers together. If you do use real antlers, saw off the brow tines!

Illini_Sportsman

And cover your mouth and nose. Just kidding, but I was overwhelmed at how horrible antlers smell when you cut into them the first time I did it.

snowman69

IMO I think the best time to rattle is pre rut just before the full rut takes place in my area anyways I have never had a time in the pre rut that rattling didn't bring a buck in. I noticed that when the full rut is on most bucks(dominent bucks)have their does already. as far as putting scent out you could but its not neccessary but I would recommendusing a hyper-ventelating grunt call or just use a grunt call and pant like a dog in it if you have ever seen a buck chasing a doe you have probalby herd this call.you want to blend in with your surroundings you don't want the buck to pick you out. The best set up and the one I use is to have a buddy rattle and hyper ventelate about 20yrds behind you so when the buck comes out he is concentrating on the calling and not you. It works we have had bucks come in to our calling within5 to15 minutes of us settling in our blinds.

glew22

I've had the best results rattling the last week of october into november, I belive you get better results during the chasing phase of the pre-rut while the bucks are not yet tending the majority of the does.Unliek the previous posts i have more success from a treestand, the deer are usually far enough away that the can't tell the sound is comign from the trees, I feel this will buy you more time just for that reson because when the buck comes in he wont be searching in the treetops and if you're on the ground he'll have a better chance of picking you off or winding you.This was very evident last year on a buck that i rattled in at the end of october, he stood 15 ft from the base of my tree for over 15 minutes obviously searching for the bucks that had made the commotion, I believe had i been on the ground the buck would have caught me without offering a shot JMO

skeeter 7MM

You can start rattling when the bucks are in early pre rut, however just make it like a light spar vs a real fight. It works on small to med sized bucks andcan bring a young bach group all at once. At this time of year the only scent to use would be just reg deer pee and I would rattle (or spar) the peak movement times - aka am or evening. This has never produced for me any really good sized bucks but is still fun none the less. The only calls I would make if at all would becontactor social grunts, as this isn't about aggression but rather build up to the main event.

I agree the best time is late pre rut or chase phase for sheer numbers. Here a response can be envoked at any time during the day depending on your setup. If you hunting further along the transition route rattling can produce at any time of the day.Further along, like a food source the peak times is always best. Calling here would range from contact grunts, doe bleats and mild tending grunts (huffy grunt). Scents you could use is deer pee or dominant buck scent.

Rut is a feast or famine situation from my persepctive regardless of technique used. However rattling works very well in the right locations during the rut if the buck to doe ratio is close. During this time I prefer to rattle as far in or as close to the bedding areas as possible. I now only rattle during this period at mid day (10-3), as this has always proven to be my best producer. Scents of either estrus or dominat buck would be fine. Calls the tending grunt, contact grunt and doe bleats can be added.

My rattling technique is more twisting and grinding vs smashing the horns. I always start out at my lowest tone/intensity and short duration of 30 sec, then wait for 20 minutes and slowly increase intensity, tone and duration of the sequences until I reach 60-90 rattle. During the chase phase and rut I throw in the raking of trees, rustling of leaves and pounding on the ground of the higher intensity offerings to simulate a deer fleeing the contest. I only hunt from the ground but in either case backing for concealment is essential. I also keep my gross movements to a min. when not rattling, panning with my eyes and being attentive to my surroundings. I assume after every tinkle of the horns a deer may present a shot so I am ready and know my lanes so if an opportunity arises I can quickly judge the animal and acquire the target. Personally have found most mature bucks tend to want to circle the nosiemaker, so I pay particular attention to both my sides and backdoor. So be aware of this happening.

As far as scaring deer off, if you over call or get to aggressive they can be warned off - regardless of the size. However I have rattled in bucks and does on many of occasions, on the same token I know deer have moved off without me getting a glimpse..so don't worry it will happen but patience is often rewarded. I also never rattle from the same spot in successive days and will only rattle afew hours from the same spot during a single period, hence why I hunt on the ground. Often moving slightly has provided a difference in the outcome,ifI had picked the wrong spot or deer were just on to me I can't say for sure but changing things up never hurts when things aren't going as planned.

I use real antlers as well, never could get the tone out of a bag or set of fake horns thatI like. It also makes raking on the trees/ground easy and I would think more realistic to the deer.

I have never believed in scents as an attractant but as cover scent or a sec long holding agent I have witnessed them work. I place my scent downwind from me in semi cirlce at ranging height, so if an animal circles it may allow me an opportunity. It has worked on more than one occasion and equally done squat.

Best of luck and if first you don't succeed try again! Rattling, calling and scent aren't magic sometimes they work and others they don't..just keep plugging along and learning till you find what works for you and your area.

ddejong

I have had success in the early to mid part of the rut. Normally I do it in mid-morning or mid-afternoon when everything else is a bit slow. Be alert -- they may circle around "the fight" but they can come straight in too!