hammer06

Does anybody rattle in bucks? Successfully??? If so, exactly what do you do? I've heard rattle for a 1-3min, grunt,bleat... give it a break for 7-9 min...do it again. Does it really work? If anybody in Virginia has tried I would like to know.

SchuylkillOutdoorsman

Yes it works, not everytime though.
check this out on my website its a little more info.
[link]http://www.schuylkill-outdoors.com/rattling.html[/link]

Charley

I use rattling a fair amount. IME, it works best just before, during, and just aftre the rut. You also need a fairly high buck/doe ratio. There are as many different techniques as there are hunters, and most of them work.
First, set your self up so you can watch downwind. Most bucks will circle the noise and get the wind on their side. Don't sit in the open, use camoflage, or brush to break your outline. Some use cover scents, some don't. (I don't)
I start soft, just a little rubbing and scrapeing. I might do it for 20 to 30 seconds, then pause for a minute or two. Again, I rub and scrape, a bit louder. Keep an eye out for animals. After a while, maybe 10 to 15 minutes, I really slam the antlers together, and work them for maybe 30 to 40 seconds. Keep your eyes open and your rifle very closeby.
Most studies show that far more bucks are drawn to rattling than are actualy seen. Some put the bucks that are seen as low as 50%.
Don't rattle the same spots over and over, wait a few days between useing it. Bucks pattern humans just like we pattern them.

skeeter 7MM

I agree with charley. I however don't work over the antlers when I rattle but rather tinkle and grind them. I also add thumping at the end of the sequence to symbolize a deer fleeing. I believe adding realism is a good idea, rake the trees and ground to simulate a buck stating his dominance. The biggest key is Location. Pick spots that are safe to the bucks to allow them to come out, rattling a field edge is mostly counter productive. I usually try rattling close to the bedding areas or in other deep transition areas(ie meadows, swamps, funnels, bottlenecks, fencelines, etc). Don't over call and like mentioned don't keep going to the same spot to rattle day after day, IME/O your best chance is your first attempt. While I have rattled deer out in the same area as previous days, I always change my position enough to not allow them to pattern me. I also use scent(upwind) to help mask my scent on the circling bucks, but try and pick spots that either will not allow the deer to get around me or I have windows to pick them off trying to sneak around me. I think scouting and knowing where they'll be is a big benefit for choosing your spot for rattling. I also only rattle the hours of 10-3, b/c I am deep and close to there bed. Be ready, I always range and pick my lanes before I start rattling. As soon as I am done rattling I grab my weapon and am ready to shoot at any given time. Often I am on the edge when hunting deep transition areas but when I rattle I am way over the edge. Many a squirrel has almost caused heart failure but one must be attentive, alert and prepared. Some come in like freight trains while other sneak in like a ghost and offer little to know warning of there pressence. Patience, persistence and practice are keys to hunting...rattling is no different.

Best of luck, the first one you rattle out will leave you higher than a kite(it is quite a rush and can be a great technique).