When to use rattling

ranger · #1 10-12-2011, 06:40 AM

Is it better to use rattling during morning or evening.
Is it good during the entire season and can i use that for mule and whitetail.

Thanks

bowhunter9841 · #2 10-12-2011, 06:51 AM

Only buck I've ever rattled in was on thanksgiving weekend of 2009! It was around 4 pm. Haven't had much luck with it otherwise! I'm not sure if it would work with mule deer. I wouldn't see why not though!

BigRackLover · #3 10-12-2011, 06:58 AM

last week of October and first week of November has been great for me. But you can start anytime. I've rattled them in on Thanksgiving weekend as well.

You need an area with a high buck to doe ratio (competition).

albertadeer · #4 10-12-2011, 07:02 AM

Peak rut...make it sound like a true war between two giants...bucks will come...

SkytopBrewster · #5 10-12-2011, 07:12 AM

Doesn't work for muleys, works best for whiteys last 2 weeks of November, if rattling earlier just mimick light sparring, not real crashing type scrapping rattles. I just dangle mine from my stand on a rope, let them rattle and thump the ground sounds more realistic with the grass rustling etc

st99 · #6 10-12-2011, 07:23 AM

It works for both, muley and whitey, I rattled in 2 muley bucks so far. Bucks are curious, they will come and investigate anytime trough october and november.

redranger15 · #7 10-12-2011, 07:34 AM

I rattle every time I'm out no matter when. The only thing I change is how aggressive I am with them. I usually just tickle them early on and get more agressive as the rut starts.

Jimmyjjj · #8 10-12-2011, 09:26 AM

I have never rattled a buck in... I have bashed my thumbs a couple times though... :P

redranger15 · #9 10-12-2011, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmyjjj

I have never rattled a buck in... I have bashed my thumbs a couple times though... :P

Cut the brow tines off.

johnnyfly · #10 10-12-2011, 10:14 AM

A few years back...first week of Nov..... a buddy and myself headed out to
the farm that we hunt on beautiful day....go for a nice long hike the middle of the day then about 3:30pm settle in
to our stand to watch this meadow before dark. we wait a little while
then when everything settles down, I grunt for a bit then try rattling
for a bit. wait for 30 min or so....nothing.
then I tried something different, really started making a lot of noise
with the antlers, hitting trees, smashing bushes, stomping my feet...the
whole bit!
My buddy was getting a bit pi**ed with me, thought I was making too much
noise..... after about 20 min. down off the cut line we could hear
something running pretty fast in our direction......told my buddy to get
ready.....sure enough a heavy 8 pt runs up to us about 20 yards
away..... my buddy aims and CLICK! he for got to load his gun when we
sat down.....couldn't believe it! the buck got one look at us and was
gone over the other side of the hill....I tried to call him back, no
luck with that. We went to the top of the hill and he was standing like
a stone staring at us through the trees. My buddy took the neck
shot and he fell like a sack of potatoes. Great deer, really healthy,
about 200lbs, loads of fat on him. Best of all this was my friends
first deer!

so, having a bit of luck calling in this buck for my friend, I thought I
would try my luck at my stand a few days later.
I head to my stand in the afternoon for the evening hunt! about
half way up this little hill with with openings on both sides. so I sit
for about 20 min. then starting grunting and rattling really loud,
smashing branches the whole bit...... same as before!
in about 45min. I hear a branch break from up on top of the hill......waited
and waited and not another sound for about 10 min. .... then I grunted
really low.....I got a reply, but couldn't see him!
he grunted again and again....put my scope up and paned the ridge line
and saw a small tree swaying back and forth so I knew he was there
preparing for a good fight.... (my heart was in my throat as you can
imagine) I waited and waited and just before dark he started making his
way in my direction! he crossed the cut line broadside and I made my
shot (about 150yards).....
he went crashing down the hill and in to this gully. I waited for a bit
then went up to see if there was any blood, no blood but lots of
hair.....hard to see in the dark, but I finally found a small blood
trail, followed it for about 100yards and there he was under a tree, man
was I excited! my biggest buck! 9 pt and really fat! he even had a
small 2 inch drop tyne (well, almost 2 inches, ha ha ) and about 230lbs.

I have been doing this type of rattling for a few years now and had great success....seems the louder and more aggressive I am the better....but once you finish calling/rattling, you can move a muscle cause they will be watching and I have had over a dozen bucks(all sizes) come running right to me....I had a spike buck run in to about 10 feet and stopped in his tracks looking for a fight....I actually thought he was going to head butt me, I had to move and talk so he would leave....crazy...
So having said that, rattling and calling can be very exciting...have fun with it.

antler hunter · #11 10-12-2011, 02:14 PM

i rattle two bucks in the weekend and so far the best time for me was the last week of october and the first of nov just befor the peak of the rut

albertabighorn · #12 10-12-2011, 06:30 PM

Pre rut , rut, and post rut

ranger · #13 10-13-2011, 11:14 AM

Thank you for all the info and Johnnyfly great story i will try this weekend i hope it will work for me.

fireguyfire · #14 10-13-2011, 12:34 PM

Nov 1 to remembrance day; last year up north during this time, I rattled in 26 bucks in 5 days of hunting.

BigRackLover · #15 10-14-2011, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by albertabighorn

Pre rut , rut, and post rut

lol - just get your ***** out there and try