Rattlin'

[muzzy]

Hey all,

I was watching a hunting video and saw a guy have two heavy antlers attached to a string from his stand. He would jerk the rope and the antlers would clash with the brush from down below. This seems like it would be a good tactic. Any thoughts on this? Anyone try this before? I might try it on my trip to SE MN this week. Totally pumped to hit the bluffs!

Muzzy

[snapcrackpop]

I put that in the Archery Tip of the Week thread last week. Got it from someone here earlier, but can't remember who.

The antlers make a nice thud sound hitting the ground and leaves too. Funny thing is I was just sitting quietly Sunday morning when I shot by buck... go figure. Nows the time for making noise.

[so haaad]

Has anyone pulled in any bucks yet this year from light rattling? With the cooler temps this week, it should be a good week for deer movement.

[bigbucks]

I tried some rattling in WI this weekend, no luck with it at all.

[gatorhunter]

I've done that for quite some time now but never had a response. It is a great principle as I hate having my hands full of antlers when a buck rushes in. That's happened to me twice.

[snapcrackpop]

I had a little 8 point come in to rattling a week or 2 ago.

Would really like to add a buck decoy to my set up, but that's a lot of stuff to carry.

[bigbucks]

It sure is, I don't use my decoy much because of the hassle. I used it a couple of times as a doe this weekend, but no deer were ever close enough to see it, so it wasn't real effective...

[muzzy]

I usually try rattle bags and really haven't had much luck. There are bigger bucks in the area where I go so one would guess to use heavier antlers??? I can use a set of small ones but they just sound like wind chimes

[96trigger]

I've rattled in bigger bucks with the bag. I used to carry heavy antlers, but the bag has really worked well for me the last couple of years so I'm not going to change. I really bang it around though, it sounds pretty good.

[bigbucks]

Is your rattle bag full or do you take some of the sticks out?

[Meat-Run]

Is it just me or does it sound like just a bunch of plastic/woods sticks in a bag and not like the real deal???? Yes I'm pessimistic about this but also will purchase a set if some one can convince me that they sound just like two deer rattling??? The convenience factor is definetly there but questioning the quality of the sound thats all.

mr

[paceman]

I tried that horns on a line thing last year and brought in a couple small ones. In the past I have also brought in small guys by using the lohman box. I thought sounded decent. I haven't brought anything big in with the bag yet but this will be my first real season using it. Next week I am hoping to test it thoroughly.

[96trigger]

I use the HS bag, I don't take any of the sticks out. I was also skeptical before I used it, but seeing is believing. If you smack that bag around, and roll it, almost snapping it between your hands getting good noise, the deer will come running. Last year I rattled in two very nice bucks the weekend before firearm opened, and 3 more the opener of firearm. I believe that I rattled in a 13 pointer for my brother in law last year during the firearm season. He was on a different hillside and he shot a buck that he said was heading right for me on a mission. He was a good 500 yards away on a cold, crisp morning and he said that he could hear me clear as day and that it sounded really good. Of course, he had just shot a 13 pointer, whats he going to say.

Main thing about using that bag, bang the He11 out of it. You really have to smack it around. I usually grunt 2x, rattle and smack the bag for 2-4 min, grunt, and then rattle 2-4 min again, then one last deep grunt, then I stand up, ready, for 20 minutes and wait, sit for 10 min, and start all over again. When the bucks came in, it was always within 5 minutes of my rattling. And they came in meaning business.

[koonie]

Get the primetime rattlin bag by HS it sounds a lot more realistic than most of the others I've heard.

[muzzy]

Thanks for the insight everyone. I'll try the bag and the real ones. I'll let y'all know which set works I'll be heading for the Rushford area on Wednesday. Anyone seeing activity in that region? I only saw 3 bucks in 4 days last year but all were big compared to the ones I see up here in Brainerd. Just hope they all didn't get flooded out with the rest of the poor town

[96trigger]

I hunt in Wabasha Co. Went out last weekend, but the weather didn't cooperate. Pretty warm out. I hunt a field edge in a couple of different spots. On Sunday I went out and checked the edge of the woods, a buck went through sometime between Saturday evening and Sunday morning and tore the place up. Scrapes every 10 yards or so. The rut is definitely starting. There was good frost on the ground this morning. It just felt like it would have been a great morning to be out in the woods, but here I am at work, thinking about the woods. So be it.

I second the HS bag, it does sound the best. I have to get another one. I actually use it so much that I rubbed a hole in the bottom of the bag.

[DeanoB]

dang, I knew i shoulda called in sick with this first frost down here! boss I am so sick with buck fever, i just have to leave!! as far as rattling goes I use real antlers, first buck I shot 8 pointer out in MT with a 30-30 although they are kind of a pain to tote in and out. I can see how the bags would be easier to carry

[Dahitman44]

I had some GREAT luck with the rattle bag a couple of years ago. I saw a large buck coming across the field a long way away I put the binocs on him and saw that he had GREAT mass but was a little broken up. A lot the fighting that year I would guess. One side looked good, while the other was pretty bad. I would say he was a fat 12-pointer if all the broken spots would have been intact.

So I rattled and watched and waited. No luck.

Have you ever gotten the feeling that something was watching you?

Yep turned the opposite direction and saw a monster about 50 yards away. I slowly put down the bag and reached for the shotgun and off he went. By the time I had a chance to shot he was way out of range.

He was REALLY wide -- REALLY wide. I think he was a 10, but really wide.

Wish I could have gotten that big fella.

[Kyle]

I want to try rattling. Would anyone recommend it on rifle opener? I have never done it, so how often and how long of sequence should I do it for? How loud? Should I combine a grunt with it? What time of the day is best?

[96trigger]

H4life, I put my sequence in a previous post. I always rattle during the gun season but I hunt a low pressure area. One year, I ended up rattling in a buck for a neighbor that was sitting real close to the fenceline, I didn't know he was there, and as I said earlier, I'm sure the 13 pointer I rattled in during 3B was coming for the rattling when he got to him before he could get to me. I guess it doesn't hurt to rattle, but its not the greatest feeling when you call in a nice buck and it gets shot on its way to your stand. If you have primarily private, low pressured land, then yes, I'd rattle away. If you are on state land or land next to lots of other hunters, I would probably lay off and not rattle, the bucks have to come from somewhere.

P.S. With the rattling sequnce I try and use different sounding grunts, a young buck with an adult buck, etc. The True Talker grunt tube works great for this as you can adjust the tone of the grunt.

[FISHINGURU]

are you guys serious? i'll walk all the way back to my car to get my rattle bag if i forget it this time of yr..i wouldn't be caught in the woods without it. i used to use real racks and fake racks for fighting but they are a pain to haul around...noisy and actually kinda dangerous lol.

early season for lighter sparring i use the knight n hale bag that looks like camo screen.

right now and until late season i'll be using the heavy horn bag...now that bag sounds heavy just like 2 mature animals fighting...you get mad distance too.

i learned about rattlin about 10 yrs ago and haven't been in the woods without horns or a bag since that day. i've rattled in all sizes of bucks from opening day to the last day of archery...i also use them during shotgun and muzzleloader season.

it doesn't work more then it works to be honest but not every deer comes running in like a machine looking for a fight...so many deer come in to rattlin that you don't even see...or sometimes they take their time and show up 10-20 minutes later. if u rattle consistantly throughout the season you'll see it works great...you'll start seeing bigger bucks more consistantly....what do you have to lose when the woods seem dead? i can't tell you how many times i was about to leave around 11am or noon and decided to rattle and stay a little longer and seen monster bucks. don't leave your stands to early...the longer you stay the bigger bucks you'll see...i've learned that more and more the last few seasons..i never thought i'd see so many big bucks mid day...it just don't seem right but it's real.

[Meat-Run]

OK, after reading some posts after my comments I thought I would give it a try. I just came back from a orange retailer with FF for abreviations and looked at the HS rattling bags. Big bag is on sale for $12 and looked inside. To my amazement there nothing but wooden dowels about inch in diamater and cut the long way 3/4 thick. So i strolled to the hardware section and found one-8ft dowel on the clearance rack for $3.74 and will make my own. I figured i could use a par of ladies stockings to keep contained and give it a try. That that much dowel to work with I should be able to make two rattling bags. Just a tip or .02 and if i'm still not convinced I can use the wood to start my next fire.

I'll post my results after rifle season.

mr

[96trigger]

Mr, I had a few plastic rods in there also. However, I think thats what makes the tinking noise when using the bag. Try and use it. I think a nylon would rip too easy. I'd look at using a green sock if you had it.

[Meat-Run]

Good idea...trial and error is always in my plan of attact. I notice too that they took off all the edges with a sander just for that reason. My original sock idea was a gym sock but of course a white sock would only leave me to a bullet hole in my body with some of the crazy hunters out there on public land. Green/brown sock should do the trick, I'll figure something out.

later,

mr