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Rattling antlers

When do you use rattling antlers?

  • Never

    Votes: 5 26.3%
  • Quite often

    Votes: 5 26.3%
  • Only right before and during rut

    Votes: 5 26.3%
  • In despration

    Votes: 4 21.1%

  • Total voters
    19
  • Poll closed .

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
The answer to this question is different this year. I voted "never" as I have officially wrote off rattling from my arsenal of tricks. It flat ass rarely works in these parts and it has never worked for me. I'm done with it...
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
I rattle pretty often I guess. Sometimes it works, most times it doesn't. Just gotta be in the right place at the right time... and have a good buck to doe ratio. I've never killed a buck that I've rattled in, but I've rattled in a half dozen or so.
 

cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
I've given up on it. I'll use it only as a last resort on a buck that's in sight but isn't coming my way. At least that's what I have vowed to do this year.
I've only had one buck ever come in blind calling and I can't say for sure he came in to the rattling. He was a nice 10 pointer that walked in on me right after I rattled. Coincidence? Maybe.
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,381
193
North Central Ohio
Never had any luck with hitting the horns in my neck of the woods. I haven't tried it in a few years now but, might try it next year in this new part of the property I hunt since it seems the bucks outnumber the does.
 

Mao

Member
1,695
109
Coshocton, OH
In my experience in Coshocton rattling works extremely well at the first part of the "serious" seek and chase period. I have rattled in small bucks a whole lot of times. I killed a big eight in 2008 blind rattling on the second day of November.
 

Mike

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,840
223
Up Nort
I think people over use it and they don't do it right. I once heard the shittiest rattle bag sequence in a public woods. It sounded like a jack hammer. It never worked for me, so I'm quitting like Jesse.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,739
274
North Carolina
I always bring them along just too give them a try when it's slow.... Like most of you I have never had any luck... Although I have watched my brother rattle a couple of bucks in so I guess that still gives me hope :smiley_clap:
 

deerjunkie

Junior Member
959
0
Canton, Ohio
I use them and have a big heavy set. We have done so much decoying with rattling and from our experiences the sound you can produce definitely has different results. Meaning, we feel we get more larger, mature deer to react to rattling when you have heavier, deeper tones from rattling with a thick heavy set of antlers. It's still 50/50 when we do it but we love to rattle. Another thing that has made a big difference in our results is not just slamming them together and going crazy non stop for 30 sec to a minute or so. But ease your way into the sequence and be very sporadic with the tone and amount of time you rattle.
 

lung buster

Senior Member
2,666
106
hocking county
I've rattled in several bucks over the years. Some I've killed, one I wounded and others I passed on. Its that time and I will not be leaving home without my set of antlers.
 

DJK Frank 16

Senior Member
Supporting Member
9,358
133
Hardin County
I try it now and then, mostly when I'm over a standing corn field right before or after the rut. Most of the time grunting works better for me in my area, but I may try a rattle every now and then.
 

tuffshot

The Crew
Prerut and light
I have studied bucks in the field alot while the spare, most of the time contact is not very dramatic.
Only seen a few real battles. They happen as the evidence from found heads locked together.
Core bucks already know who the boss is, it is when an invading buck comes into a new territory when the battles are fought.
 

Gern186

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,171
201
NW Ohio Tundra
I use them on occasion and have called some bucks in. Something you can also do with antlers instead of banging them together is rub them up and down the tree you are sitting in while grunting on and off...... I once had a buck hanging up about 50 yards out with some does and he wouldn't come to the grunt call.....I started raking the tree I was in with one of the antlers and he came charging right to my tree and I shot him at 7 yards!
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
I use them and have a big heavy set. We have done so much decoying with rattling and from our experiences the sound you can produce definitely has different results. Meaning, we feel we get more larger, mature deer to react to rattling when you have heavier, deeper tones from rattling with a thick heavy set of antlers. It's still 50/50 when we do it but we love to rattle. Another thing that has made a big difference in our results is not just slamming them together and going crazy non stop for 30 sec to a minute or so. But ease your way into the sequence and be very sporadic with the tone and amount of time you rattle.

I totally agree. Real antlers are the only way to go and if they aren't a heavy set, don't even waste your time.