How many bucks by rattling?

[dan]

How many bucks have you actually killed by rattling? Lets only count the ones that score 130 or better...

[muddy]

I have had tremendous success rattling, don't know why, but it has filled the wall up.

[Black Squirrel]

2 over 130, that I can remember. Only killed one of them.

[dan]

Thats impressive Muddy... I have had some success mostly in my younger years calling big bucks in but either they spooked before the shot or got wounded.

Do you use an obstacle or opening to keep them from circling you? Did they run straight in or try and circle you?

[Dor]

Like Muddy I have had excellent success. Some pics below.

I sometimes blind call, but at least half the bucks I have killed from rattling were because I had the antlers right there and ready to go at will. Timing your call toward a spotted buck is big IMO. Horns are not to be used willy-nilly... I often use them as a last resort, but many bucks below would not have my big grin behind them if it wasn't for the horns. I think you need HIGH buck density or max frustration period for a buck in order for it to be effective.

Rattling is a FANTASTIC tool for Beast tactic hunters to use. Think about it, if you are mobile always and you don't plan on hunting the area again, why not rattle at last light or just before you're leave in the morning?

Minnesota
Iowa

MN
KS
KS

[Spysar]

I have 27 deer heads and europeans and skull caps in the room I'm in right now. I looked at every rack and realized that not one had been killed rattling.

But I have had some great success recently. The first time I rattled in a buck was only about 4 years ago. I never really believed in it before that.

One day I brought a set with me. I was planning an all day sit. Mid morning came and it was slow. I said what the heck, and smashed them together. Hard. I stopped, bow on hook, and me on my . Holding the antlers. I heard two faint steps that I thought was a squirrel, and looked that way. Just then a big ten pointer came charging off the hill looking for a fight and came right to the bottom of my tree. Easy shot for a guy with a bow in their hand...too bad mine was on the hook.

Been a believer since. I just haven't connected, yet. But I have rattled in several since. Just hasn't been the right buck, or too far away, or they circle me.

[Dor]

The second buck in the above photos I actually rattled in twice. One weekend I passed him, the following weekend I had a buddy with videoing and rattled him, he had the most amazing display ever coming in I have ever seen....so after watching alll that I decided it was too good to not finish off with a kill. So I smoked him at 10 yards and another awesome death run sequence ensued. The PROBLEM cam in when my buddy said..."dude, ah, I forgot to hit record!"

[UPbowhunter]

0 for me, most places I've hunted I dont think the heard would have been balanced enough to have the effect as some of you guys. Lots of bucks grunted in but never rattled in a buck.

[GRFox]

If you try and rattle in a buck around here I think the bucks actually laugh at you. We have the second highest amount of bowhunters per square mile. And 3/4 of them try and rattle deer. So basically what im saying is all of these idiots get circled down wind because none of them do anything strategically and get winded every time. So Limo and the opinion of a lot of other good hunters in my area, bigger bucks associate the sound of rattling with people and don't even bother. Im sure you could rattle in some 1 or 2 year olds but that's about it in my area.

[Schultzy]

I've rattled In right around 50 bucks In 26 years of bowhunting. My brother probably can double that number. Him and rattling go hand In hand, he just has the knack. I've only killed one mature buck rattling but I've passed on other mature bucks that didn't fit the bill (not enough Inches). The most common age buck I rattle In Is 2.5 year olds. The younger bucks seem to be the cautious ones and will some times circle when coming Into me. It seems the older bucks are pissed and come straight In. However the last couple years I haven't had crap for luck rattling. Been on a 2 year drought.

2007 Mn buck. 143 Inches, 210lbs dressed.

[DropTyne]

For those that have had a fair amount of success, what type of wind conditions/direction in relation to yourself are you looking for?

[Dor]

For those that have had a fair amount of success, what type of wind conditions/direction in relation to yourself are you looking for?

A wind that blows where the bucks cant go or dont want to go is best, but this isnt a required thing. Many times i just go for it regardless and see what happens.

[Arrowbender]

I have had little success rattling. It seems obvious to me that confidence is key here. As with my calling, the more success you have the more confidence you get and it just snowballs from there.
My question to those with wallhangers rattled in is: Can you attribute the majority of mature buck rattling success to a time frame?
From my limited research (my own experience, that of friends and a pretty good bunch of stories heard while at the Camp Ripley hunt), I would say the best time is around the last week of Oct.

[Schultzy]

For those that have had a fair amount of success, what type of wind conditions/direction in relation to yourself are you looking for?

Many times i just go for it regardless and see what happens.

x2!

[muddy]

Thats impressive Muddy... I have had some success mostly in my younger years calling big bucks in but either they spooked before the shot or got wounded.

Do you use an obstacle or opening to keep them from circling you? Did they run straight in or try and circle you?

I just rattle when/where I feel it will work. The top buck I knew was bedded with a doe just over the hill from me and when I rattled he jumped her up and when she ran off he came charging in, wind/obstacles didn't matter. I was sitting on the inside corner of a CRP field, so if he wanted to he could've circled but I think he was rut crazed and just didn't give a crap.

The second buck I was in a narrow piece of timber in a cow pasture connecting 2 very large chunks of timber. It just so happened that this buck came from upwind blindly, but he came in HARD. He didn't care what the wind was doing. Again, he was rut crazed and didn't give a crap.

The third buck I saw tending a doe from a LONG ways away. I rattled, he charged. He was in a picked corn field and I anticipated shooting him downwind in the field but at the last second he ducked into the timber and came in upwind of me in the thick stuff. When he cleared the lane it was over. Again, he was rut crazed in my opinion.

The 4th buck I was on a point where there was a strip of timber between 2 properties. I was on the property line fence I had permission to hunt. Also on this property was a very high wooden horse fence. The strip of timber between the two fences is fairly thick and just a natural funnel so when I rattled I think this buck really had no choice where to go unless he wanted to jump a high fence either way. It was pre rut and he was lazy and then he died.

In general I don't really put much thought into my rattling, I just sit my stands according to wind direction and for the most part MOST deer activity is always upwind of me. I don't think I have any sets specifically for rattling/calling. Like DOR said, I just hammer the horns and let the cards fall where they may.