In your opinion, Is rattling still effective after the rut? Light? Hard? Keep the horns at home? And Do grunt calls still work effectively? Are estrus bleats still an option? Just a few questions im looking for opinions on....
I can't answer honestly about the calling part with my experiences but I know other hunters have had luck with It then too. I do know for a fact that rattling will work In the late season. I've rattled In bucks anywhere from September 17th to December 25th. In saying what I said though none of the bucks that I've rattled In during the late season were mature, they were all 1.5's and 2.5's.
i always take my calls and horns or bag with me, even when i have no intention of using them. now i've never rattled after the rut with sucess, but i havn't tried it in many many years, and i'd like to think i'm a much better/smarter hunter now, so i may have been doing it way too late or whatever. i have called in a bunch of deer though after the rut with agressive grunts, and estrus bleats. even though i know the rut is done, i plan on putting out some estrus scent and bleating on opening day of gun next weekend. who knows, there may be one doe still hot and it might work, if not, oh well. i will however continue to call till i fill my tag, good luck
Caleb, sorry for cutting you off in the middle of the text yesterday I was in a stand watching my oldest son hunt (slug gun) and was watching him call a 2.5 8 point in with the can. I was 20 yards from him when he shot it. We was trying to get it out before dark. To be honest with you. This is the only season I have had with luck with rattling. It worked 5 times for me this year and not much luck in the past. It was working for me pre rut, right up until the rut. I have heard bucks lock up long after the rut but it was just light sparring then. IMO, I think its determined on how well it works with alot of factors figured in. Location, buck to Doe ratio, the deers mood and timing. If you just happen to catch a buck between finding another Doe, Id think rattling would get good responce him then. I was giving them Hell, and even using them up against my tree and breaking limbs the day I killed my buck this season. I think grutting is still in the ball game right now as well as can calls. As I said, I seen the can work yesterday
Caleb, we are an hour apart and I've rarely had rattling work at any point during the season. Grunting and the can I have had luck with but I RARELY blind call. Since I got the buck roar last year I have had lots more reponse to the grunting and I believe that the deer rarely heard the True Talker that i used for years. There are lots of cattle close by and I swear that when the deer hear my can call they think its a cow. lol
I will carry my rattling antlers with me, but it is only a last ditch effort. I don't do any blind calling of any kind. I do not have much luck or experience with post rut hunting. I have only seen two nice bucks in December, and neither were in range. Heck I haven't even had a crack at a doe hunting during this time.
