It can be in the right situation. If you have a good buck-to-doe ratio and pound the horns together during the right time, it can be some of the hottest action you ever have. At the same time, you can beat those horns all day and never see a deer. It is sort of like playing the lottery. I start rattling (lightly) just after halloween, getting more aggressive as we get deeper into Nov. When you do rattle, always be ready. What I mean is, before you rattle know exactly where you are put your horns if one shows up quickly and have your bow so you can get to it quickly. There are times when they will come in hard and fast right to your tree. However, at other times they will slowly try to work down wind of you. You have to be prepared for a hard fast guy, and slow cautious guy before you put the horns together.
kickin buck said It good! It's a huge timing thing and If everything Is perfect It could be very exciting!! I shot my biggest buck by rattling him In, It was a very exciting hunt. When I rattle I rattle semi aggressive (not to hard but not to soft either). I do 3 short rattles with each one lasting about 3 minutes or so. I'll then wait a good half hour or so and try It again. When my buck came In I was on my 3rd try that evening. He beat the living heck out of a bush before he came Into me.
I've never had a lot of luck with them. That doesn't mean I don't still carry and try them. Like the guys above said, got to be the right time and like with any call type thing, expect it to work......meaning be ready.
I killed a decent buck in 2007 by rattling right after sun-up. I set up in place that a lot of does were using the first week or November. I got in a good while before dark and just sat. Five minutes after sun-up I lightly rattled (deer are spooky in my area) for about 20 seconds. About a minute or so later I see a buck and a doe together walking my way. The buck actually leaves the doe and walks toward me. He gave me a 7 yard broadside shot and I nailed him. I also shot another smaller 6 pointer in 2007 by lightly rattling. I rattled for only 20 seconds or so as the winds were calm and I didn't want to spook everything in the woods. About 5 minutes later a small 6 point came in pretty quick. The buck came in and started to work a scrape I had found just that day. After he worked the scrape for awhile he walked past me and gave me an 8-10 yard shot. I also rattle this year the day before Halloween. I told myself I was going into a spot I waited all of October to finally hunt and that I would rattle like crazy. I got on stand about 5 hours before sun-down. I waited 30 minutes before the woods calmed down before I rattled. This time I rattled like hell for 30 seconds. About a minute or so later a bruiser of a buck came charging up a hill. He circled me to try and get downwind but I was too far down wind for him to smell. As he circled he was 20 yards off and about 2 yards from coming out of the cover. For some odd reason the wind just barely shifted and a cross wind shot past him. He tightened up and walked back a step or two before bolting! I was bummed. I still don't rattle much but it seems I am gaining a better understanding of the timing of it all.
In my area, west central Wi it really doesn't work well the buck to doe ratio is out of whack. I have had does and a few small bucks come to the can though.
I've never had much luck in my area. I actually haven't taken them with me for the past two seasons. I feel that over the past few years, our buck-to-doe ratio is steadily growing out of balance, so that may have something to do with it. I'm becoming less and less "vocal" while on stand nowadays.
