So good this year?? I have not had much luck at all with rattling in the past, just very little !! But this year I had five episodes where Rattling worked. I killed my buck this via rattling. It puzzles me so much it is driving me crazy trying to come up with answeres so I can better apply them in the future but Im drawing a blank HELP!! Why so much better this season. I have seen no indication that the Doe to buck ratio was any different thoughts! Or does luck play a HUGH factor here?
I find for me it is very hit or miss and could not correlate it to high buck populations. Ex. The days rattling works for me, it will work in multiple areas I hunt. The days it does not....I can cover a mile with no results. Not sure why yet. Maybe your thread will help me as well.
Things to me have to be perfect or close to It for rattling to work I believe. This year I'm 0 for 10 rattling, absolutely terrible percentages eh?? This Is the 1st year ever that I haven't rattled a buck In. Not exactly sure why either. Last Thursday evening when I went to my stand to hunt I found a spot 50 yards or so to the east from my stand where 2 bucks went at It real good. There was an area about 40'x40' with deep dig marks and dirt kicked up on the snow that surrounded the circle. It happened after It snowed that morning In the light, SOB anyway I wish I would've been there!!
Rattling = letting mature buck know exactly where I am:D That is how it works in MI, LOL It's all about timing and I have no idea when the "right" time is to rattle.
It did help that when he did show a Big ten and a Hot Doe was standing there to :D sounds like it is just timing and luck!!
Same here Gary!!! When I first started rattling 15-16yrs ago, it was awesome, unfortunately, I was either a bad shot, or set up with other hunters who didn't have restraint, and I never arrowed a buck rattling in the first few years, but once people heard about the technique, every Tom, ****, and Harry got a set of horns and rattle the tines off of them, thus educating the deer to what it is. Overcalling ruins "calling" in general!!
i am hit and miss on rattling... its worked sometimes but then others seems like they take off. not to bust the thread but what are you guys using to rattle, maybe that makes a difference bag or device VS antlers (dont have to be real) i use the bag
One of the properties I hunted this year, there weren't a lot of does which creates compitition between the bucks. Rattling worked well there. At my other property all I have ever rattled in is young bucks looking to watch a fight.Doe population on the 2nd place is better.
Combination of both. seconds after rattling a Doe came into view skirting me, she suddenly changed directions and came right at me. I hear grunting from the big Ten that was comming to rattling seconds before, he had made her change directions and she comes directly under me while he stood at 15 facing me and I couldnt shoot. Big guy shows up from another direction and the big ten runs like nobodys buisness :D Big guy comes to where Doe was standing under me, he follows her back trail and I shoot It played out great with the Doe and intruder buck being there already!!
