Rattling whitetails

[Heredoggydoggy]

When I was on my deer stand, a squirrel ran up to 6' away and sat looking at me.  I muttered quietly: "You start chattering at me, and I'll shoot you!"  he turned and went about his business and never made a sound... 

[3fingersunder]

3nails
Great topic! Rattlin is something I'm passionate about!

There is nothing like it! When you have one of those big boys coming in with his head low, ears back , hair on his back standing strait up, kicking dirt on a flat out  charge! You've experienced won of those awe inspiring moments in the wild that keeps us going back! I had one buck come in so fast I barely had time to get the gun up! missed him when he came barreling past me at about 4' close enough to see the raw aggression in his eye! He was looking for a battle! shook me up so bad I had to sit and recover from shock!

I completely agree with your technique. They won't come in aggressive if your not in the brush. Even then most times they sneak in and when you get up to leave you hear them thump off. Ive always still hunted between rattling stations but I like your idea of going directly to your rattling station and trying not to see a deer on the way there. Have you developed any techniques for those circling bucks ? I can hear the buck circling me to get down wind but if I move he sees the movement and leaves in a hurry! Any advice would be appreciated.

[3nails]

 I try and use terrain to keep that from happening. The vast majority of places I rattle are in steep country where they are not going to give up real estate to get down wind. I also don't want the buck who is concerned about it. It's the one comming in with his ears laid back and hair standing that I want. In the brush, try and set up to where if they try and circle they'll expose themselves. The circling buck is concerned about a butt kicking where as the dominant buck wants to get straight to the fight.
 A few years ago in Idaho I got busted twice with antlers in my hands. The first time one charged in and out before I could do anything. The next time I just looked to my right and there was a bick buck staring me down at thirty yds. I dropped the antlers, grabbed my gun and missed him. That was the year I learned to pause for 3-4 seconds for every 20+- seconds of rattling to listen. It's hard to hear over the rattling. I almost always hear them comming now before I see them. There's nothing like the "King Kong" buck who comes in knocking down trees, running into dead falls, straight through brush, etc.  Can't wait for next year!

[3nails]

3fingers, if you have pics of bucks you've rattled in post them!

[MuleyJam]

I would sure love to hear some if your techniques.  Send me a p.m.

[3fingersunder]

3nails
I tried to send to send you a private message but for some reason it doesn't want to go through.
I can't post any pics of any bucks I've killed rattling because I haven't killed any rattling. I've had two shots at big bucks that have come in and Ive missed them both!!
I've passed on other small bucks.  I killed a good buck in washington last season and a good buck in Idaho last season. The wa. Buck I killed snow tracking ( another tactic i love)and the Id. Buck I ambushed. The Idaho buck looks like a twin to the buck that you have on the wall. It has the same split brow tine on the left and wide brow tine on the right. Send me a PM and I'll try to send you some pics i will get someone to help me figure out how to send them

[3nails]

 I am thinking about doing a rattling class/seminar later this summer. If anyone would be interested let me know so I can figure out how big of an area we'll need. I'll probably do it even if only 5 hunters are interested. There's just too much to it to share online.

[shanevg]

I'd definitely be interested!

[lucky33]

Where is this class happening at....?

[TommyH]

I am thinking about doing a rattling class/seminar later this summer. If anyone would be interested let me know so I can figure out how big of an area we'll need. I'll probably do it even if only 5 hunters are interested. There's just too much to it to share online.

Would love to learn something new! Im in!

[LittleJohn]

I would be in for sure!!

[3nails]

I should probably start a new thread for this idea.

[coyotecrazy]

Sold,, I'm in

[Alan K]

I am thinking about doing a rattling class/seminar later this summer. If anyone would be interested let me know so I can figure out how big of an area we'll need. I'll probably do it even if only 5 hunters are interested. There's just too much to it to share online.

When and where, my dad and I will surely attend if you'd have us!  We've been hunting Idaho whitetails since I attended UI, but just last year attempted rattling for the first time. Not really knowing what I was doing, I got into my stand (not new to this), and waited for an hour to let things chill out a bit.  Rattled for about a 30 second off and on sequence, and had a spike creep in about 3-4 minutes later. I (somewhat embarrassed to admit) let the air out of him.  Partially because he was the first deer I've rattled in, but also because the snow had melted, we had one day left to hunt, and I was going to take home some delicious WT meat for the second $300 tag in my pocket!

It was AWESOME, and I hope to soak up all the information I can on it!

[splitshot]

  where are you located?   sounds like a good time.  mike w