rattling in blacktails

[whackmaster 93]

have any of u guys ever tryed rattling in blacktails? im thinking about trying it the last few days of rifle season. or would it be a waste of time?

[NW-GSP]

I have been thinking about trying it also but have never done it

[whackmaster 93]

i have heard of people trying it. i know it works for whitetail

[Mt.Man]

what are you talking about it dont work at all

[lokidog]

My boy and I rattled last week and had a deer, not sure if it was a buck, sneak up behind us and spook before I could see it.

Might try tomorrow for fun with the video camera if it's not raining.

[Mt.Man]

thats neat it never worked for me

[Rainstorm Hunter]

I have rattled in the past for blacktail, and the majority of the time I have deer come in to check things out.  I am sure I will try it sometime in the next week or so.  I am far from perfecting it but rattling can be very effective if you do it somewhat correctly at the right time.

[nwdp]

It works, I have called in two blacktails.  I try bleats and grunts first then rattle if they don't work.

[madmack76]

it works if you hit the rut at the right time

[FLIZZ]

Just go for it! the anticipation is fun even if nothing comes in, although I have never had a buck come in, I have had several does show up looking curious, where the does are the backs wont be far behind. hard for a minute or so, wait half hour and try again.

[deerhunter_98520]

I rattled in and shot a decent fork horn last year so it does work

[rasbo]

it dont work,so dont waste your time

[Tree Killer]

It might work now and then?   

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Holy moly im goin rattilin!!! But i surely wont tell anyone how i got a buck!

[PolarBear]

It does work.  The kid and I will be ratting up a buck for her this weekend. 

[scout/sniper]

thats neat it never worked for me

I'm guessing I've accomplished a lot of things that didn't work for you 

[Chappyk16]

It really depends on the pressure of them, and how far in rut it is.  It has worked a couple times (it seems) for me, and other times rattle when i saw two bucks and they didnt even pick up there heads to even look

[deadwoodbuck]

ive ratteled in more hunters than deer

[WSU]

I tried a few times and managed to rattle in a decent 2 point.  I haven't given it much of a try, but have to say that it worked pretty well given the effort I put into it.

[Ripper]

I never rattled one in the deer in my avatar came after a few soft fawn bleats. That was just this last Sunday. I used one of Ricks calls

[skagitsteel]

ive ratteled in more hunters than deer

I have wondered how often that would happen!

[ELKBURGER]

Holy Smokes Tree Killer! You've gotten your self some dandies!

[Fishstiq]

I never rattled one in the deer in my avatar came after a few soft fawn bleats. That was just this last Sunday. I used one of Ricks calls

Forgive my ignorance, I'm the new guy.  Do you have a link to Rick's calls?  I know it's on the board somewhere...  Any recommendations on witch blacktail calls would be the best investment?

[Wild Bill]

It might work now and then?   

Knew this was coming...
You kill one yet?   I imagine you already taken several photos....
Waiting patiently...
WB

[lokidog]

Awesome series of bucks there Wild Bill!!

Tried a couple days ago and nothing.  Might go out in a bit and see what I can do in the neighbor's orchard since there have been a couple bucks working the does the last couple evenings.

[rasbo]

damn fine bucks there,with a stick and a string

[MuleySniper]

  Pretty cool rattling them in!

[blacktailer]

Holy Smokes Tree Killer! You've gotten your self some dandies!

Yeah That.  I'll take your word for it....

[Wild Bill]

Awesome series of bucks there Wild Bill!!

Tried a couple days ago and nothing.  Might go out in a bit and see what I can do in the neighbor's orchard since there have been a couple bucks working the does the last couple evenings.

Not mine good sir.... I wish.... I call them in with hours afield, bulging eyeballs, and worn out boot leather
I see Tree Killers bucks and his rattle expertise pop up yearly on other sites.

Either ways, I will take that as good wishes for my future hunting endeavors
WB

[Highcountry360]

 Holy smokes TreeKiller! Nice bucks I think your rattling horns are bigger than my biggest Blacktail lol! If your hunting archery, then you must be rattling them in post rut huh? Since late archery opens post rut. I've had awesome success with the primos can call. Horns I know work but I personally haven't had success yet.

[AKBowman]

Holy smokes TreeKiller! Nice bucks I think your rattling horns are bigger than my biggest Blacktail lol! If your hunting archery, then you must be rattling them in post rut huh? Since late archery opens post rut. I've had awesome success with the primos can call. Horns I know work but I personally haven't had success yet.

Not in OR it doesn't. I should move

[buckfvr29]

It works, I've brought in a few that way. The first one I ever put on the ground was overlooking a big clear cut. There was
a road that wrapped all the way around it. After about 1/2 hour of it I had a 3X4 at 75 yards. He was coming right to me, on a bead, and had to cross the road with hunters goin' up an down it to get to me. It wasn't a coincidence, he was comin' to the rattling. Did throw in some grunts too. Even better if you can find an area with a good doe population. Good luck!

[Jonathan_S]

Glad to hear it works for some people, I never had much luck with rattling blacktails

[kentrek]

If your hunting archery, then you must be rattling them in post rut huh? Since late archery opens post rut.

also early archery..the very pre rut bucks are really sizing each other up an often spare.. ive watched bucks rattle in other bucks in September

[brokenvet]

It was not working for me this past weekend in Vail

[big wood]

I am impressed tree killer. with a recurve to boot!!!!!!

[Bowflinger]

kentrek has a solid point, best chances of rattling a blacktail is in early pre-rut. Black tails are aren't as aggressive as white tails. Blacktails work out the pecking order before the rut by sparing in pre-rut. They don't "fight to the death" like a white tail during the peak-rut of it unless you stumble on 2 bruisers on one hot doe. Early pre-rut rattling might bring in a curious bucks, I'm not saying it doesn't ever work during peak rut, but personally I steer clear of it and stick to the does. They will bring in bucks better than we can.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Treekiller ...thats awesome ..some fine bucks you got there 

[PolarBear]

It worked for my daughter on Sunday. 

[Highcountry360]

 The best video I've seen on rattling Blacktails is by Ed Shelby a guide out of Kitsap. That dude gets some nice deer by rattling.

[lokidog]

Yesterday, I went to the neighbor's and hid overlooking their old orchard.  There were several does and a couple of fawns bedded and feeding.  I hit the rattle bag gently and you would think I lit a rocket in every one of those deer's rears... they were out of there so fast!  I stayed for a little while and nothing showed up. 

One of the backyard bucks showed up yesterday with a broken anler tine so they are definitely sparring out there.

[Tree Killer]

Thanks guys!  Been pretty lucky over the years when it comes to hunting blacktails with a bow.  Oregon's late season used to start around the 8th to the 12th of November up north, but it doesn't begin till the Saturday before Thanksgiving nowadays.

I've rattled bucks in from Oct 22nd to Jan. 6th.  Killed my largest blacktail on Oct. 28th, 1996 with a rifle.

You have to have confidence and patience, that's my best advice.  Plus I worked in the woods for almost 40 years and made mental notes everytime I found big buck rubs or big buck sheds of interest. 

I prefer the larger antlers over the smaller antlers I started with because they're louder and have a "ring" that carries through the wet, thick brush and timber much better....and, they just bring in more bucks for me then the smaller antlers used to.

I know that some guys use calls in conjunction with their rattling, I used to, but don't anymore. The bucks are tuned into the sound of antlers and if they're going to respond, they will.  It doesn't work every time, or ever day, but if go out with confidence and keep trying you'll eventually bring in a rutted up stinky with his ears laid back and hair on end.

BTW...if any of you guys are trying to rattle during a rifle season, please wear your hunter orange!  It's not required in Oregon and several years ago a guy got shot when another hunter heard him and saw the antlers moving in the brush. 

Gotta go check trailcams and hang a treestand this morning.

Good luck and have fun!

[Griiz]

Thanks guys!  Been pretty lucky over the years when it comes to hunting blacktails with a bow.  Oregon's late season used to start around the 8th to the 12th of November up north, but it doesn't begin till the Saturday before Thanksgiving nowadays.

I've rattled bucks in from Oct 22nd to Jan. 6th.  Killed my largest blacktail on Oct. 28th, 1996 with a rifle.

You have to have confidence and patience, that's my best advice.  Plus I worked in the woods for almost 40 years and made mental notes everytime I found big buck rubs or big buck sheds of interest. 

I prefer the larger antlers over the smaller antlers I started with because they're louder and have a "ring" that carries through the wet, thick brush and timber much better....and, they just bring in more bucks for me then the smaller antlers used to.

I know that some guys use calls in conjunction with their rattling, I used to, but don't anymore. The bucks are tuned into the sound of antlers and if they're going to respond, they will.  It doesn't work every time, or ever day, but if go out with confidence and keep trying you'll eventually bring in a rutted up stinky with his ears laid back and hair on end.

BTW...if any of you guys are trying to rattle during a rifle season, please wear your hunter orange!  It's not required in Oregon and several years ago a guy got shot when another hunter heard him and saw the antlers moving in the brush. 

Gotta go check trailcams and hang a treestand this morning.

Good luck and have fun!

Thanks for the advice TreeKiller. It would be nice to hear some more tips, as we know you are a big buck killer.

[stickbuck]

Tree killer, those are some outstanding blackies. It looks like you have it dialed in.

[deadyote]

When you gus are rattling, are you in a clearcut, repord, or timber?  I have tried a few times and nothing, but I am assuming it is like coyote hunting, in that you need to be persestent. 

[shorbino]

This was the first year that it worked for me.  I had a week to hunt after Thanksgiving (Nov. 26-Dec. 1), and decided to give it a go after some encouragement on our site.

I tended to mix rattling every 15 minutes or so (at about 40 seconds per rattle), with some grunts from primos 'Buck Roar', and a wheeze or two thrown in there.  I scraped the trees, as well as hit the ground.  P.S.  I used the bag, not the real horns - I read an article from a guy who said he never used the real thing and said he got better results.  I rattled in 2 that I saw, and I'm certain that I rattled in one more - each day for 3 days.

On day 1, I rattled in a 2 pt, with eye guards.  It took me around 1 1/2 hours from when I heard him first below me from about 110 yards up a hill.  I think that he was being cautious, and eventually presented a shot.  REMEMBER, if they come in, they're looking for a fight and are on high alert.  All it took was the movement of my hand - I WAS ALL CAMOED UP - and it spooked him.  He took off until he heard my grunt and then gave me a broadside shot - I took it.  Unfortunately, with everything else to remember, he had slipped from 40 to 60 yards, and I didn't adjust to consider how far he had gone away.

Day 2, I rattled in a buck that I'm not sure how big he was.  It was on the exact same hill, only 150 yards from the previous evening.  He came in at 80 yards behind me, was snorting and in an effort to get him to fight, I snorted back.  HUGE MISTAKE - didn't see him again, and needless to say, I'll grunt at a deer that's ready to fight, but never wheeze again.

Day 3, I was in my tree stand, on a fairly open side of a hill.  Same hill - opposite side.  It was so cold that I was visibly shaking and I'm certain that's why I never got that last one to show his head.  After 2 hours of almost freezing, I got down from the stand and abandoned it for the week.  That was the only time that I used my stand.

For the rest of the week, I sat quietly and hoped one would cross me up.  Didn't happen.

Next year I plan on rattling again.  Things I'm going to change:  First, more people in the area I'm rattling.  It was just me and another guy on private land, and we are certain that there were deer galore in there.  It's about a 4 square mile area, and it's just too hard to work areas by yourself or with only one other guy.  Second, I'm going to be in a more dense area as I rattle.  Remember, the deer are LOOKING FOR YOU!  You've got to hide as well as possible so that they don't see you.

I think i'm a believer, and I'm looking forward to giving it a try again.