rattling in blacktails

[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.