Calling and Ratteling Blacktails

[lokidog]

I just don't know about these blacktail.  I've not spent as much time around them as many on here but, having 8 fawns born in my backyard on my 1/3 acre in the past 3 years, I've been around them a bit.  I can honestly say, bucks, dows, fawns, I have NEVER heard any of them make a sound, ever.  I just don't know

The fawns make a lot of "noise" around here.  We had one out back this summer just  whining away and its mom would just look into the woods at it and just keep eating.  I guess even they get sick of their kids whining too.

I've tried the can in years past but have not ever noticed anything coming in to it.

[lokidog]

After my second rattling sequence this morning, I had one come running out of a neighbor's property, across the road toward me, then disappeared within twenty yards.  I thought I saw it was a spike with a small fork staring on one side but did not get a good look at him through the trees from my stand.  About a half hour later I could hear two deer approaching my position from opposite sides when a spike came by on a mission right toward the trail I could hear the other deer on.  A half hour later, the spike came back looking around the area and offered me a couple of shots but I already had a doe on the ground this morning and am hoping for a bigger buck for my first tag.

[DoubleJ]

The 7 year old and I rattled in a doe and a fawn this morning.  Probably just a coincidence but, fun to imagine I had something to do with it.

[vaz,,66]

Its work for sure maybe not like for a wight tail deer but its work, i did used bleat can and a grant tube as well and i had a respond
for both of them.

[TheHunt]

Here is a few bones that I will throw you.

1. Boyd has lots of knowledge search and you will find.  If you look hard and do not find anything send me a PM.
2. Rattling is kind of a weird science on Blacktails.  Those SOB's will stop coming when you stop rattling. I have seen it.  Your set up will make you or break you.  Having a cliff or a huge rock to your back makes the deer come to you.  Anything else those smart buggers will hook you and smell ya.  Do that too much and they will not come in.   Rattle loud and make a racket and if you do not have a huge object or tons of blow down you are going to be scewed.  So set up is very important... 
3. The grunt tube is used but not too much. 

[FLIZZ]

Rattle for 30 to 45 seconds, try to picture actual sparring match while doing this, it will help the realism of your rattling, wait a half hour or so and repeat if nothing shows up. I rattled in a bunch of hot doe's this season (looking to get railed), and where there are doe's there are bucks.  Primos rattle bag seems to work for me, and keep your movement to a minimum.  also, dont waist your time with a grunt tube or anything like that, never had success with that kind of stuff. happy rattling! you cant beat rattling a deer in,  regardless of if its a doe!

[gonehuntin68]

Rattle for 30 to 45 seconds, try to picture actual sparring match while doing this, it will help the realism of your rattling, wait a half hour or so and repeat if nothing shows up. I rattled in a bunch of hot doe's this season (looking to get railed), and where there are doe's there are bucks.  Primos rattle bag seems to work for me, and keep your movement to a minimum.  also, dont waist your time with a grunt tube or anything like that, never had success with that kind of stuff. happy rattling! you cant beat rattling a deer in,  regardless of if its a doe!

haha get railed       nice

[donimator]

I disagree with the grunt tubes not working.  A few years ago, I was walking an old overgrown road and had a buck grunt, snort, bash trees etc.  I never did see him and could not answer his call.  That night I picked up a primos grunt tube and went back the next day.  I was walking the road SUPER SLOW and blowing the call very lightly every few minutes.  Then my mind started playing tricks on me when I thought I heard a grunt back!  Well, after 5 minutes of mimicing the deer grunting back at me and walking down the road a little farther, he came charging out ready for a fight.  Shot the deer at 10ft with my 30-06.  It was only a forked horn, but to this day one of the most exciting hunts ever.

I fully believe that without the grunt call, he would not have come out of the thick brush.  T

[BOWHUNTER45]

I disagree with the grunt tubes not working.  A few years ago, I was walking an old overgrown road and had a buck grunt, snort, bash trees etc.  I never did see him and could not answer his call.  That night I picked up a primos grunt tube and went back the next day.  I was walking the road SUPER SLOW and blowing the call very lightly every few minutes.  Then my mind started playing tricks on me when I thought I heard a grunt back!  Well, after 5 minutes of mimicing the deer grunting back at me and walking down the road a little farther, he came charging out ready for a fight.  Shot the deer at 10ft with my 30-06.  It was only a forked horn, but to this day one of the most exciting hunts ever.

I fully believe that without the grunt call, he would not have come out of the thick brush.  T

  if you go in the woods without a grunt tube this time of year then you are seriously missing out  I have grunted many blacktail in and not just bucks but does too!!!

[FLIZZ]

I stand corrected!

[bow4elk]

Thanks for the props, AK!  I have two seminars this weekend at Cabela's in Lacey.  I posted about it in the Events forum: http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,86703.0.html

I will tell anyone attempting to rattle or call blacktails that it takes patience and above all else, the correct timing of the sounds you make with the rut phase you happen to be hunting in.  I will break this down in detail this weekend and will be doing demos to help illustrate my approach. And for the record, I don't consider myself an expert by any stretch; I'm just a dedicated student of these deer and am continually learning.  Like many people, I'm still trying to get to the level where I can tag a mature buck on a regular basis.  I've known Boyd Iverson for nearly 20 years and in all our discussions on the topic, it's clear that there is no magic bullet that will "flip the switch".  It requires effort and constant focus year-round, which is what I'm striving to do.  I hope to see you there!

[bow4elk]

as for vocalizations, they are still deer and they make the same deer sounds as whitetails.  But, as some have suggested, much quieter than whitetails.  I would agree.  I had forkies snort-wheezing within several feet of my ground blind last year and if I was 30-40 yards away, I'd not have heard it. Bucks tend to grunt very softly and doe bleats are muted as well.  A fawn bawl can work magic.  The primos can is pretty good for this even though it says it's an estrous bleat.  It's all about timing and the mood of deer within earshot.  Just like a bull elk that will run at the sound of a cow call, so will bucks at the sound of a bleat, rattling, fawn bawls, etc....or they might pile into your lap!

[bow4elk]

And don't forget that does want to be bred by dominant bucks, and will often come into rattling or soft grunts. Between the last week in October and through DECEMBER (yes, December) they will often have a buck in tow.  I've killed a few this way, both does and bucks.

[bow4elk]

And for what it's worth, a telemetry study in Texas (on whitetails of coarse) showed that a very high percentage of bucks responded favorably and closed the distance toward the sound of the rattling, but only 33% of those bucks were visibly seen during the study.

Now think about what we contend with here west of the Cascades with all the thick understory.  I've busted a number of bucks while getting up to move to another location.

[longstevo]

So, now throwing more scenarios into the mix...

What works best during the post rut in early December?