rattling?

[StevenHuston]

does rattling work? should i try rattling when there are not alot of bucks? will it work in December or just the rut?

[Moving2thecountry]

It didn't work for me, but I will probably try again.

[22lex]

You can try rattling, but if you don't have a muzzleloader, I wouldn't suggest it this time of the year.

First off, when you rattle the deer is going to try and approach you from the downwind side. If you are bowhunting that distance will be far greater than any of us could ever make a shot unless your stand site is located with an open field, or some type of natural barrier to your downwind side creating a pinch point that "lures" the buck within an adequate bow range. Also this time of the year the bucks are a little more weary, and have more than likely had an encounter or two (or smell) of another hunter which already has them on edge.
 
I am muzzleload hunting right now, so every now and then I give a tickle of the horns just loud enough to get a bucks attention which hopefully brings them within 100 yards of me.

[HUNTER2]

I would say forget the rattle and go with the fawn or doe bleets. The bucks are still looking for the does that didn't get bred. If I rattle it is before the rut when they are marking and fighting for there teritory.

[deadeye]

If your are looking for does, leave the rattlers at home.  Over the past few years I have seen numerous does blast out of the area when they hear the horns rattle.  Maybe I'm not good at it but they certianly don't like my imitation of a fight.  This year I rattled only twice.  Once two does (50 yds away, I didn't know they were there) jumped up and bolted away.  Another time I just caught the tail of one leaving the area.  For the record, I have never seen a buck in the distance and rattled him in.  I may have had a buck come in 5-10 minutes after rattling but then you never know if he was comming anyway.  Good luck and good hunting.

[HD]

I would stay away from the rattling now.
I have done it, and have had success....just not as much this late in the game.
Most of the time it's the aggressivness of the rattle that you do at certain time of the season.
(To much at the wrong time will just scare the deer away)

[Jdrummer]

Not to "high jack" the thread but do any of u use the "call in a can" I have the "long" can and it doesnt seem to work?

[HD]

I bought a "can" (the short green one)

I tried it several times and never had anything come to it except seperated fawns.
(the ones looking for mama)

That's about it for me though....

[22lex]

I bought a "can" (the short green one)

I tried it several times and never had anything come to it except seperated fawns.
(the ones looking for mama)

That's about it for me though....

Ditto on that one HD! Little buggers is it.

[StevenHuston]

will a fawn distress call work for this time of year?

[MTCOMMER]

will a fawn distress call work for this time of year?

Personally, at this point in the season its hit or miss.  Its better to use them earlier in the season, so with that I would saw you shouldnt use it. However, you never know that deer will respond to, I was wrestling with a bag of cough drops when my big buck came walking by, so sometimes you can get lucky.
If you are sitting out in the woods and not seeing anything, it cant hurt to use the distress call, but my vote is that it will most likely not work as well at this point in the season. 

If you are trying for that doe, I wouldnt use anything, but I dont know your situation.  If you are trying for a buck, I would say go with some Acorn, or some sort of food scent, or some doe urine (try to get a buck that is still looking to mate, or is looking to mate again)  That is my 2 cents!

 

[22lex]

will a fawn distress call work for this time of year?

It sure does for coyotes this time of the year! 

[Scoop]

The second rut is a good time to rattle,not as many doe's in heat and the bucks that are looking are doing what ever they can to get that last piece of ass. But if the buck to doe ratio in your area is out of wack rattling will never work.