Rattling for whitetail this weekend?

[MichelD]

I'm headed up to Region 3 for the weekend.

Should be in whitetail country.

Should I bring my rattling antlers?

I've tried them many times for mule deer and it has never worked.

What about those doe-in-heat cans? Do they attract does or bucks?

[s0ylentgreen]

i tried to bring in some whitey big boys from 400 yards away a couple days ago

they looked in my general direction in disgust.........

[Glenny]

Tried to rattle using that bag of sticks that you roll in your hands. Scared the shit out of the deer. Ran snorting and squealing for about 3 km.

[Steeleco]

My guess is it's too early for these tricks, they know the girls are not ready and it's a trick!

[J_T]

Rattling antlers is a pre-rut activity. It is difficult to be effective and successful.

[butcher]

Watched bucks chasing does over the last three days. Rubbing and scraping as well.

[Stillhunting]

I've had success bringing in bucks and does of both mule deer and white-tailed deer while rattling, but later in the season.

[Wrayzer]

Earliest I've rattled a mule in was Oct 24. Latest was a whitetail Nov 21. Should work anytime now.

[Looking_4_Jerky]

Not very conclusive, but spent some time rattling yesterday in a spot where we had been previously successful rattling and generally see whities. No visitors yet. Did see some rubs around though. Things should be happening soon.

I've rattled in mule deer, and have friends that have had more success than me too. I haven't spent a lot of time doing it, but the consensus amongst us is that it seems less reliable than on WT. It seems that one particular friend who uses an antler to rake trees in combination with grunting seems to have the most consistent response from MD.

[swampthing]

Rattling works. It is more pre rut than full rut as the bucks sort out the pecking order. More into the rut is less effective as only the biggest bucks fight during the peak of the rut.

[Lukeez88]

I rattled in a 3 pt whitey last season on dec 6. This seems very late from what I hear from others. Do you think it had anything to do with a second wave of rut??

[J_T]

Rattling works. It is more pre rut than full rut as the bucks sort out the pecking order. More into the rut is less effective as only the biggest bucks fight during the peak of the rut.in most cases this is accurate from my observations.

Regarding the 3 pt coming in to rattling in December, what I think you are observing is a young buck looking for someone to spend the winter with. Still good result for rattling late.

[boxhitch]

the consensus amongst us is that it seems less reliable than on WT. It seems that one particular friend who uses an antler to rake trees in combination with grunting seems to have the most consistent response from MD. I concur.
The two species have very different behavioral traits, study those some to understand better what works and why, it will make things easier to predict.

[doubled]

I use scent more than noise. Tink 69 seems to work well. Put cotton balls on paperclips out in a circle around your blind and a drop or two of the scent. I don't know how many times I have seen bucks with their nose to the ground heading straight in.

[lovemywinchester]

Looking back through my licenses I rattled in WT on the following dates: Nov 27, Nov 24. I rattled in one two years ago the last week of Nov as well but didn't get him. That's a full month from now so you may be wasting your time for whities but I would never say don't try. I think you may attract a mulie right now with the rattles. My buddy watched two mulies scrapping hard two weeks ago and shot one of them so they are bumping heads out there for sure.

[wicket]

i have always had the most success rattling whitetails the last week of oct. This is in ontario where the density isnt high and i would say the areas i have hunted in BC would be very similar to those i hunted in region 3 regarding numbers. Take from this what you will.
Some deer come running in where i barely had time to pick up my recurve and shoot and some deer sneak in curious but cautious. I always start off a sequence lightly and then work up the into a battle. I would say most of my kills have come from imitating 2 deer sparing.
good luck
wicket

[Elkchaser]

I save rattling for WT for early December bow hunt or last week November rifle. It produces, but if your not in a treestand you should be rattling with a shooter 50-75 metres down wind. Using timbered and ridged terrain is best. Combined with doe can calls, in a pre-arranged, timed sequence.

[takla1]

I save rattling for WT for early December bow hunt or last week November rifle. It produces, but if your not in a treestand you should be rattling with a shooter 50-75 metres down wind. Using timbered and ridged terrain is best. Combined with doe can calls, in a pre-arranged, timed sequence.
Ive shot 2 blacktails using this exact tactic.Both region 2 buck 2nd week od nov.

takla

[Sitkaspruce]

Rattled in last years buck on Nov 23, rattled in and shot my biggest WT on Nov 20 and rattled in a couple more on Nov 11.....so to me it can't hurt, I always give them a smash or two to see what happens.

Cheers

SS