rattling...lets learn

[WoodOx]

any tips, tricks, or techniques to get mulies to respond to rattling?

Id like to learn - do rattling bags work, or stick with the real thing?

size of antlers work? should they be fresh(er)?

[boxhitch]

I have seen M bucks in the same area I have been rattling, but never that I could say were coming to me. Usually spotted about 5 minutes after getting up to move location. Doh !

[Rattler]

I have rattled in a few Muleys now - they aren't near as aggressive as whitetails. The ones I have rattled in, were young 2-3 year old bucks and I always use a rattling and deer calling combination (grunt tube). Don't rattle too long and have patience. I usually wait 20 minutes.

Rattle in the timber where you are finding sign or on the edge of a small opening and make sure the wind is in your favour.

Good luck!

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I've rattled in several muley bucks and 3 of them were 160"+.....with a rattlebag....can't beat the convenience of a small package.

I usually start off with raking and grunting and if that doesn't work then I progress to rattling.
I've called in waaaaaaaaay more mulies than whities. The does that I've called in have been suicidal....but where there are does......

I usually set up on a perch with a good vantage spot.


SSS

[dave_fras]

ive called in a ton of whiteys... never tried for mulies tho.... ive also tried rattle bags.. but i would much rather use the real thing just because i use the horns to rake the ground and trees... i usually go for 3 or 4 min... then wait about 20and i always start off with the softer rattling session

[sawmill]

The bag is pretty good and a lot easier than packin a set of antlers.If you do use horn I cut the brow tines off,saves on smashed fingers.Fresher sheds have a better sound than old bleached ones.

[3kills]

i rattled two white tail does out of the timber last year with a rattle bag i was out in the middle of a field and had seen a buck walk into the tiber a few hundred yards away and i was just curious to see what would happen so i rattled a big and blew on my grunt tube a bit and these two does come bustin out of the timber at 90 miles an hour

[BCrams]

I've rattled in quite a few muleys. Can't say any were 'shooters' in my eyes though. It definatly does work. I prefer to rake a tree and grunt first with the odd doe call mixed in and sit tight.

[budismyhorse]

The biggest thing I have learned while rattling is the hardest part for me personally....patience.

I've found that bucks slip in more often than you hear them thunder in. Can't count how many I've spooked the second I stand up. Usually the larger ones.

a few years ago I started chaining myself to the ground and finally started seeing more bucks....

PRE-RUT works "best", but can pull deer in at any time.

The bucks will come downwind to catch your scent, get a buddy located to intercept those bucks and switch it up each setting, you will have a lot more fun.

[boxhitch]

Rattle bag huh ? I may have to change tactics. I use a set of 22" four-point antlers. Big lure = big fish
Grunt/rattled in a WT spike this A.M., he crashed in, from direct down wind, stepping in my boot tracks for over 50 yards. Young = dumb, or maybe just a real scrapper.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

They certainly do sometimes sneak in.

One huge-bodied muley that I called-in came in quiet(he was up and across a canyon). He came walking in and stood broadside.... motionless for over 20 minutes. He was 295 yds away but I could not count points as his antlers were back-dropped by a bush that was similar color(I forgot my spotter that day:-(). He never even twitched the entire time. Finally, he moved and I could see he was a big 4 pt. ...I got ready but he immediately bedded at the base of a clump of deciduous trees(300yds). All I could see was his white muzzle and one eyeball.....no chance for a shot.

I watched him patiently for sometime but the daylight was starting to fade. I kept expecting him to get up but he didn't move a muscle......so I raked over a bush...nothing...just turned his head my direction...and the back..............raked harder...same response.......rattled...same response.......whistled at him...same response..........yelled at him("Hey Stand up you big buck so I can shoot you!!!").....same response....this guy was as cool as a cucumber.........finally, as the light was fading hard, I decided I would send a bullet right into the ground beside him(off to the side so no chance of hitting him).....BOOM!! Finally he got up and moved around but he wasn't sure where the shot came from.....panic!!!(both of us)....see him in the scope.....lose him.....find him ...lose him...and off he trotts:-(.

SSS

[farside]

While I personally have not done it I have seen it done and it was done well. No rattle bag, used 3x3 to smack around.

1st the guy did some serious ground thumping then smacked that rack up for about 1 min. then quiet for about 10 minutes. Grunt once or twice. Doe bleat once. Then start busting some brush for a wee bit and quiet for another 10 or 15 min. A couple more thumps on the ground and smacked the racks for a good minute and then quiet and wait. Watched 21 WT come in for a looky to see who was fighting who over the space of 3 hrs. One was a very respectable 5x5 which I was advised to pass on:sad:.

Was told the trick is to sound big but not too big. Dominant buck is sure to come kick your ass if he is around and smaller bucks are always looking for an opportunity and the does are just plain nosy:tongue:

[boxhitch]

Umm, Farside, the original post is about rattling Mulies. Not as easy as Whitetail.


One huge-bodied muley that I called-in came in quiet



He was 295 yds away



he immediately bedded at the base of a clump of deciduous trees(300yds).



this guy was as cool as a cucumber
Sure......he had no idea you existed !!!

[Rattler]

I have rattled in a few Muleys now - they aren't near as aggressive as whitetails. The ones I have rattled in, were young 2-3 year old bucks and I always use a rattling and deer calling combination (grunt tube). Don't rattle too long and have patience. I usually wait 20 minutes.

I stand corrected. I rattled in a nice Muley Buck today. See Brambles 2008 Muley post.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Umm, Farside, the original post is about rattling Mulies. Not as easy as Whitetail.



Sure......he had no idea you existed !!!

Oh, he knew I was there alright. That place echos loudly when you call:p.

SSS

[boxhitch]

Ah, echos. Deception by mis-direction. Good ploy.
I still say he didn't come to your rattling :tongue:

[GoatGuy]

They certainly do sometimes sneak in.

One huge-bodied muley that I called-in came in quiet(he was up and across a canyon). He came walking in and stood broadside.... motionless for over 20 minutes. He was 295 yds away but I could not count points as his antlers were back-dropped by a bush that was similar color(I forgot my spotter that day:-(). He never even twitched the entire time. Finally, he moved and I could see he was a big 4 pt. ...I got ready but he immediately bedded at the base of a clump of deciduous trees(300yds). All I could see was his white muzzle and one eyeball.....no chance for a shot.

I watched him patiently for sometime but the daylight was starting to fade. I kept expecting him to get up but he didn't move a muscle......so I raked over a bush...nothing...just turned his head my direction...and the back..............raked harder...same response.......rattled...same response.......whistled at him...same response..........yelled at him("Hey Stand up you big buck so I can shoot you!!!").....same response....this guy was as cool as a cucumber.........finally, as the light was fading hard, I decided I would send a bullet right into the ground beside him(off to the side so no chance of hitting him).....BOOM!! Finally he got up and moved around but he wasn't sure where the shot came from.....panic!!!(both of us)....see him in the scope.....lose him.....find him ...lose him...and off he trotts:-(.

SSS

you're going to give away all your secret spots soon if you don't keep a lid on it......................


I've called a couple in, never on purpose, only while wt hunting. I've gotten them walking in my direction and grunting and brought them back in after spooking them but that's always after I've already spotted them. I like being able to sneak around in deciduous patches and fir stands for muleys instead of rattling. Call wt's more out of habitat and behavioural necessity as opposed to the way I'd like to hunt them.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

[quote=GoatGuy;354925]you're going to give away all your secret spots soon if you don't keep a lid on it......................


quote]

Secret spots?? Me? I'm looking for bucks that you guys don't even hit the brake pedal for.:redface:

SSS

[boxhitch]

Sure they can be called in. But my take on it is that they are coming to the grunts and bleat, not the rattling.
The sound of a buck smashing a tree or bush probably gets more of a response than the smashing of two fighting bucks.
But I never say never in relation to animals.

[bigwhiteys]

I bought a rattle bag and then took an old set of muley horns I had and cut the straight tines into smaller chunks... Took the wood blocks out of the rattle bag and replaced with the horn pieces... Sounded much better.

I still haven't rattled in anything... I've shot a few whitetail, some really nice ones too and we've never done anything then just find a good area with some deer traffic and wait them out.

Carl

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Sure they can be called in. But my take on it is that they are coming to the grunts and bleat, not the rattling.
The sound of a buck smashing a tree or bush probably gets more of a response than the smashing of two fighting bucks.
But I never say never in relation to animals.

I was out looking for a whitey one day(muley season was closed and I had already tagged out-Nov 16). Took out the rattlebag, rattled....crash..crash...crash......then a huge aggressive snort!!!

This guy came looking for a fight! High 170's- low 180's frame with a 4-5" sticker out each side. Had to sit there and drool as he strolled stiff-legged past me at about 70 yds:-(.

Yep...don't work:p

SSS

[boxhitch]

Yep...don't work:p

SSSYou are trying to convince me that it does ?
I watched a small three point walk across the edge of a cutblock, following two does, ignoring my rattles and grunts. Five minutes later a larger 3 pointer follows the same path. When he's about 200 yards away, I do some rattling, no response, tinkle them lightly, no response, grunt softly, he turns 90* towards me and walks to within 40 yards.
Did I rattle him ?

As with anything, its a matter of finding the right time, but I think the window is small.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

You are trying to convince me that it does ?
I watched a small three point walk across the edge of a cutblock, following two does, ignoring my rattles and grunts. Five minutes later a larger 3 pointer follows the same path. When he's about 200 yards away, I do some rattling, no response, tinkle them lightly, no response, grunt softly, he turns 90* towards me and walks to within 40 yards.
Did I rattle him ?

As with anything, its a matter of finding the right time, but I think the window is small.


You're a tough nut to crack there, Boxhitch. I would have better luck convincing Brotherjack to believe in evolution:wink:.

You'll have to wait for my series of videos...."The Guide's Black Eye" . I'll see if I can find my video camera at the bottom of that cliff.

I'll make you a believer:smile:.

SSS

[tufferthandug]

No luck rattling yet. Pretty good luck scrapin willows. Just lil dinkers coming in reeeeal quiet like so far. Hopefully that changes this week!

[boxhitch]

I'll make you a believer:smile:.

Best way would be to witness your prowess.
Will have to get a hunt together on neutral territory. Reg 3 so it can be tried in late Nov. .....maybe........

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Best way would be to witness your prowess.
Will have to get a hunt together on neutral territory. Reg 3 so it can be tried in late Nov. .....maybe........

I can feel a case of "performance anxiety" already coming on:redface:.

SSS

[oldtimer]

well WillyQ made me a set of Rattlers from a small 4 point I took a few years back and I will be trying them next week. Mike

[newhunterette]

just like men to always have to be fiddling their hands and rattling little bags of antlers and such hehehehehe

make them sound all tough and rough hehehehe:smile:

[Wildfoot]

well you guys have me curious about this rattling. I have had one of those rattle bags sittin here for a couple of years and I have never even touched it. I can't find my doe call.. but i have my buck grunt ready.

For calling and rattling set ups.. I was thinking of sitting at the top of a steep hill/cliff that looks over some young mixed forest with a well used deer trail that leads to a small clearing. The clearing is about 150 - 200 yards from the cliff. If i sit on the cliff and try some calls/rattles..will i be too far away from the main gametrail / clearing to be effective? would it be better to set up along the game trail or clearing?

[newhunterette]

thought this may be a good article for some of ya

http://bowsite.com/bowsite/features/practical_bowhunter/deerrattling/rattle.html

[boxhitch]

I can feel a case of "performance anxiety" already coming on:redface:.

SSSNo wormies.....uh,no worrys. I might just go out in the dreaded bow season to try fo rmyself, to see if that is the better time for rattling. Have to cut a willow and make a bow to go along.

[boxhitch]

Good link, thanks Ali.
but it is tough to get info specific to Mule Deer.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Have to cut a willow and make a bow to go along.

I didn't know you were going "Traditional":smile:.

Don't forget your video camera......just remember..NO velcro:frown:.

SSS