# Rattle bag or real antlers



## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

*What do you guys use?*​
Rattle Bag1135.48%Real Antlers2064.52%


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

Just wondering about your guys opinion. I have had a rattle bag for the past two seasons and have had no responses or else negative responses to this call. Is it the call or the deer- maybe me but i about the same thing as stated above when calling


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

I am in the same boat as you. I use rattle bags, the only reason being that they are easier to carry/put away fast. I use real antlers on the ground in my blind, so i can rake brush etc. But I have also thought that they don't work as well. I called in a few deer this year with them, But you never know if they came in because of the noise or they were already coming. Good question


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

Real antlers. I have had better results this year than ever before. I am averaging about 80% response rate on about 10 attempts. Most are coming in 5-10 minutes after I finish.


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

S & A, 80% response that is good stuff.

Any feedback on your routine would be appreciated. thanks


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

The reason i started wondering or questioning the rattle bag was because last week while hunting, i saw a decent buck upwind of me 300 yds so i took out the bag and started working it, the buck immediately put up his head, waited 5-10 seconds then bolted the other direction. Not really what i was looking for


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## gtbuck (Sep 14, 2006)

real


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## Jungda99 (Nov 17, 2006)

USSapper said:


> The reason i started wondering or questioning the rattle bag was because last week while hunting, i saw a decent buck upwind of me 300 yds so i took out the bag and started working it, the buck immediately put up his head, waited 5-10 seconds then bolted the other direction. Not really what i was looking for


If you can see the dear I don't reccomend ratling. iF they get that close I would suggest the grunt call with real short grunts kind of quite ones.


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

Deacon - sorry, I just saw what you wrote.

I give a light sequence for about 45 seconds. I only rattle when it is still and quiet. I do this so a deer could hear it for 200 yards. I then wait for 20 minutes and do it again - louder... If I have a small buck working in, I use him as a "confidence" smell decoy. I will continue to rattle loudly when he cannot see me do it. Lots of times, a big buck will come in to investigate, because he either sees or smells the smaller buck.

Most of the deer com in 5-20 minutes after rattling.


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

The buck was well out of deer sight and the wind was strong in its direction so a grunt call wouldnt have worked in that situation


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## mike. (Dec 14, 2006)

i believe that you shouldnt be rattling this time of year.. the deer are not in the rut anymore so they wont respond to the rattling like they would in the rut since they dont need to compete anymore.. i still havent shot a buck yet, this is my 3rd year, i could have shot 2 this year but im an idiot and need to invest in a rangefinder, i thought they were 70 yards meanwhile when i paced it out it was only 40 or so yards and i could have dropped him. the first night it was a 8 pointer, the day after next there was a 4 pointer. then the next day i seen the 4 pointer again walk to the same spot as both bucks did but he was at least 100-150 yards away so i figured id cut him off when he walked into the other clearing. i took a path, walked slowly and crossed the ditch thing that it crossed (i didnt go to the same spot as it crossed, i tried cutting him off) and i walked into the clearing and there were 2 bucks standing there, i tried rattling but he just stopped and stared into my direction. i tried croutching below the cattails that were in front of me, but i kept an eye on the 8 pointer. he grunted at me, so i grunted back. he then walked about 3 feet closer to me (he was at least 70 yards this time) and then he walked away. I think he was confused, i still have yet to get him (this happend last week) im going in the morning tomorrow to possible fill my tag. time is running out for the season  and i want to mount some antlers


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## Tator (Dec 10, 2005)

deer are actually still hittin the horns this time of year. buddy of mine was out last weekend and seen em not just touchin antlers but smashin em hard!!!! some don't believe in the 2nd rut, but I for one do. Rattlin won't scare deer away, and it may not attract them this time of year, but it won't hurt, curiosity killed the cat!!!!

I always use real antlers, granted they can be a pain in the *** to hang around the neck, drag up the tree stand and not be able to stow away easily, but I think the true sounds of antlers always will work in MY favor. never really rattled in a giant, but can always get some 1 1/2 or 2 1/2 year olds to respond.

I think both work, but depends on preference and........luck?

Tator


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

Mike, i totally disagree with heverything you said in your first 2 lines. For one, the bucks are still rutting, i have witnessed it every night the past two weeks i have been out which is about 10 nights and a few mornings of hunting. Secondly, the bucks are still fighting-if they need to. Last week i had two fighting right below a stand i had just hung that same day. Though it may not look obvious, look beyond what you think is going on and you'll notice


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## mike. (Dec 14, 2006)

well there may be some still in the rut and rattling wont always work. it depends on the population of deer in your area. if there are alot more does then bucks, then the bucks dont have to compete and most likely will not respond to rattling even in the rut since there are so many does to breed


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## Tator (Dec 10, 2005)

those magazine you've been reading are definately working for you!!!  it was a joke, relax.............true that bucks won't respong to rattling like they would in texas, where the buck to doe ratio is really spread out, but in the mid-west, it will still work. I've done it every year, granted, I"ve never rattled in monsters, but I still have bucks that will respond to the touching of the bones............maybe more of a curiosity than coming in looking for a fight, but they still respond.

deer like being around other deer for the most part, if they see/hear deer from another place, they will check it out.

reading about what SHOULD happen is once thing, but being out and expereincing how deer react in person is totally different. Sometimes things work out the way they should, sometimes, just opposite...that's what years of sitting in a tree stand will do, you know what will/won't work without having to read what SHOULD work

Tator


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## mike. (Dec 14, 2006)

theres 2 bucks in m area and they wont respond to the rattling at all.. there are also 4 does in the area, thats probably why. and by the area i mean, my bush and the back grass feild. i may set up a ground blind to try and get the 8 pt'er


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