to rattle or not to rattle

[buckleydux]

hello everyone,

this is my first real post,have been enjoying reading all of the great advice, stories, and feel it has definately been a big help,very appreciative.
Anyway to get to the point.

I spent last weekend hunting the late muzzeloader deer hunt in my area, saw a few small bucks(2x3,forks,etc..)and all were definately showing signs that they are still in some phase of the rut. The problem is the big bucks I normally see were no where to be found(weren't killed by others have seen them since rifle season).What I am wondering is if I should try rattling,with the smaller bucks in the area will this help to entice the bigger boys to show themselves? Have had a fair amount of success rattling where I grew up in Michigan with the whitetails,but these blacktails are very different.
I could just try to wait them out but would really like to move on to the muzzle elk season, had a blast with that last two years.
Any advice or expierience would be greatly appreciated,will do the same when I can!

[sliverpicker]

I'd sure give it a try, you won't scare any bucks away(at least I never have). How hard did you rattle for whitetails? My best success with rattling blacktails comes from banging the bones hard and furious, trying to sound like a knock-down, dragout buck fight. If two evenly matched bucks are fighting, there's usually a hot doe in the vacinity worth fighting for.

Good luck! sliverpicker

[nitrobass]

If there are lots of does in the area definitely commit to rattling. Where I hunt them in the cascades location is most important. The blacktails there really seem to hold to certain areas, and those can change each year based on lots of things. If you arent finding the bucks you like dont be afraid to check new areas out. But if the does are there..the big boys wont be too far away.

[stick flicker]

In the cascades the deer are defintely in pockets. One trick that I use is going after the first snow and drive the roads or looking in units that you hunt. Putting your time scouting in the off season really pays off. This year I finally hunted an area that I had visted for two years in the off season, and connected with a late season buck from my treestand.
I have rattled in a couple of bucks in the cascades. The deer willrespond to the rattling within 10 min if they are going to commit to coming in. Don't be suprised if one does come in either, other words be ready. Good luck. Try it when you bump a deer that you couldn,t see as long as you are up wind. Landings on closed roads are also a good place to start.

[Fish Hawg]

Rattling works for does :grin: , last weekend i was rattling and got three does to come running in what a rush :shocked: i started to buck feaver waiting for the big boy :tongue: but he never came out add a few bleats; good luck

[buckleydux]

RATTLING!
I took some well intended advice and wow!
I have been having some trouble locating the larger bucks I had been scouting for the last six monthes, so I tried the rattling thing,with a rattling board.Started out the first few times pretty aggressive, had one small buck do a fly-by then the next 5-6 locations nothing. By then I was having my doubts and beginning to wonder if it was the right thing to do.
Decided to give the area a rest for a day and check out an area a couple miles away.
I hiked into the same area saturday an hour before daylight, got set up with the intent of stand hunting all day.Shortly after shooting light I decided to try the rattling again but this time very softly.Within 3 minutes of a 20 second session a doe and a yearling were within 10 yards down wind staring at me. After 2-3 minutes they casually walked off(I was using cover scent but still)10 minutes later tried again,same two back again. After 20 minutes I moved over one drainage and tried again. After 3-4 minutes I caught movement down hill,up wind about 100 yards.I could see through the binoculars it was the buck I had only seen twice all summer,a very wide 4x3. The buck slowly made his way uphill stopping from time to time to check his backtrail,I kept an eye out behind him and finally spotted a large racked forky 20 yards behind. Both bucks were out at about 70 yards until that doe and yearling came in to my down wind side, the doe started to throw a fit snorting at me, I could of killed her. Both bucks who were still holding slowly made their way down the hill, back out of sight.
I wantd to try again, but decided to give it a rest until next weekend, figured I would just be dealing with my new best friend all morning if I continued.
Cannot wait until saturday, have a little different strategy as far as set up location goes, hope that doe finds a date before then.

thanks for all the input everyone