Deer rattles – make as much noise as possible

The idea of using deer rattles when out on the hunt is to make as much noise as is reasonable practical; deer rattles mimic the sound of deer antlers clashing and clacking together, and the intention of making as much noise as possible differs from hide shooting or shooting on the walk. There are many different studies all of which offer differing opinions about deer rattles and how to make them most effective, but the general consensus among the hunting fraternity is to use the deer rattles for anything from sixty seconds to ninety seconds during the first sequence creating as much sound as possible.

Another technique which can be deployed using deer rattles especially if there are two people on the hunt together is for one person to sweep another set of deer rattles through the brush, undergrowth or long grass creating the appearance of movement at the same time. After the initial rattling it is best to lie low for a while and wait for maybe five minutes to fifteen minutes to see if any bucks have been attracted to the rattling. Deer are, as you probably already know very shy and retiring animals and are pretty apprehensive creatures, and can sense even the smallest change in their environment, and that includes the smallest sound or slightest smell which is not right.

If you have made the sounds correctly, you MAY get sight of a big trophy buck or smaller buck, but ask any hunter how successful the first rattle session is and they will probably tell you it takes several sessions to mimic correctly the sounds of bucks rattling. This may take the best part of a couple or more hours to attract the first buck, but the long wait will be worth it. Deer are not stupid, neither are they about to surrender their lives to a potential predator, and until they are sure it is safe to come out into the open or make a movement, you will need to keep the rattling going.

Bucks and deer in general have an amazingly acute sense of smell and hearing, and the rattling may be heard a mile or so away of the wind is in the right direction so attuned are they to their natural environment and the sounds associated with their species. It may take anything up to an hour or so for a buck which has responded to reach your location; on the other hand you may be waiting for a long time.

Another thing is to choose the rattling location with care, and always if possible rattle into the wind if there is any, and if possible try and choose a slightly raised location so any scent will travel over the deer’s nose rather than to it. However, suffice it to say there are many tricks and tips available on my website which includes deer rattles, how to use them best and how to get the best out of your hunt using the tips and techniques laid out. Have a successful hunt on me and good luck for your next (first) trophy buck.

Filed under: Sportsmans Gear

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