If you want any success with deer hunting, one thing that you should properly understand early on is the way deer communicate with each other. If you want a clear shot of a deer, you first need to catch its attention, which you can do by imitating their communication behavior. One of the most effective deer calls sounds is rattling. Rattling is nothing but clanking of antlers. You can either use some device to produce sharp knocking sounds of antlers or you can use actual antlers and clank them on your own. Although you can attract deer through rattling throughout the whole season, the best time to use rattling would be from pre-rut to post-rut. Below are some tips for you to use rattling to attract deer.
- You should try to match the clanking of antlers according to the season. During the early fall, you will benefit from keeping the rattling soft. This is because during this time, the bucks engage in light rattling rather than full-blown, combat type. You can turn the rattling aggressive around the peak rut as the bucks are naturally ready to fight.
- When deer collide with each other for a fight, apart from locking in their antlers, they also kick rocks, crack branches, and produce heavy gasping sounds. You should try to produce as much as you can the sounds that an actual buck fight produces.
- You should not focus too much on the amount of time you need to produce the rattling sound. There is no precise time and frequency for rattling. Deer do not decide beforehand how much they’re going to fight and how many breaks they will take during the fight. Each fight is different and unique. Your rattling should not go overboard but should be long enough to pique the interest of a nearby deer.
- Although you can use rattling to attract deer at any time of the day, certain studies have shown that morning can serve as a good time for generating deer hunting calls. The best way to get started is to stay quiet for an hour or so; look for any natural deer movement. If nothing happens, start using the antlers.
