Calling In Bucks
Overlooked Keys to Rattling Success
Editor’s
Note: One time when I hunted in Mexico, because of the
grunt call, I held a buck within shooting range for
over an hour. I also bought myself time to see a bigger
deer. When no other trophy showed up, I used the grunt
call to position the buck to allow me to take an effective
shot. On that day, in that place, the grunt call made
the difference in whether or not I bagged a buck. And,
often calling deer will make that difference in your
hunt, as we’ll learn this week.
When we use the term rattling, many of us draw mental
pictures of a hunter’s clashing antlers together
or slightly touching the tips together to sound like
deer lightly sparring. However, one often-overlooked
tactic can bring in a buck regardless of the time of
year – the raking technique. Sometimes bucks rake
their antlers against trees and bushes while marking
their territory or doing
battle with some form of resistance that can’t
fight back. Many times you can lure in a buck by raking
antlers, either synthetic or natural, over tree limbs
and bushes or up and down the sides of tree trunks.
A very productive rattling sequence includes:
* light grunting,
* raking trees and bushes next with antlers,
* pounding the ground with the butt of the antlers then
like a deer stomping,
* striking the antlers together lightly followed by
a hard clashing of the antlers,
* touching the antlers next lightly to give almost a
tinkling sound and
* pounding the ground finally with the butt of the antlers
and giving a few light grunts.
Often novice rattlers make the mistake of not having
their guns nearby or ready to shoot. If I rattle from
the ground, I want my rifle sitting in front of me or
laying across my lap. Then as soon as I finish my rattling
sequence, I can put my hands on the gun and shoulder
it if I see a buck. If I rattle from a tree stand, I
want to make sure I have a place to put my rattling
device. Or, if I use antlers, I’ll hang a string
around my neck attached to the antlers to allow me to
drop them and get to my gun quickly. You may find the
amount of time required for you to store the rattling
devices and to mount the rifle, bow or shotgun will
mean the difference in whether you take the deer or
don’t have the opportunity to shoot.
Never consider deer calls a cure-all. To successfully
hunt deer, with or without calls, you must set up in
a place where the deer wants to come. If you can use
your grunt calls, bleat calls and/or rattling antlers
to pull the deer out to where you can see it and close
enough to get a shot, then you’ll understand the
importance of deer calls. However, if…
* you don’t hunt an area that holds deer,
* the deer can’t hear your calls or
* that region homes non-social deer, you’ll never
spot a buck. I’ve used deer calls successfully
for many years. I won’t go into the woods without
them.
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