Rattling antlers maximizes fun and success in deer hunting

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/11/2016 (3347 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

White-tailed deer may be the most challenging animal to hunt in Manitoba, but not because they aren’t numerous. Even with the population being driven down by long, hard winters in recent years, there are still quite a few around. The last two winters have been easier, with many twin fawns and even some triplets out there, so things are looking better for our deer population.

What makes deer so challenging to hunt is that they’re among the wariest of game animals. Their noses are simply incredible. They can smell you immediately if the slightest breeze brings your scent their way and they won’t stick around to say goodbye. Their ears are bigger and better than ours and the same goes for their eyesight. In other words, their senses are sharp and ours, by comparison, aren’t.

Archery and muzzleloader hunting for deer is very rewarding because you have to get closer to the deer than you would with a rifle. That creates a special challenge that will push your hunting skills to the limits. One of best ways of getting a buck deer to come close enough to you to bag it with a bow or muzzleloader is rattling.

Rattling is a way of attracting buck deer that involves holding two deer antlers by their bases and rubbing and grinding them together. It simulates two male deer fighting for dominance. Other bucks often find this interesting and come over to check out the brawl and perhaps to join in, or simply stand back and watch two dudes drop the gloves. Fighting among deer is a social interaction that is part of the overall mating ritual among white-tails. It is part of figuring out who gets to breed the females when they become receptive to breeding in November.

To be successful with rattling, timing is everything. In late August when archery season opens up, the males are often hanging out in bachelor groups. They are simply feeding and relaxing. In late September and into October when muzzleloader seasons open, camaraderie starts to break down and the bucks start to size each other up as competitors for the ladies. That’s when fighting starts to occur and when you need to break out your rattling antlers. Early November works, too, but by mid-November the bucks are thinking about romance, not fighting.

Rattling, like all game calling, hinges on being in the right spot. You need to be on property that has bucks. Where on the property you should rattle depends on the wind. Remember their keen noses? You need to set up so the deer are upwind of you and the area downwind of you is open, because when the buck comes, he’ll often circle downwind of your rattling noises to let his nose tell him if you are a human or actually two bucks scrapping.

You need to be really well-hidden and careful with your movement when the deer approaches. When a buck comes to find you, he will pinpoint your location — and I do mean pinpoint. With their big ears set so far apart on their skull, they can triangulate on sound really well and will know precisely where the rattling sound is coming from. Hunting with a friend is a good approach, because the rattling person can be somewhat apart from the person doing the shooting so the buck doesn’t see the movement required to mount a gun or draw a bow.

If you are alone, hunting in a pop-up blind, or as I do, getting in a patch of thick grass and lying on my back with my muzzleloader, all work well. Timing your movement to make the shot is everything. You need to find a moment when they look away or walk behind trees.

You’ll need two deer antlers to rattle with. You can use shed antlers you’ve picked up that deer have dropped in the winter. I like mid-sized antlers the best, with four or five points. I saw off the brow tines so they don’t mash my hands when rattling. Large antlers are too tiring to rattle with and small ones don’t create a loud enough sound. You can also buy synthetic antlers or “rattle sacks.”

Deer tiffs come in many forms so you’ll want to vary your rattling. Sometimes bucks will stand and just lightly touch their racks. This creates a “tinkling” sound and is the way you’ll want to start each rattling sequence. Deer don’t often engage violently like rams butting heads, they often slowly lock up and then get busy. After tinkling the antlers, really get into it. Envision two Dustin Byfugliens with antlers going at it and make that sound. Grind and mash those antlers together.

In my experience you can’t rattle too often in a hunt or too much in one sequence. I’ve often seen bucks leave when I stopped rattling but have rarely seen them pushed away by too much rattling. Rattling is tiring, but do as much as you can on a hunt — it will pay off.

Lastly, you need to be confident a buck will come. If you stick with it, a buck is going to come. There is not much in hunting more exciting than the wariest of animals sneaking up on you ready to bolt at your slightest mistake. Trust me, if you do this in late October, keep the wind in your favour and get hidden, this could be the most fun you have hunting all year. And you’ll get a lot of venison kielbasa in your freezer.

 

Rob Olson is the managing director of the Manitoba Wildlife Federation.