Neither of us have ever rattled before. How often should I be doing it? I have a primos bag

Is this while you're just sitting in the stand?

If so I wouldn't do it more of then then 30ish min if you feel like you need to rattle at your stand.

I've found it to be most effective on a setup situation

Move into a new area each time use the wind and terrain to your advantage. Rattle a few 1 minute series and wait up to 30 min young deer will come in a bolt. Older deer will skirt the edges.

I've heard mixed reviews on rattling. Some say don't rattle too often because it doesn't sound realistic (way too much fighting). I've also heard others say rattle every minute or so until you see deer because you never know when/if deer are within audible range. Waiting to rattle might miss an opportunity to bring in a deer that just got into audible range.

I'm not disagreeing with the poster above, just playing devil's advocate. IMO, it all depends on your location, time of year, and herd density.

This is my uncle, the one who trained me to hunt as well as talk/strategize hunting with.

This is just one 2 day trip, we've had many more.

http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/9513690/Two_days_in_the_woods_Rattling#Post9513690

Couple of things:

Rattle bags are fine, but the problem is volume. The Knight and Hale Pack Rack is VERY loud and, IMO - more realistic than a rattle pack. I thought it was another gimmick, but I think its louder than hitting real horns together. Easier too. Can put them in my waist pack and walk around.

Play the wind. You must play the wind. Bucks will move downwind of the sound so they can use sight and scent to figure out whats happening. This means you need to put your back to the wind, face down wind. It helps to be in camo or in brush.

Mature bucks are tough to fool. I've been up in a saddle rattling to a mesquite flat, watched big mature bucks haul tail towards the sound, then stop at the edge. What are they looking for? The fight. They want to see it. If they don't, they know something is up and will often turn around and retreat back to the brush. I've never used a decoy to solve this problem, but it could be done.

How long to rattle? Loud, intense bursts for about 10-15 seconds. If you've ever seen a buck fight, they get after, stop, get after it, repeat. You could go longer than 15 seconds and be fine, but I've never seen a buck fight with constant noise for an extended period of time. Often they are locked up and its quiet, or they are walking around each other waiting to get after it again.

If you are on the ground, it wouldn't hurt to hit some brush, use your feet to make noise in the grass, etc. At least initially. It can bring more reality to the situation. Stop your movement after a while so you don't give away your position.

I also think you need a decent buck population in the area to make this work. Low deer or buck density means there just isn't much buck fighting going on, and that noise means nothing to the bucks within ear shot.

All my opinion from what I've seen and done. I've seen it go against these rules too. Have rattled some real big dogs up that I could have shot with a bow from the deer stand. Just depends how much they want the fight more than anything else.

Agree with everything PFG said. Also, get a grunt call in your mouth and grunt while doing it. Afterwards, give a good snort wheeze. Bang on as much brush and kick as much stuff around as possible without giving away your location. I like to basically stand in a thick tree so I can bang on branches and kick around leaves while still being somewhat concealed. It makes it harder if it's after a rain because the ground is wet and you can't make as much noise. Like PFG said, unlike anything else you do, you have to be upwind of the deer because they will come from downwind of you.

If you hit it at the right time, they will come running and can get very close so be ready!

Put your gun on your shooting sticks and crank the scope as low as it will go before you even start!!!!! There is nothing worse than having a 180" buck at 15 yards and not getting it because the your hunter couldn't find him in the scope.

quote:

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nothing worse than having a 180" buck at 15 yards and not getting it

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Ouch. I cringed...

This has happend more than once. I got to the point that every 15 min or so during a hunt I ask "Is your scope down all the way"?

If you need it at high power, thats because the animal is far away, thus, it will not see you turn it up. But if one shows up at close range, you will get busted trying to turn it down.

Sat on a cliff in Terrell county once and watched a pretty good buck fight that went on for about 15 minutes kicking up lots of dust. From our vantage point you could see bucks coming from more than half a mile in all directions. Open country but noise really brings them in.

Thanks guys