When do y'all think the best time to rattle is? I've been deer hunting since for 15+ yrs but I've never successfully rattled something in - I've also never gone out to specifically do rattling sets. If/when I do it, it's usually late morning when the movement slows down, banging the horns out the blind window for a minute or two.

Any tips/strategies anyone would like to share?

I'd like to give it a go this season but I don't want to be blowing out areas with a bunch of racket if the timing is off, etc.

A grunt call works better..I call twice then I send out a fawn call twice..wait ten or fifteen minutes the try again....you will get something come in.

Rattling up a nice buck is one of the most fun things to do when hunting!! I typically go right at rut. When you see the bucks start pushing the does is typically when I go rattle. (not when the little bucks are pushing, but when you see active rutting with the does and bigger bucks) We typically go after the morning hunt, and walk 5-10 minutes and find a spot to set up. We will find a somewhat open area on the edge of some thick areas where I know deer will be, and sit down under a small tree in full camo with head covering. I'll rattle and stomp on the ground for 3-5 minutes and make some grunt calls. If a buck is in the area, they be be charging in. I've had some bucks come crashing in as close as 10-15 yards away right in front of us trying to find the action. We'll rattle up some smaller 8 points and such. I've never killed anything rattling (yet). But this season we have a massive 15 point that is coming in on camera at night only. If he doesn't get taken during archery season, I will certainly be trying to rattle him up closer to rut time in his area. He's a very impressive deer. After rattling an area, we keep hiking another 5-10 minutes and do another set up. We'll spend several hours rattling a general area and try to cover one area of our hunting property. It's a lot of fun!!

Get away from the blind. Scout around and find where bucks are working scrapes and seeing rubs, in other words, where bucks like to be. I start rattling at first first light when deer are most active but if it's cool, will rattle all day.
Beat time to rattle is the pre-rut. Once the rut is in full swing, all of the mature bucks are going to be locked up with a doe and once that happens, it is extremely difficult to rattle a buck away from a hot doe. In fact, I have been able to do this only one time in my life and that was on 700 Springs back in the early 90's.
I could write a book on this subject and have written many articles on it. Don't have the time to cover this subject here. I trained my son, Clint to rattle and he won the first two World Championship Deer Calling back in Texas Wildlife Expos when he was 15 and 16. Judges for the contests were Murry Burnham, Larry Weishuhn and John Wooters.
Adios,
gary

Pre-rut through rut. I rattled plenty in last year, only one shooter though. During the rut it was mostly young guys, spikes to small 6's bombing in looking for a fight. I'm assuming they were trying to establish who was #2 in the area while the big boys knew better.

Like most things in hunting it depends. I've had the same buck show up to rattling from October through January if I was rattling anywhere within the 300acres or so he hung out in. Some bucks may only get that aggressive during the week or two prior to peak rut, some may never be that aggressive.

Combining rattling with a few grunts can be very effective. However, choosing the right setup is important. Pick a spot with a more open view on your downwind side since a more mature and wary buck will often scent check what he hears first for greater safety from a distance.

Grunt calls are gay, I've rattled up thousands of bucks ands never used a grunt call. Start in the pre-rut and rattle as long as there is breeding activity still going, any kind of natural elevation helps, if not, the edge of a clearing with some visibility. Late morning has always been best for me, but if I have overcast conditions I have rattle all day with success.

Hunting....you should try it ...you might like it. That is using a grunt call...you can use it soon as you get in the blind and have bucks before sun up. After ya get 6 or 8 bucks in the pen you will have your own deer rattling for you. Ya will get more action with a call. Ya will be entertained. I have many stories to tell hunting ...even with rattling horns. Try using a call..

I like rattling on cool, overcast days as has been mentioned, preferably 8:30-10am, like primarily using horns but not opposed to cycling a grunt call and doe bleat can in too. The more sounds the merrier. Like doing this during primary rut and especially secondary rut. Works well if doe to buck ratios are low, 2:1, 3:1. Nothing like bringing a horny buck in looking to rumble, lol....

A couple of years ago I rattled in a doe. She came running and came in within 10 feet of me. Sure wasn't expecting that.

I have rattled up quite a few does over the 50 years and I feel that all were in estrus.
Adios,
Gary

Have hunted in many states and tried grunt calls with little success:: About 10 years ago I was hunting the tide flats on Padre Island. This is open country with absolutely no cover,
I was walking the grassy dunes and spotted several deer about 1/2 mile out on the flats 3 does and one impressive buck. There was no way to approach them and I thought I watch them for a while. After about 10 minutes I realized I had one of those useless grunt calls in my pack. I pulled it out and gave a couple grunts. To my surprise the does ran off but the Buck appeared to be interested, Now I'm watching this through my binocs.

This was the most intense deer hunt ever. I waited a few minutes and called again. To my astonishment he started walking in my direction. He'd walk 100 yds and stop. I'd call again and he'd do the same, Now this is over a half mile distance. long story short I kept up this process for about 1/2 hour and he eventually came within 100 yds and I was able to take my best buck to that point in my life,
It's one thing to have a buck come to call and break cover 100yds out it's another to watch over an extended period and slowly but surely get him n range and wonder will he eventually just stop and walk away.

Unfortunately I have not been able to replicate this experience yet I know it does work,

Agree on the grunt call.

I’ve never used one, and while I’ve not rattled in thousands, I can normally rattle in 1 or 2 every time I try.

If ya use the fawn call and the grunt call this will double your success. The deer will come in faster with the fawn in distress . I think if ya have never used this process you will be surprised. I read up on this somewhere so I thought I would try it..it sure surprised me. The way I used both calls I used a grunt twice followed by two fawn bleps. The article I read said to do the calls this way...so I did. After going through the calls once ...give it maybe 5 minutes before using the calls again. When rattling I would get the young bucks but with the calls you will get a cross section of ages and both sexes. Good Luck to all

This has been an entertaining thread for sure. Rattling is not a one size fits all. I've rattled in quite a few nice bucks. My buddy and I were on a WT hunt in south Texas a few years back. Our guide had never tried to rattle a buck in. Told us he never thought it would work. I have a mesh bag with plastic dowl rods for one of my rattling solutions. There was a nice 10-pt at the feeder. Wasn't what I was looking for. When I pulled the bag out, I could see the look (sneer) in the guides eye, what a joke, this will never work!

I rubbed the rattling bag hard between my hands. The bucks head instantly jerked up and he came storming up within yards of the stand. He was searching all around looking for the bucks. Unfornatatly, there was a smaller buck about fifty yards away. He got the brunt of the 10-points frustrations. The guide was flat amazed and now sold. He wanted to know where to get the rattling bag.

Rattling works! When it does it always amazes me the different reactions each buck will have. I have a grunt tube I use as well. I make sure I don't rattle until I hear the bucks are chasing does. Give it a try it works well!

Some great info, thank you gentlemen!

I am a huge fan of real antlers. Not a fan of the rattling bags as they just don't produce a lot of volume. They work great if you are hunting close but I like to get a lot of volume out there and have seen bucks respond from close to half a mile.
I use a grunt call or just grunt to a buck when he hangs up or get him to move.
I use bleat calls when hunting mule deer. Mule deer will aggressively respond to bleat calls and even some predator calls if you sneak into earshot. If you walk up on the edge of a canyon or above a basin and want the deer that are hidden to at least stand up, Chances are the muleys have already seen you and will hold tight to cover unless you blow the call. It may make them run away from you but at least you will get them up and see what's there. Normally, they will stand up or move where they have visibility before just jumping up and running.
Adios,
Gary