Rattle bags vs. horns

Which do you use? Which have you had better success with?

Horns. I've seen bucks rattled in with horns, artif. horns, arrows and even talked to an old man once that rattled one in with a silver dollar. When they are in the mood just about anything will work. It may be personal preference but I think the horns seem to work better.

I've had best luck with horns, or synthetic horns. I think they are louder. I have busted my fingers up a time or two though and it's really bad when you catch a decent buck wtching you bang them together. It seems like they are just wiating for you to stop ratlling and notice them so that you know your busted!

rattled in a nice 8 in Graham area last year with the bag,,,used it while in a tree stand in Iowa a few years ago and did fine with it, just did not want to take my horns up in the stand. However, I have had more success with horns, synthetic ones.........I do have a set of large mule deer antlers that i use down in south texas and they are loud.

I have been using horns, but I think I will try the bag this year, least they are not as bulky. I to have hit my hands and fingers with the horns.

Horns, I've tried the bag but I can't make it sound like I want it to.

Great success this last season with the bag and I had not hit them for more then 10 seconds when this buck popped out of the brush, he had me pegged, if had been using horns, he would have seen movement...quick look thru the scope and right on the neck and boom he was down.

With horns once, i saw this buck at 300 plus yards, i rattled hard, he kept going, I went harder, he kept moving,,,I did it again, not 90 seconds from the start and boom he came on a dead run right at me, shot him at 34 yards.

No matter what, other then calling turkeys, rattling in deer has to be the most exciting.

This.

Horns for sure.

Could be timing but have been much more successful with real antlers. Choose approporate antlers for the deer you are targeting. Have seen real heavy (lots of mass) rattling horns spook deer but the few that respons at the ones you are really after if you like mature bucks

Rattled in a nice 7 point in 2013 and killed him. I used the bag. I've rattled in several bucks with it

Horns without a doubt and I prefer the real thing. You simply cannot get enough volume from a rattling bag to cover as much ground as I want to cover.
Adios,
Gary

I like horns, but hate the banged up fingers. I do like the bag for convenience and ease. Have had success with both.

Rattle Bag works well for me and it takes less movement on my part to make a louder rattling sound with the bag than it does using real horns or artificial antlers.

I picked up a plastic "rattle box" for like $2 one time at a walmart end of season sale. I have had this dumb box for about 15 years and it has rattled in countless bucks (stows great as well). I have used other things like hard antler, even sticks one time that worked, as the fellas said, if it's "time" and deer ratios are good, you could get ran over in the right spot.

If all is right with the world, I have heard if you "slam the truck door, they will gobble", so....

I've found both work well for me but I prefer antlers with some mass that will carry the sound further.

Been using the same horns for dang near 30 years, nothing else sounds right. Considering all the noise I make with horns I don't know how you could duplicate it with a bag. Banging scrapping tree's, pounding the ground, all while I'm kicking brush and stomping. I've even been know to use two full racks, by putting one under my foot. Little harder on the back but damn sure easier on the fingers, which I always manage to bloody at least one or two every time.

I now use the flextone battle bones. They are the ones that simulate 2 sets of antlers. I have called a few in. I would like to say that's what I called in my biggest in with, but I can't tell you I know 100% that's what it was.

I've been using bags, but purchased some antlers this year.

I prefer the sound of real antlers, but prefer the convenience of the bag. If I'm hunting somewhere where I don't have to lug them around all day, I use real antlers. If I'm hunting an area where I need to do a lot a walking or am out all day, I use the bag. Rattled in a monster 7-point a few years ago (6.5 years old, 26"+ beams, 21" wide) in open prairie county from a long ways away. First saw him at about 350 yards, rattled him to right at 75 when I shot him or he would have come all the way in. Even though they're not as loud, the bag can work well.

Neither works well in east Texas

I used a water bottle with about 6 marbles in it. My boy picked up some marbles he found laying on the ground and put them in an empty water bottle to play with later. While hunting I dropped them on the floor of the deer blind. I let him rattle them around and had 3 deer come in. Curiosity I guess. My father was moving a lumber pile and had a buck run in on him and they were in a stand off til my brother showed up. Dad said the buck was pawing the ground so he just held a 2x4 just in case he had to defend himself.

Real antlers. Here's a tip for saving your fingers - hold the antlers so the points are facing away from each other; then when you crash the antlers together, it's the curved parts that hit first and you don't jab a finger with one of the points. I also sometimes cut off the brow tines since they're so close to the hands.