Rattling

When would y’all say the best time to rattle is near Brownwood (Central Texas)? Thanks!

I would rattle a little every time you go up until December 1.

Thanks! Planning on hunting near Brownwood next week (November 19-21). Hoping to get some response to the rattling antlers.

I'm up in Stonewall county and am see a lot of broken horns so they must be fighting. I would say now is as good of time as any.

To my surprise I only rattled up 2 1-2 yr olds last weekend. I think this weekend will be much better......the chase is on up in the NW

I live in aledo too. I plan to practice rattling in my neighborhood this weekend. I rattle up and see much bigger bucks in aledo than i ever see deer hunting on my lease near Brownwood!!!

The best times for me have been the week prior to the peak of the rut and then the week after the rut. If the rut is close and I see bucks moving and traveling then I like to rattle since they are moving. I rattled in 7 bucks last year on Nov 7th on a warm morning while in the deer blind. I rattle this year on the same day with much colder temps and did not get any deer to respond. I have tried every other day since and still no bucks have responded. The bucks are not traveling yet and not following does in or around. The will check them out but not following them to food plots or corn.

I have rattled many times...the only success in the past was young bucks but I continued to try it as just the thought of possibly bringing something in. I still remain dedicated to using the grunt call and using estrus call in tandem. The grunt call works almost all the time...some small bucks and seldom larger ones as well. This year has been more productive than any other years for some reason. Last week I rattled in 4 mature 10pts, two middle aged 8pts and one 4 pt. Very excited day ...closed the week out on a high note. Whatever you use ...keep using and sooner or later maybe you will get a payoff like I was so lucky. Certainly a memory I will have forever.

I “think” i rattled in a 1.5 year old 4 Point yesterday

I’ve tried several times Over the years and never got a response

He came in a few min after I stopped, came in looking around

Then got the heck out of there.

He could have just showed up, idk.

Maybe it was just a coincidence

This is how I do it, and I have been rattling for 40 years with well over 1,000 bucks coming in.
Hit the horns hard for one minute, stop for one minute, hit the horns for one minute, stop for one minute, hit horns again
for one minute, then stop and wait. I've had bucks come running in seconds after I started rattling. I've had bucks sneaking in four or five minutes
after I stop. All get within 50 yards, most within 25 yards. Closest, I touched with my gun barrel.
If you see one coming. Just tickle the horns slightly. It will bring them it closer. I've seen bucks turn from 400 yards away and start coming.
What it has never done is to get a buck to come in who is with a doe.
At least this has worked for me. Find out what works for you and stick with it. Good luck, it is the most fun ways to hunt. At least for me.

Last year, I had the opportunity to witness a buck's reaction to rattling. My son and I were hunting one of the pastures out of a pop up blind. On the far side of the pasture, there were half a dozen does and 4 bucks feeding, but they were about 350 yards away. Way far outside of my Son's range. I started rattling pretty loud, and all the does and the two small buck wanted nothing to do with that. They scattered like roaches. The two big bucks, however just stood there and stared in our direction. After a few minutes of them just staring our way, I hit the grunt tube. That did it. They made a bee-line for us and came to within 40 yards. That is of course when the comedy of errors took over and ended with my boy shaking from adrenaline with a tear streaming down his face. We ended the hunt with no deer, but it was an exciting one that we will both remember always.

The point of that is to make it realistic. rattle, grunt, paw the ground, thrash leaves around. The biggest deer that I have ever shot was done just like that. Rattling, kicking the leaves and dirt, grunting. Trying to make it sound like a real fight.

For how long? I am going to rattle a shed rack I found a few years ago. Do you just repeat a few times and be done with it or do you go on for awhile?

Circumstance will dictate 'how' to rattle...especially if you can already see deer at a distance.

'Blind' rattling...I generally start out pretty low key. But anyone that has witnessed a real buck fight will tell you...a single person can't make enough noise to truly replicate it...so don't be afraid to really get after it.

I rattled in 2 decent 4 1/2-5 1/2 y/o bucks yesterday on the evening hunt. They came in hot and nearly gave me a heart attack!! I was on the edge of an oat patch and of course they both came in from behind me.