Was out scouting today and was finding a lot of good sign. Found one area that had several rubs in a very small area. (I suppose I should tell you that I am in western Oregon scouting for blacktail). I started thinking that if I had been able to bowhunt this area, I would definately be doing some rattlin' there. Since I had my rattling antlers in the truck, I wondered how the deer would respond a couple of months before the rut. I started going through my rattling routine, and was feeling pretty stupid for even thinking this would work. So I stoppped and was just sitting watching the world go by when I noticed movement along the bottom of the draw I was looking into. Upon closer investigation with my binoculars, I discovered two bucks working thier way toward me. One was a little forked horn and the other was a small three point.
Now, to my way of thinking, if I'm just out putting meat in the freezer, I'm going to try this technique again. I would have never considered trying this during rifle season, and I still don't believe that this would have worked on a much older buck. But who knows.

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JABROWN
By the questions we pose, ourselves we deceive..........
So limited in thought, by what we choose to perceive...

The little bucks were just curious. You do that closer to the rut and the big boys will be checking it out.

Sounds like you've got a nice spot. Good luck when the season comes around.

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"Firearms only have two enemies - rust and politicans" author unknown

Interesting! I cut my teeth on hunting blacktails in S. Oregon Cascades, and never, never even heard of anyone rattling in a buck! I thought my grandfather knew every trick in the book for bagging bragging size blacktails, but never heard him mention rattling them.

Interesting stuff indeed! Let us know how it works when you're actually garnering meat for the freezer.

God bless,

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Marshall
Romans 1:16



Beartooth: A Bullet Worth Waiting For!

Marshall, I rattled and grunted for blacktail for several years before work took me away from Oregon, mostly during the late bow season. Now that I'm back I have been experimenting with it during rifle season. The above mentioned results were before the season opened. This last week end we attempted rattling again and did get a spike and small fork to come in (different areas). Neither were big enough to shoot in my mind, the fork being the only legal one. I have an elk hunt in the interstate unit this weekend, but will be working the rattling pretty heavy for the last few days of the season when I get back. We are also going to do some experimenting after the season (with cameras of course), will try and get some pictures posed of anything we call in.

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JABROWN
By the questions we pose, ourselves we deceive..........
So limited in thought, by what we choose to perceive...

Old thread, i know. I live in western oregon and opening day is tomorrow, maybe i will experiment with this, seeing as theres not much of a conclusion to this. Not too many people who hunt blacktails in the PNW.

Where you going? Blacktail. I'll meet you there!

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this is not the old west, you just can't go around cleaning up the streets with a gun. Even though somtimes thats exactly whats needed-Attorney General Russert
Im just a peckerwood that lives in the hills with too many guns There's going to be more shooting, more people are going to die. I didn't start it, but I mean to see it through I'm going to find them, burn their playhouse down Exercise my right to bear arms You don't understand how serious this is. They killed my dog-Bob Lee Swagger

i'v been hunting in western oregon, near vernonia if you know where that is? have seen two deer all season, weather has been horrible for deer hunting. Luckily were getting some rain in a few days. i havent given the rattling a try yet, but as few deer as i been seeing, im going to give it a shot tomorrow, hopefully will have some interesting results. If your ever in the area let me know.

If you build it they will come. If it works, just do it! Good Luck!

Suppose i should have updated this some time ago, last deer season, when i posted in this thread, i managed to rattle in a mature blacktail buck for my dad, near the end of the season(general rifle season), towards the rut. this is in western oregon, off the columbia river a few miles, in columbia county.