PriceRacing35 Posted September 22, 2012 Report Share Posted September 22, 2012 Based on experience, do you see this as more helpful, or hurtful. I am from Missouri and our opener was the 15th. Most mature bucks have split from the bachelor groups and are now by themselves. I have seen one 3.5yr old that was casually walking behind a doe. And two young bucks still in a bachelor group. I have seen several rubs along routes to and from bedding areas to acorn flats and crop fields(although the crop(milo) has barely been touched in a week). Was wondering if a light sparring match might catch the attention of the more dominant bucks and bring one into now range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abear491 Posted September 22, 2012 Report Share Posted September 22, 2012 It can never hurt in my opinion. I would think its probably a little to earlier at this point to do it, but you never know. I don't think it hurts to much I have rattled at bucks before and they didn't pay any attention to it and kept on there way, but I have seen it turn them just the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PriceRacing35 Posted September 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2012 Rattling/Sparring I appreciate your opinion. I think I will try. Ive heard several people say that due to the drought, lack of food and other things that the deer are anywhere from 2-3 weeks ahead of schedule. I have not seen any evidence of that. But I may give it a shot at around dusk. Let you know how it goes. Buck or bust Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan Givan Posted September 22, 2012 Report Share Posted September 22, 2012 I start rattling in late October. It might work sooner, but I wait. I dont buy into any of that stuff about the weather, drought, food sources, or moon phase effecting the timing of the rut. For most parts of the country, peak breeding is going to happen around the 2nd week of November, no matter what. We might not see evidence of this due to rutting behavior taking place at night because of warm temps, or a change in deer movement patterns because of a lack of food. The deer are on the same schedule as always, you just might not see them due to other variables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PriceRacing35 Posted September 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2012 Rattling/Sparring Okay. So. I got to my stand around 3. Hunted a ridge line separating a bottom and a pasture. To the north was 100acres of thick oak ditches and draws. And further north is 250 acres of milo. At 5:36 two big mature does came from the ridge and fed their way into some scattered timber that I was in. The lead doe. I'm guessing about 4.5 years old. Stood at 42 yards and I figured I'd do my management part and let a chisel tip rage go. Smacked her dead square in the shoulder blade. Broke her opposing shoulder. Heart shot. She was dead within 5 yards. She ran 20 max. Approximately 125lbs. 45 minutes later I notice a sapling swaying back and forth. I grabbed the binocs and saw a young buck. A fork. Still in full velvet. Then stepped out a nice 8pt. I had my rattling antlers and tickled them together. Both bucks stopped. Stared. And slowly made their way towards me. They didn't seem spooked, but also weren't interested. The 8point grazed his way within 55 yards as 3 more does walked out. He didn't even seem to see them. He just went on his way. The fork saw these does and was nosing them and pushing them around. They finally got fed up and went back down the ridge. The fork stayed within 30 yards until dark. I passed on the 8point, I guessed him at 115-120" and maybe 2.5-3 year old. He will be nice in another year or two. Lesson of the day. Early season rattling. Greater risk than reward. I got lucky. I'll wait another few weeks before even lugging them into the woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUDRUNNER Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 Congrats on the doe! I usually wait till mid October to start rattling. Even then it's pretty light tickling. Around Holloween I start hammering them pretty hard. I never have had a lot of luck rattling though. Grunts and bleats have been my most effective calls by far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PriceRacing35 Posted September 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 Rattling/Sparring Thanks. She will be a nice filler until big freak nasty decides to show up. And I usually wait till mid October. But this time last year I got to witness a sparring session between two young bucks and decided to try it. I tried it again last night and I had a small 5 point come running in looking for the sparring bucks. He lost interest and fed off once he didn't see anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 Nothing aggressive, but yeah it might get a little attention. Cool Sunday morning here had me watching a couple bucks sparring, the bigger buck of the group was kinda distancing himself from the two smaller/younger bucks. Seems kinda early for it here, but then again deer push each other around from time to time throughout the year, have had trail cam sequences of deer still in velvet sparring in August. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 yea around here it tends to do more harm than good right now. good luck with it later in the season though. also congrats on the doe! sounds like you've got some sound practices and a decent spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 Congrats on the doe! I personally prefer to wait using any calls until I think the chance of the reward is greater than the risk. I won't be lugging a rattling bag or horns with me to a stand in the Midwest until after mid October. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PriceRacing35 Posted September 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 Thanks y'all. I plan on staying quiet at least till the middle of October. Unless I see activity that tells me otherwise. But here is a picture of the doe. And the 8pt I let walk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted September 24, 2012 Report Share Posted September 24, 2012 the 8 pointer looks pretty young so you did good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PriceRacing35 Posted September 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 Rattling/Sparring What would be a guess on his age. I was thinking around 2.5-3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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