Don't Get Rattled

Written by: Ryan Reading, Fall Obsession Pro Staff

I wanted to write this article because I have learned a few things over the years and after expressing my thoughts and experiences to some staff personally at Fall Obsession, they had stated “they never really thought about it like that”. That prompted me to explain what I have learned.

During the New York Fall Obsession hunt we discussed many topics and rattling for bucks was one. I mean, who wouldn’t talk about this topic? There are two main thoughts on the topic. Bucks fight for different reasons. The first being territory and the other would be mating with does.

First, the territory fighting usually takes place in fields or in edges in random unspecific areas and can virtually happen where one buck’s territory over laps another buck’s territory, as explained by Kessler Fisher. He, as well as many others have witnessed bucks fighting in fields or at night. This would explain territory dominance which is an important facet of all deer habitats.

I understood that and I agreed. I then explained what I had observed to some other staff members of Fall Obsession; Todd Sellon and Anthony Sidari. What I observed, was rattling about eighty to one hundred yards away from doe bedding during the late pre -rut and early rut was an almost guarantee. Let me explain.

While most fights take place in fields being territory driven, bucks don’t always want to take part in fighting or come in to check out what’s going on in the open field or field edge.

What I learned by rattling right outside of doe bedding, between the bucks bedding and the doe bedding. The bucks almost have an inherent desire or forced reaction to go check out what’s going on. They need to know what’s taking place with that “fight” nearest that doe bedding. It’s more instinctual instead of territory driven. They will almost, every single time respond to your rattle if they are within range of hearing it.

I’ll explain, I had a stand set in the timber about eighty yards in from the corn field. The doe bedding was in front of me approximately another eighty to one hundred yards . Knowing the bucks laid in the corn and off to the left side, I was set in between. Implementing my rattling sequence, I would notice the almost single file line of bucks coming to investigate what was going on in the doe bedding area. Sometimes one buck, sometimes eight or nine bucks ten minutes apart from one another, all heading towards that bedding area. After seeing and learning this, I always started rattling just outside the doe bedding areas at the right times of year and specifically within the first thirty minutes of daylight and the last hour before sunset. Those times might help draw bucks you direction as they head back to bed or get them on their feet earlier in the afternoons.

After explaining my positions on rattling to others, they stated “I’ve never thought about it that way”. I wondered how many others didn’t. I guess, I never would’ve either, unless I had experienced it for myself.

Key takeaways:

1. Set up outside of doe bedding based off winds.

2. Rattle during late pre-rut and early rut. In my region it’s October 23 until about November4th.

3. Rattle in the first thirty minutes and last hour of daylight.

4. If you know how bucks will circle and come downwind to check the “fight” near that bedding area, set your stand to comply with what those bucks will be doing.

You will see more bucks than just rattling out in the deep timber. Again, the idea is that bucks must inherently and instinctually come to check that doe bedding fight. In my opinion, this is a bit more reasoning to rattle near doe bedding than just territorial fighting response rattling. Getting rattled in the right area might just bring in your next shooter.