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Tactics used during the rut

Question for the more experienced Oklahoma deer hunters. How successful have you been with rattling or calling in bucks during the rut or pre-rut? I've got my OK lifetime license and moved back last year but the past 20+ years have been mostly in CO and when I'm back my focus has primarily been on does for the freezer.

I've got a controlled hunt at Lexington 11/10 and feel it should be picking up by then and wasn't sure if any tactic could tilt the scales in my favor. Don't have much confidence in the 'can' calls based on feedback from others.

Everyone has different results but I have had a lot of success rattling in bucks the first two weeks of November. More times than not it didn't result in the buck coming within bow range but have seen some large bucks.

Agree with BigOk I have the best luck with it in the mornings just before sunup but don't think it will happen every time maybe once or twice out of 10 trys . Good Luck

My experience when rattling is the mature bucks can pinpoint your exact location and when they respond only come within 50 or so yards. They come in at full alert and notice any movement. I carry multiple calls but seldom use them.... During the run I have by far the best results when using a doe estrus purchased from a deer farm. I can't even drag this scent to my stand on a morning hunt because buck arrive before daylight.

It depends on what you’re after. If you want to shoot a year and a half or 2 1/2 year-old buck then rattling and calling are great techniques.

I’ve not once heard of anyone rattling or calling in a mature buck into bow range in Oklahoma without a decoy...hasn’t happened for me either. Also on public land I’d leave the calls at home

Just read your post a little better... gun hunting is another matter and the dates are perfect for rattling. They’ll come in just not always into bow range

Thanks everyone for their input. The question was 'in general' but the Lexington hunt is with a rifle and I won't post any pics from that hunt on bowsite. Will be getting out this weekend with my bow and over Thanksgiving. Tried to fit into my wife's scrubs but about 3 sizes too small...won't post those pics on bowsite either! :)

Ok so I don't know if I rattled in this buck or if it was a coincidence. I brought the horns out on my Lake Arcadia hunt on 10/27. Wasn't going to rattle except to turn a deer if it was walking away. But around sunup a snort sounded downwind of me and so I rattled to try and cover that sound to confuse other deer that may have heard it. Then 20 minutes later at 8:00 here comes out this buck. Field dressed weight 168 and the hunt manager pulled his jaw and said he might be 4 1/2. Not a trophy rack but really good eating. No gamey smell and really tender.

Correction it was 10/28 Sunday morning, not 10/27.

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