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November 30, 2020
By Terry Madewell
Few experiences in deer hunting are as rewarding as drawing in a mature buck with a set of rattling antlers you’ve fashioned yourself.
Steve Cobb has a few pointers on the subject.
"First, I get the biggest, heaviest set of antlers I can," says the Hunters Specialties pro staffer. "Thicker antlers make that deep, loud sound produced when two big bucks fight, and realism is a key to rattling success."
He opts for a matched set of 4x4 antlers, though antlers with more points will work, and you can use any two sheds, even if they’re not from the same deer.
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"The key is having one right-side antler and one left-side antler, as this makes them sound natural and sync together nicely," Cobb says. "I’ll trim the tips off the points so they’re a little safer to use, but I leave the majority of each tine intact so I can make the light clicking sounds you get when tickling the antlers together."
Cobb drills a hole at the base of each antler and connects them with a length of cord. He then wraps the bases with tape to protect his hands when rattling.
"Mimicking a fight between two mature bucks requires considerable force, so protecting your hands is important," he says.