Corey’s Rattle Buck

© By Othmar Vohringer

Corey and I know each other for about four years, back then he just started hunting and was eager to learn everything he could and that is how he came into contact with me. Not so very long ago I told him about antler rattling tactics but since I am not a mule deer hunter I was not sure if it would work on them too. I’ve heard in the past that rattling also appeals to mule deer, but hearing and knowing are two different things. Well Corey tried it out and here is his story of a successful mule deer hunt, using antler rattling tactics. I hope that Corey’s story will help some of you hunting in mule deer country. If it does, let me know.


Story an image by Corey Kishman

Hi all just got home from a great trip in 3-39. I was into Deer every day except for the first one (Thursday). I hadn't ever spent much time rattling for Deer so this trip I decided I'd really dedicate some time to it. Man, I'm glad I did, four times I had Mulies come in to see what all the fuss was about. One Doe literally trotted up to where I was without a care in the world, amazing. On Saturday evening I was Rattling away at the top of a clear cut I'd walked up. Well, after about 45 mins. or so I start to think about heading back to the Truck with 15 minutes of shooting light left. So I get up I walk over and have a look down the bank, there's two Bucks walking across the road below me!!

The road I walked up was a switchback, so the Bucks were maybe 75 yards away, below me, walking slowly toward the next drop off down the switchback. I was able to get prone(I still had my bi-pod extended from rattling) I took aim at the second Buck as the first was already heading over the bank, this was the biggest Deer I'd ever eyed through a scope and the old ticker was really pumping!! He just kept going toward the bank and I was starting to get that slipping away feeling, in desperation I let out a loud grunt as he was going over the bank.

He stopped, but all I could see was his head, looking back toward me and his rear end. I already had the crosshairs on his head as he, every so slowly, began to look away. I put the crosshairs under his left ear and fired, he dropped as if struck by lightning-my first Mulie was on the ground. The shot entered under the left ear and exited out the right eye. I was shooting a Sako 85 in .270wsm with hand loaded 130gr. Barnes TSX over 61.0 grains of RL-17, good for around 3160 fps and very accurate from my gun. I don't think I'd have taken this shot without this set up, by far my most accurate hand load to date.

If you have a deer hunting story that you would like to share with our readers please send it forward to me and I will publish it here on Whitetail Deer Passion.

This blog post has been brought to you by Othmar Vohringer Outdoors

Tags: BC Hunting, Mule Deer Hunting, Sako Rifles, Antler Rattling, Deer Hunting, Rattling Tip