Bucks, being extremely cautious, are challenging to hunt. Therefore, hunters have devised various ways to take the situation and go for deerโs weaknesses. That said, the best rattling antlers and different deer calls are used to attract bucks.
The top products for rattling that we swear by include fake antlers i.e., Illusion Systems Black Rack and the best rattling bag i.e., Primos Big Bucks Bag.
- realistic and loud antler like sound
- Designed as per antlers of full grown bucks
- Made in USA
- Easy to carry and use
- Create realistic fighting sounds
- Can be carried out of backpack or stored inside
- Ergonomic build avoid hand vibration and finger hurt
- Proper grip to hold and use for longer time
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In the month of November, the rut season is at its peak when deer pursue female deer for breeding. Bucks also indulge in fights with fellow singles, known as deer sparring.
That said, the most effective calls during this time are the sounds of bucks fighting, i.e., rattling. For that, hunters should use the best rattling antlers.
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There are multiple ways to emit this sound. For example, using real antlers, fake antlers, rattle bags, or rattling tools. Real and fake antlers are bigger in size hence, require more space for storage. These produce sounds quite similar to the real ones.
On the other hand, rattling bags and tools are incredibly lightweight and compact. The bags might not sound as realistic as the tools and antlers, but they work fine for most deer.
10 Best Deer Antler Calls & Rattling Antlers
Following are some of the best products to mimic the antler rattle call in the most authentic way.
- Illusion Systems Black Rack – Best Rattling Antlers Of All Time
- Flextone Battle Bones – Best Rattling Antlers For Great Volume
- Primos Fighting Horns Call – Best Rattling Antlers For Durability
- Primos Big Bucks Bag Call – Best All Around Rattling Bag
- Nationwide Scents Deer Call – Best Rattling Antlers Bag For All Seasons
- Bone Collector Bag-O-Bone Deer Bag – Best Rattling Bag For The Money
- Hunters Specialties Ruttin’ Buck Bag – Best Budget Rattling Bag
- Knight and Hale Pack Rack – Best Rattling Took For Experts
- Primos Rack-N-Roll Deer Call – Best Comfortable Rattling Tool
1. Illusion Systems Black Rack – Best Rattling Antlers Of All Time
Level up your hunting game with the most productive antler rattles for calling out deer. What makes these stand out from other choices is the bone core technology. It lets you enjoy authentic buck sparring as you trick the animals.
These are our champion fake rattling antlers, featuring a two complete rack design priced right. During snowy and rainy conditions, the sound didnโt change, and bucks came out to the rattling call.
The team also tried it for whitetails, and the results were impressive. You can watch the instructional video on the Deer Society mobile app for free for a clearer idea of using these antlers.
It is challenging to store these racks when on a climbing tree stand or hang on tree stand. You can tie a string on both antlers and extend it on a branch above the treestand. The other side of the string will hang down across the branch within your reach. Tie the other end with your stand so these donโt fall. Whenever you want to rattle, just pull the string a couple of times.
We tied the antlers together tightly to carry them silently when climbing the tree stand or hiking. While these sound similar to natural racks, making them the best rattling antlers for all, they cover almost half of the hunterโs backpack.
- Close to real sound quality
- Highly durable
- Black paint for concealment
- Bangs together during transport
2. Flextone Battle Bones – Best Rattling Antlers For Great Volume
Similar to the Black Rack, this one also comes with bone-core technology. The racks resemble the bone marrow present in natural antlers.
We loved how these racks stimulate a high frequency sound when banged together. The realistic shot of authenticity brought us a couple of healthy bucks. Because of its easy-to-use and compact build, hunters can comfortably use these for a prolonged time, unlike man bulky variants and even the past design by Flextone which don’t have bulky shapes but also rattles unnecessarily while walking or trekking. The improved design has also completely removed that issue.
Though light, and very compact to store, using it for the first time can be a bit confusing. Get to know rattle sounds so you can mimic those and practice using them before going in the field!
For convenience, it has solved the issue faced with the Black Rack, i.e., transporting a rattling antler without noise and hanging it on treestand. You can opt for the same method for all fake antlers. Tie them with a string, bring them around the tree branch, and secure them with your treestand.
For added comfort, it is best to wear gloves while using since the texture could be rough on your hand. That said, donโt miss out on this must have hunting arsenal and enjoy its tremendous performance.
- Realistic sound
- Stacks together for silent transport
- Improved version than rattling bones by Flextone
- Easy to use
- It could be rough on the hands
- It needs a string to be hung on treestand
3. Primos Fighting Horns Call – Best Rattling Antlers For Durability
These racks stand out from our winning product because of the extended handles. On one hand, these handles are a great convenience; on the other hand, they are too large to fit in a hunterโs bag. In our experience, it took almost 2/3rd of our bagโs space.
There are 14 contact points on these antlers to mimic the rattling sounds of bucks. As tested, these produce light and extra aggressive sounds but arenโt authentic. These sometimes sound plasticky, but switching the sites of hitting changes the sound a bit. With this tactic, we managed to bring out a few deer.
When it comes to varying weather conditions, these surprisingly work pretty well. It not only consumed a significant space in the bag but also felt heavy to hold for a long time. When hunting from a treestand, you might want to tie these somewhere since these require ample space for storage.
- Suitable for different weather
- Produces slow and loud sound
- Extended handles save from injury
- A bit bulky
- Sounds a bit plasticky sometimes
4. Primos Big Bucks Bag Call – Best All Around Rattling Bag
Designed to meet the needs of a hunter even in the toughest situations, this one works as one of the best rattling antlers bags. This product leads as a top recommendation due to the presence of two power tines sets.
Rattle bags are a lot easier to carry than rattle antlers. These take less than a quarter of your bagโs storage. However, one must learn how to use rattling bag properly to mimic fighting sounds.
Unfortunately, this big does not produce sound as authentic as the rattle antlers. These are designed to mimic a sound like two bucks of different sizes are in combat. To examine the performance, we tested it out. The low and loud sounds of this bag enabled us to call out bucks from as far as 200 yards and as close as 74 yards.
Tone holes in the power tines are responsible for extra loud noise. The mesh bag, however, is prone to tearing with rigorous use, which one can quickly stitch or replace. Overall, the Primos Big Bucks Bag works like a charm.
- Extra loud and realistic sound
- Waterproof
- Ensures longevity
- Mesh bags can tear with frequent use
- Not as realistic as antlers but it does the job
5. Nationwide Scents Deer Call – Best Rattling Antlers Bag For All Seasons
Be it a rainy or snowy day, this product is made to withstand extreme weather conditions. With excellent craftsmanship, this rattle bag secures a sweet spot for all expert hunters who require durability and reliable sound quality. Weighing super light in weight, these fit even in the minor corner of the bag easily.
The rattle sound is so loud that we could call out 3 large bucks with only 8 to 10 minutes of rattling. We often use the best hunting watch to rattle at appropriate time intervals. The weather conditions were slightly rainy, and there was no difference in the sound. Speaking of authenticity, these fail to sound like natural antlers but are decent enough to attract some deer.
For the bag, you wonโt have to worry about its durability. Rub it season after season, and it will remain in the same shape. The sound is less realistic than the Primos Big Bucks back but is unidentifiable by the deer.
- Amplified sound
- Withstands rough weather
- Extremely durable bag
- Average sound authenticity
6. Bone Collector Bag-O-Bone Deer Bag – Best Rattling Bag For The Money
Nothing draws out a buck better than a good rattle sound. For that, this bag comes with an excellent performance. Though it is not as realistic as the Primos Big Buck Bag, it does the job with efficiency.
For a lighter sparring sound, we took out a couple of tines from the bag. Similarly, for a dominant buck-fighting sound, we added some additional tines. Needless to say, this approach was quite practical for the sound transition.
All in all, this bag from Bone Collector is an excellent choice for hunters. However, these lack weatherproofing abilities, which could impact the performance on snowy or rainy days. For a rattle bag that resists every sort of weather, check out the Nationwide Scents Deer Call.
- Produces great sound
- Non slip rubber case
- Top notch quality
- It might not operate well in harsh weather
7. Hunters Specialties Ruttin’ Buck Bag – Best Budget Rattling Bag
This rattling bag is for hunters who prefer convenience over everything. Using this bag full of great features was a pleasure that resulted in an outstanding performance. The wooden sticks inside the bag are responsible for reproducing sharp sounds, imitating buck sparring.
The lanyard provided to secure the bag can help with the sound change. For example, loosen up the lanyard and then rub it if you want a more realistic and louder sound. Overall, it offers an unmatchable performance for the price.
Since it is not bulky, you can store it in your hunting storage bag without inconvenience. The lanyard also provides ease while hunting from treestands. You can hang it anywhere for easy access.
Its high end durability and ease of use impressed our team members the most. Rub it between your hands, stimulating the rattle with a high pitch. We used this bag from almost an 18 ft. tall treestand.
The winds were gentle, and with this fantastic bag, we could easily stimulate faint and loud noises. All in all, it is undoubtedly a great product, but wood sticks occasionally squeak with each other. However, it happened very rarely, and we loved the quality and performance of this bag.
- Durable and compact
- High pitch sound
- Decent performance
- Unrealistic sound when the lanyard is secured tightly
8. Knight and Hale Pack Rack – Best Rattling Tool For Experts
The knight and hale pack rack deer call is the best rattling antler tool hunters rely on. Loud, realistic, and sounds great in the woods, this tool pleased us in every way possible. These take even less space than the rattle bags. The smaller version of this pack rack call can fit in your pocket for quick access.
As our expert hunter tried it from his treestand, there was a very slight difference between real antlers banging together and this tool. With just a very few rattling frequencies, there were 3 bucks out to investigate. Watch how well this thing works in this video:
Just bring the two components close and twist them together in opposite directions. The harder you twist, the louder it sounds. Though it sounds a bit plasticky when compared to the real antlers, thatโs one thing that deers canโt differentiate between.
- It fits in the pocket
- No knuckle pain while banging together
- Affordable
- A slight difference between real antlers rattling
9. Primos Rack N Roll Deer Call – Best Comfortable Rattling Tool
Forget taking your tool in and out of the bag with the Primos Rack-N-Roll. You can hold it in hand, but it is best to mount it on the leg because this tool is designed for it.
The hunter from our crew could use this single handedly yet achieve great results. Additionally, it doesnโt make any noise during transport because of the silencing strap. Check how it works for different volumes here:
With its dominating buck fight sound, we noticed several deer coming out of their hideouts. While these can easily be stored in the bag, hunters usually wear these all the time during the hunt.
Our team noticed a slight difference in performance when used in icy conditions. You can try the Knight and Hale Pack Rack for a weatherproof performance.
- One hand operation
- Stimulates soft and loud rattles
- Lightweight yet durable
- Harsh weather can impact the performance
Buying Guide
Let’s discuss the factors which make rattling antlers, rattling bags, and rattling tools great for your use as per your needs.
Deer Rattle Antlers
When it comes to the best rattling antlers, you can choose between synthetic deer rattling horns and natural antlers. Surprisingly, artificial antlers come as a better choice than natural ones. The main reason is the ease of storage and transport.
Do you know mineral licks play a great role in growing antlers of bucks?
Even though none can beat the sound of real antlers, the synthetic ones mimic a similar sound. Usually, the fully racked deer have two antlers each, involving four in the fight. However, you can only hold two natural antlers, which sometimes fail to sound aggressive.
On the other hand, many artificial antlers come with two fully racked antlers, making rattling antlers sound like real combat. The best fake deer antlers are Illusion Systems Black Rack.
Some hunters love using real or fake antlers for decorative purposes such as trophy mounting. They do it via taxidermy for real antlers or purchase fake faux antlers from the market.
Deer Rattle Bags
A buck rattler bag has the same purpose, i.e., fake the sound of deer sparring. To create that sound, these bags either have wooden or plastic sticks. While both produce an authentic rattling deer antlers sound, we found wood nearer to the real set-off.
The wooden sticks used in the Primos Big Bucks Bag stimulate the most lifelike sound. That said, our team, as well as numerous other hunting experts, rely on this rattle bag.
Deer Rattle Tools
These are the most innovative and convenient hunting arsenal in terms of performance and storage. These rattling systems are designed to be compact and a lot easier to use compared to rattling antlers and bags.
Moreover, using these tools, you can quickly reproduce deer sparring in soft and aggressive sounds. The most widely used deer rattle tool that ensures authentic rattling is the Knight and Hale Pack Rack.
Conclusion
You make lots of efforts to catch some trophy bucks and to save it from going in vain. It is recommended to use the best rattling antlers, especially during the rut.
Make sure to use the right deer rattlers products and at the most appropriate timings. It will save you from staying undercover and bring out the nearby bucks within your shooting range.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
What is the best whitetail rattle called antler?
For fake antlers, you can select the Illusion Systems Black Rack. At the same time, the Primos Big Bucks Bag, and Knight and Hale Pack Rack are excellent choices for rattle bags and tools, respectively.ย
Rattling bag vs antlers: which are better?
It all comes down to personal preference and experience. Some people find rattling bags muffed, whereas others experience a change in the sound of natural antlers after a season. However, a rattle bag and fake antlers have identical performances. The rattling bag is just a lot more convenient to store and carry than the antlers.ย
About Alex David
I am an avid bow hunter and author of Tree Stand Ranger. Hunting from tree stands has been a passion of mine for many years. I’ve had the privilege of owning several tree stands and hunting properties throughout my life, and I take great pride in having the opportunity to do so. Read more about me.
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