I've heard that the deer can tell the difference due to the lack of moisture. I've also heard you can soak them and fix the problem.
As usual, I'm just trying to save a dime and use whats on hand. A rattling bag is probably the way to go for convenience, but not if what I already own will work.
BTW: These are very old. They were given to me 20 years ago and were already old and grey then. They rattled in a six point for me once, but those young horny bucks aren't exactly known for intellegence.
Experience???
You might be able to rehydrate them. I'd leave them outside on a rainy night or two and grease them up.
HuH? Grease? Yup.
I read a book a while back about making English style walking sticks. Most had horn or antler handles. The old English saying about horn or antler was that it should be oiled "Once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year and once a year for life."
I've done it with some sheds I picked up fresh and it's really kept them nice. Something like Mink Oil or Snow Seal works fine or maybe even just lard would work.
As for sounding different or deer telling the difference between old dry antlers and new ones, I'm not sure but I CAN tell you that the size of the antlers makes a big difference. Bigger antlers have a much deeper clunky sound than smaller "tinny" sounding ones. Unless they are just totally dead sounding, I doubt I'd worry about it. Most rattle bags, artificial antlers and such don't sound real to my ears but they work for the deer.
go out an bang um theyll work the reason I think they will work is Ive seen fake racks an rattle bags work.deer horn comes in all types of density they hear the noise they are in a particular mind set. thats why they come.Its just like a grunt tube they all sound a little different but then they all sound the simular. good luck have fun ED
Thanks guys.
Has anyone specifically had them work, or seen deer spook because of poor antler sound?
you can spookum . I have scared the crap out of them.an I have also had them come in so fast I could not get a shot. an sometimes they will sneek in to see what it is there about to get into.I saw this thing in a magizne that Iam doing this year you string the anterlers on a rope put like 3-4 on there.then let them lay on the ground an just jerk the rope from your stand that keeps the sound on the ground an your hands free, rattling is a timeing thing it can make or break your hunt.sometimes it works an sometimes it dont.Its a gamble.if they come charging in you will never forgetit.
That little six point charhed in. I was sitting in a ditch and he was nearly looking down on me when he stopped. It was very cold, and the steam was shooting out of his nostrils at me like some angry bull from hell. :D It was quite an experience.
when it works its fun. you see-um in a whole different light. thats why I do it. I try to make it happen1-2 a year
I have a set I have been using since my teens so that makes them a least 30 years old. Lord knows how long they had been laying around in my grandpa's old grain shed before I found them. Really nice 8 point rack mounted a plaque. Gramps had no recollection of there history and gave me the go ahead to saw them off for rattlers. Since then, I have broken off a tine, but I have had many a buck coming charging in to those horns. I've never done anything to them, if they sound different the deer haven't noticed.