Rifle season in MO...too late for:

Good to hear. I always see them using the rattler week after halloween.

3 specific instances of calling in deer immediately came to mind, so I checked the dates. This was all in Northern Missouri, so I can’t speak for Central Missouri.

-Nov 13 2020: me and my buddy got there the morning of the 12th, rifle opened the 14th. I bought an archery tag for the 2 days, and brought my ravin. We scouted Thursday, hunted the ground together Friday morning. This was when THP was making their “thrashing” videos. Around 10am, after not seeing anything, he says “wanna do some thrashing??” I was like knock yourself out bud. Grunting, rattling, shaking branches, rustling leaves, general “thrashing”. Mostly as a joke. Maybe 5 minutes later I hear breathing behind me. I look back and lock eyes with a probably 150’s, possible 160’s class, at about 15 yards. He had us pinned, didn’t bust, but skirted and never gave me a shot.

-Nov 8 2023: hunting a creek. Around 10:30am, out of desperation I hit the rattle bag. About 2 minutes later, I catch a glimpse of 2 deer across the creek. I grunt loudly. 1 of them, a very nice(to me) 10pt, I’d guess 120’s-130’s, comes charging to the opposite bank, about 55 yards out. Looks around, goes to walk off, I grunt, he does the same thing. About 3-4 times. He would not cross that damn creek and get in range.

-Nov 15 2024: hunting a different creek bottom, around 8am, 3 does running full speed, jump and clear the entire creek, followed by an absolute giant. 50 yards to my right. He chases them up the ridge on the other side of a narrow, but deep draw, from the ridge at my back. They get about half way up and slow down a little and, in full panic mode, I blew the hell out of that grunt call. He stopped and lifted his head. I hit it again and he turned around. He went to turn back to the does and I hit a snort wheeze. He ran through that draw and onto the ridge behind me in about 2 seconds. Would’ve taken a person 2-3 minutes at best. Stopped on my ridge and looked my way. I hit the grunt again. He came running straight down at me. I drew back, he stopped at 30 behind a tree. I could see his head and he was scanning. Didn’t see anything and bailed.

TLDR: called in 3 real nice bucks between Nov 8-15. Didn’t seal the deal on any of them, but it was some of the best hunts I’ve ever had.