Rut Tips and Tactics

[Mschmeiske]

I was curious what kind of advice folks might be willing to offer for the up coming rut? What part of the country do you primarily hunt in? What’s your approach and what has worked for you?

 

[Kurt]

I hunt my ass off. I thing I know for sure........ There are no deer in my house. Plus I was treated to a orange morning sky, cool and clear with the dropping thermals in my face, 20 feet up watching over trails. Enjoyed my first tree stand coffee of the season. Man, nothin tastes better than coffee in a tree.

 

[Kurt]

That's what I was doing right before I busted a deer out that was bedded probably no more than 40 yards from where I had been sitting for the morning. That's why I still like to do all day sits when I can.

 

[KYHunter]

I’m in KY. Hunt a mix of farmland and big timber. Have had good luck hunting down wind or on the direct down wind edge of doe bedding areas. If that’s where the primary entry/exit trails are then even better

 

[Kowi Anukasha]

I hunt my ass off. I thing I know for sure........ There are no deer in my house. Plus I was treated to a orange morning sky, cool and clear with the dropping thermals in my face, 20 feet up watching over trails. Enjoyed my first tree stand coffee of the season. Man, nothin tastes better than coffee in a tree.

I agree @Kurt. My Stanley thermos loaded with coffee is as essential as my bow.

 

[DaveT1963]

Find the hot doe. That is all.

 

[elk yinzer]

I think one aspect a lot of people don't realize is that the does are typically harassed into thicker stuff than they were bedding all October. November doe bedding is different than it has been the past couple months. They'll break up from the family groups and bed in thicker stuff.

What Dave said, that crazy, off the wall action is all about finding the doe that's cycling. Those magazine article phases of the rut are garbage. Put your time in, that right time, right place will happen. As fun as those days are though, still more of the big bucks I've shot during the rut have been cruising for does than chasing.

If you can sit in a tree sunup to sundown for 3 weeks straight and not get burnt out, divorced, or fired, more power to you. If you are human, and can flex your schedule, hunt when it's cold and leave the warm sunny afternoons for family, work, and chores. The colder the better but anything over 55 degrees I rarely see much action unless there is chasing action on a hot doe. Warm weather suppresses the cruising action significantly.

 

[Hebeskibe]

In Virginia it's pre rut now deer are moving so get as much hang time as you can.

 

[Kowi Anukasha]

As far as rut hunting the most important thing is to be in the woods period. Their more likely to be on their feet in shooting light during this time than any other so you should be in the woods more than any other time in my opinion. I concentrate on bedding areas or funnels/pinch points leading to and from for morning or mid day sits. remember if your are targeting bucks at the bedding area they may not follow the same path in to the bedding as the does. They will often enter bedding area with their nose into the wind or preferably cross winding along the down wind side. I try to set up on the outside edges with the crosswind in my favor. As a word of caution when hunting directly in or adjacent to bedding areas with a large number of does you WILL get busted by some of them eventually. This does not mean the hunt is over and their fit throwing and noise often times calls a buck to his death. For evenings I hunt travel corridors leading to the food or food source it's self with the most doe activity I can find. Again cross wind setups are the best because a bucks travel route is unpredictable at and that gives a bow hunter piratically a wider margin of opportunity. It may sound overly simple but if the opposite sex was only available for a short window every year you would put yourself at the most popular hang out or restaurant in town to up your odds, well so do they. I have used these tactics with success in a number of states all across the Midwest and South.

 

[DaveT1963]

I think one aspect a lot of people don't realize is that the does are typically harassed into thicker stuff than they were bedding all October. November doe bedding is different than it has been the past couple months. They'll break up from the family groups and bed in thicker stuff.

What Dave said, that crazy, off the wall action is all about finding the doe that's cycling. Those magazine article phases of the rut are garbage. Put your time in, that right time, right place will happen. As fun as those days are though, still more of the big bucks I've shot during the rut have been cruising for does than chasing.

If you can sit in a tree sunup to sundown for 3 weeks straight and not get burnt out, divorced, or fired, more power to you. If you are human, and can flex your schedule, hunt when it's cold and leave the warm sunny afternoons for family, work, and chores. The colder the better but anything over 55 degrees I rarely see much action unless there is chasing action on a hot doe. Warm weather suppresses the cruising action significantly.

And that hot doe can be found from Sept - Jan - in fact, many yearlings are never even bred - really depends on the buck to doe ratio. Elk yinzer hit on a key point.... so many hunters ruin their rut hunting by bothering does during early season forcing them to relocate - the wise hunter gets ahead of this and looks for where the does are relocating to

 

[RRussell]

I think one aspect a lot of people don't realize is that the does are typically harassed into thicker stuff than they were bedding all October. November doe bedding is different than it has been the past couple months. They'll break up from the family groups and bed in thicker stuff.

What Dave said, that crazy, off the wall action is all about finding the doe that's cycling. Those magazine article phases of the rut are garbage. Put your time in, that right time, right place will happen. As fun as those days are though, still more of the big bucks I've shot during the rut have been cruising for does than chasing.

If you can sit in a tree sunup to sundown for 3 weeks straight and not get burnt out, divorced, or fired, more power to you. If you are human, and can flex your schedule, hunt when it's cold and leave the warm sunny afternoons for family, work, and chores. The colder the better but anything over 55 degrees I rarely see much action unless there is chasing action on a hot doe. Warm weather suppresses the cruising action significantly.

perfectly said!!!

 

[Tca126]

I’d see to be in the stand as much as you can be. One thing I’ve learned over the years, during the rut, things can change in an instant.

 

[Jtaylor]

Hunt, hunt and hunt some more. I think that was mentioned earlier. I hunt the midwest and prefer a mobile set up to move to the doe. The doe are your best attractant and I like using estrous scents/gland scents sparingly to possibly stop an active buck for a shot.

 

[ThumbsMcGee]

Depends on your goals.

I seek out high traffic areas, aim for does and a larger buck than my best.




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[Mschmeiske]

Figured I’d try and ignite this one again. Favorite rut strategies? If you were going to try somewhere new, what would you look for on an aerial map or once in the woods?

 

[drew13]

Figured I’d try and ignite this one again. Favorite rut strategies? If you were going to try somewhere new, what would you look for on an aerial map or once in the woods?

I’d look for aerial photos from a time of year when the leaves are off the trees, then look for thick, brushy areas where you can’t see long shadows on the ground. Figure out the winds for when you’re gonna be there and scout the downwind edge of the thick stuff.

 

[Still Kicking]

I hunt Illinois CRP and timber. This weekend and through the 20th of November is my favorite time. The bucks are pushing does and cruising. I like the morning hunts now and ridge lines are great. Lots of activity and shot opportunities. Good Hunting and be Safe!