How To Find Whitetail Deer During Rutting Season

How To Find Whitetail Deer During Rutting Season

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The key to finding whitetail deer during rutting season is to have an understanding of what is going on. Here is the scenario. It's the height of the rut and the bucks are beyond excited, and you are, too. After all, now is the perfect time to bag your monster buck, right?

Think again! Peak rut can actually be one of the more difficult times to hunt. Here's why:

First, you have to understand that "peak rut" does not happen at the exact same time every year. There are, of course, general guidelines for your area, but the exact dates will vary based on many factors. Declining daylight is the key trigger, but declining moonlight also has a huge impact.

Each individual doe in your deer herd will cycle at slightly different times, so there is actually three parts to the rut, a ramp up pre-rut period, peak rut and a wind down post-rut period. If the does all cycled at one time there would only be one peak rut period only. Nature doesn't work that way, fortunately, so the three distinct periods provide a great opportunity for you.

At the beginning, a few does will cycle, starting the pre-rut period. Bucks figure out pretty quick that it's time to get busy or miss out, so they start aggressively checking out every doe they can find. They start grunting and chasing every doe in the vicinity. Other bucks hear the grunting and chasing, and hightail it after the sounds so they won't miss out on an opportunity to find a ready and willing partner.

With all this grunting and chasing going on, now is the time for you to get out there with your own grunt game call. Bucks during the pre-rut are so worked up and excited, and will be very likely to come running with some timely grunts of your own. Make sure to take advantage of the pre-rut, but realize you have a short window of opportunity until the rut swings into full gear.

Pretty soon, the rest of the does out there swing into their cycle, and peak rut is on. But a bird in hand is worth two in the bush, and bucks that are actively breeding their does are not likely to respond to your grunt calls or rattling. They are busy and happy, and most of us hunters are out of luck for a short time. Peak rut can be a slow time to be out in the field, and can lead to some long lonely hours in your tree stand. Of course, there is always that chance you might catch your buck in between service calls, but do not be surprised if the only activity you see is the skittering and scrabbling of a few crazy squirrels.

During post rut, the tide turns. The majority of does have been bred and are no longer interested in the randy male of the species. Your monster buck, however is reluctant to let his short-lived nirvana go, and will be actively searching for those few remaining does that are on the tail end of the cycle. Whitetail bucks are very aggressive during this time so feel free to once again kick up the game calling and rattling during the late or post rut season. After all, post rut bucks are as distractible as high school boys at a cheerleading competition.

The best time to hunt during deer rutting season is just before (pre-rut) or just after (post-rut). You can still hunt during peak rut, but do not make the mistake of thinking the rut is over because you see a sharp decline in activity, when it actually is peak rut. The last thing you want to do is cut back on your deer hunting when post-rut is just around the corner. Game calling or rattling can pay big dividends when your previously satiated buck is desperately searching down the last willing doe of the season.


Copyright (c) 2011 Todd Jensen

About the Author:
Todd Jensen holds the current non-typical whitetail P&Y Record for the State of Montana. Available on his website (www.whitetailbowhunter.com/rutmap) is a rut map you can access to find out the status of the rut in your area… live as it happens. We encourage you to go there and bookmark it in your favorites so that you can use this tool next hunting season.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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