Hunting the Rut

[Monks 164]

Hunting the rut…

Each year deer hunters head to the woods trying to time the rut? Most miss the best time to see multiple sightings of bucks and does and to witness nature at its best. Most hunters think the rut is an exact period of time based on temperature, and moon phase. It is not.

The rut occurs over a period of time in phases, first seeking, and then chasing followed breeding (lock down). Photoperiod is the key factor for when the rut begins. Does need to have their fawns at a specific time, in the spring to increase survival so they are not born in freezing temps. So regardless of the moon, does will be bred.

“You need cold weather and calm days for deer to move”? Myth

Does come into estrus over a short period of time. Bucks are on the move looking for receptive does, temperature plays NO role. (If it is too hot in a bar and an attractive girl eyes you up… you say nah its too hot, ill wait till it cools off?!?)

Sure maybe and I say maybe deer are more active at night during the rut. But bucks are on the move all day. Look at the stats of how many mature bucks do not make the winter after the rut. They move all day.

Deer live all year round, hot summer days, rain, wind and snow. The best days to hunt are windy crappy days. The majority of my big bucks have come in the worst of weather conditions. High winds, snow, rain. People assume they don’t move during these conditions. They move more, people move less. Low pressure systems draw scent, down and high winds allow them to travel more detecting what is ahead.

I find most the myths, of needing cold temps, no wind and perfect conditions stem from hunt camps. Windy and hot, everyone is at camp, cold and cool, everyone hunts. So guess when animals were harvested.

I have a detailed journal of deer activity from 2001 during the “Rut”. You can set your watch that the first week of November will be a great time to be hunting funnels and pinch points as bucks cruise for does.

If you are not seeing deer this time of year you are not around deer. It’s that simple.

Good luck and get in the woods!

[Mr. Canoehead 69]

Great read, thanks.

What do you think about trying to fill a doe tag during the rut? Are the does less active if they are hiding from the bucks or would you see more does during the rut as well?

[TroutHunter 39]

I personally try to not take a doe during the rut... Why not use them to your advantage IMO... You can't beat the real thing. I'll try to fill my doe tag either early in the season, or later once December rolls around. I've been seeing the same amount of doe activity on my cams throughout the season... Though they seem to be a bit more alert the coming into my feed pile.

[Mr. Canoehead 69]

I would be thinking the same but I already filled my buck tag.

[Monks 164]

Great read, thanks.

What do you think about trying to fill a doe tag during the rut? Are the does less active if they are hiding from the bucks or would you see more does during the rut as well?

In my experience the does are running from the younger bucks and are just as active. I have seen a lot of does so far and they remain active. Overall I find I see more deer from Late October up until Nov 15 in general. During the chasing phase I hunt the areas with high doe concentrations in hopes of a big buck cruising for them. There is actually a study I just read on GPS collared does that travel like a rutting buck does looking for a suitable buck. Ill see if the magazine article has a website link.

Now as for harvesting a doe during the rut, that is up to hunter. We all hunt for varying reasons for harvesting an animal. I have a freezer full of moose meat after a very successful moose hunt, so I can target a mature buck. That's what I like about deer hunting with my bow, lots of time. Others are happy to harvest any deer and they should do that.

In my early years of bow hunting I used to target a doe while hunting near Sioux narrows. Lots of extra doe tags and when I was able to harvest a doe, bucks would walk up and smell her, and nudge her. Did not scare them at all. Had many double header days. Now I never did take many mature bucks, however that may have been due to lack of hunting deer experience as well.

[Monks 164]

I personally try to not take a doe during the rut... Why not use them to your advantage IMO... You can't beat the real thing. I'll try to fill my doe tag either early in the season, or later once December rolls around. I've been seeing the same amount of doe activity on my cams throughout the season... Though they seem to be a bit more alert the coming into my feed pile.

I do the same, If I have does around me that are not being chased...perfect. Means that at anytime they will be attracting more bucks. More does means more bucks

[Monks 164]

In my experience the does are running from the younger bucks and are just as active. I have seen a lot of does so far and they remain active. Overall I find I see more deer from Late October up until Nov 15 in general. During the chasing phase I hunt the areas with high doe concentrations in hopes of a big buck cruising for them. There is actually a study I just read on GPS collared does that travel like a rutting buck does looking for a suitable buck. Ill see if the magazine article has a website link.

Now as for harvesting a doe during the rut, that is up to hunter. We all hunt for varying reasons for harvesting an animal. I have a freezer full of moose meat after a very successful moose hunt, so I can target a mature buck. That's what I like about deer hunting with my bow, lots of time. Others are happy to harvest any deer and they should do that.

In my early years of bow hunting I used to target a doe while hunting near Sioux narrows. Lots of extra doe tags and when I was able to harvest a doe, bucks would walk up and smell her, and nudge her. Did not scare them at all. Had many double header days. Now I never did take many mature bucks, however that may have been due to lack of hunting deer experience as well.

Here is the article I referenced;

https://getd.libs.uga.edu/pdfs/kolodzinski_jeffrey_j_200812_ms.pdf

Long read but if you go to the last pages you can see the travel data. Interesting study...