“Tag: Deer Rut”

Scents, mock rubs or scrapes, decoys or even upturned earth may stop a curious buck long enough to create a brief shooting window.

Deer hunters know the rut produces unpredictable behavior in bucks. Acknowledge that, and you’ll understand why November is not the month to remain conservative. Instead “open the throttle” and hunt hard.

The rut is here, so perhaps it’s time to throw caution to the wind. Deer don’t act normal, and neither should you.

Not all of the hottest whitetail action takes place in November. In several places across the whitetail's southern range, the best rut hunts fall in January.

It may be the easiest time of the year to take a big buck, but let’s face it, you can still screw it up. Here’s how Michael Waddell approaches the rut.

To get the most out of the rut: Spend your time where the does concentrate, hunt from the outside in and save the high-risk high-reward stands for the last two days.

The rut calls for a series of adjustments. As the bucks change their behavior patterns, you need to be there waiting for them.

How can you tell the difference between a 2½-year-old buck and a mature 5½-year-old deer in those few tense seconds before you shoot or don’t shoot? Start by familiarizing yourself with the ever-changing features of the whitetail buck.