Hunting the Whitetail Rut: Tips for the Full Rut Phase

Good tips for hunting the whitetail rut require the hunter to adapt to different whitetail deer behaviors as the rut moves from phases to pase. Here are some good tips for hunting the peak of the rut also known as the "full rut."

• Bucks typically will hang out with a doe for 24-36 hours. A good tip here is to to set up on a highly traveled doe trail. Scouting will help determine a great site to set up on but if you dont have time to scout, pick a food source or a water hole. Doe's will continue to travel trails that lead to common food and water sources if they are not being chased. Since daylight is becoming less of an abundance, set up further in the woods so you have more time to get a shot.
  
• During the rut, bucks will often find a mate and bed down together. This helps both the buck and doe conceal their identity and remove the risk for conflict with other bucks. Check scrapes and rubs as these can often be more of a sign of a bedding area more than a scrape or rub line.
  
• Bucks often will reduce their workload by simply watching and listening, and this may be done with little travel at all. Doe's will often let bucks know if they are interested or not. If she is not she may simply urinate on the ground to let the buck identify that she is not in estrus. If she is interested she will hold her tail straight out and walk in a stiff legged trot. Ridgelines and hilltops allow for bucks to do this surveying with little travel, set up just off of the ridge and do a little estrus bleat and listen up, he may be closer than you think.
  
• Here is a neat trick to try, does in estrus will respond well to grunts during the peak rut. If you see does, try grunting them in. Once the does are within 30 - 40 yards, try using a soft estrus bleat. You are basically telling the bucks that may be watching, exactly what they want to hear without the does really even telling him.
  
• Open areas may be your best opportunity during this phase. Dominant bucks care about one thing and one thing only, women. If you were the big boy on campus, you can show your stuff off by hiding in the woods, you want the women to see you. Watch the edges of open areas and fields as dominant bucks may take the road less traveled to help improve his visibility to women.

Tips for Hunting the Whitetail Rut: Its about that time

Tips for Hunting the Whitetail Rut: Its about that time

In Wisconsin, the best time of year for whitetail hunting is somewhere between now and then. I am sure you are thinking, that sounds ridiculous. Well...it is. The "rut" or otherwise known is the pre, peak, and post breeding moments of the whitetail season.

Everyone has their opinion as to how to hunt the rut but no one person has yet to determine the actual exact peak time. You can assume that the rut phases will be somewhere between September - January but beyond that, pinpointing the exact peak is pretty much a guess as much as it is science.

With that degree of difficulty set in your mind I have compiled a few of the most common tips that everyone can assume will payoff in the field one way or another during the rut season.

1. Hunt areas where there are lots of does. If the women are there, men will come running.

2. Hunt the day. During the rut, even during the day bucks will often move towards the smell of sweet doe. Sounds crazy, but its been proven, so grab a sandwich and stay in your stand for most of the day.

3. During the rut, using a grunt call sometimes doesn't get the attention of the bucks as they are busy chasing estrus does. Therefore, put yourself in prime location to intercept a buck in his travels in looking for a doe. This is best done on rub and scrape lines.

4. Set up shop near a watering hole. Bucks may not feed as often during the rut, but they sure do get thirsty when running all day. Watering holes a great secret that seems to never be told. Probably because it works.

5. Create mock scrapes and mock rubs...for dominant bucks this is a sign that there is someone else trying to get his doe's.

6. If you were looking for women in the woods, where would you go? That's right, at the top of the hill so you can get a better view of the opposite sex. Try a ridge line, bucks may travel this in hopes of pinpointing the love of his life.

7. Ah...the sweet smell of love...there are hundred, maybe thousands of options when it comes to lures, scents, sticks, etc.. try a few doe scent options, not one will be the best, but when you diversify your scents, you reduce your risk of not seeing the big guy.

I hope these tips will help and if you have more, please feel free to leave a comment on this post and I will gladly add it to this list. The more help the better....right?