Robs answer says it all quadracer.

Comment on rut in general though from my perspective:

IMHO "THE RUT" is really feast or famine. To many worry about "rut" and missing some of the best part leading up to rut or even post for that manner. For me the best time is the late pre - rut or what some define as the "chase phase". This timeframe has bucks cycling vs just tending to a single doe. It also is the time they are most apt to come into your various calling techniques, the smell is in the air - slightly, anticipation is high but the ladys just aren't ready yet. This is the time we see bucks doing more stupid stuff then "peak rut". On a smaller scale the post rut creates similar results although it is scaled back somewhat b/c the majority of does have either been breed or out till #2 round.Another bonus to these stages is here the bucksare hitting the feed bag.

Now in all honesty my opinion has become this way as of late. I do a ton of scouting, spending many summer evening scoping from distance hillside watching for potential bucks. In the past I haven't worried much about them in the early season, why elk & or mooseto hunt, honey do list prior to ole man winter and lets not forget the "rut" - HEAVEN as many have said. What i have found in the past few years hunting an area that hasalot ofdeer andsome very nice bucks. While these big boys will hang in mass come mid oct they litterally vanish. So basically become unpatternable, prior I could find my bucks with little effort but with the rituals of rut starting they start moving off to determine their own grounds. You know not one of the big boys stayed where he was for the rut, it was always the up and comers that hang around. Last fall I spend many hours from mid oct - dec waiting and searching for 1 of 3 bucks and only had a few glimpses all in the early going. Now whatI did find was bucks I had never seen all of sudden showed up, some where bigger then thecommon up comers some were equal or smaller. We all know they span out for the rut but I didn't realize the extend until last year for this particular area. Go figure been hunting it for 6-7 years(only heavy the past few though)and haven't clued in to why none of my tags were on those big boys. I came to the realization not taking advantage (if possible) of the big buck on summer or bachelor group patterns is a huge mistake on trophy class animals. I will not be raking leavesearly next fallthat can wait if it must till april or may b/c I am going hunting! If unsuccessful I am going to start widen my search to find this roamers, as last fall the big boy moved across a highway over 5 miles north as the crow flies. Never even thought about searching that way but know I will. Point is I got sidetracked thinking the rut would be a great equalizer and never panned out.

I still love the rut it brings an air of unknowing and special excitementbut to over look other times to hedge all on the rut you either win big or go home empty.I am talking about "big bucks" in this regard.

Just my 2 cents worth.