Honeslty, I think I may have a better chance just before the actual rut at killing a big buck... The one and only true nice buck, nice as in a buck that will turn a few heads, that i have killed with the bowwas the last week of Oct.. in fact, most of the 100-115" bucks I have killed have been the last week of Oct..or the first few days of Nov, not exactly the rut but damn close..but I know fully what you guys are saying, it is supposed to be easier to kill a mature buck in the rut, but it has not happened to me in the rut in 17 years!! well with a bow that is..it seems easier to pattern them before the rut..