As the days draw closer to the rut, bucks move more and more searching out the local does, making rubs and scrapes and even feeding on the falling acorns.
While a buck's attention toward food is turning more towards a hot doe in the coming days, does will still be seeking out the falling acorns at that means a buck could be there to check them out too.
Far as I'm concerned....this (the pre-rut) IS part of the rut. It's not lockdown.....but nevertheless it's a part of the rut (we could be arguing semantics).
Regardless....this is my favorite part to hunt.