Call your local DNR office, they will tell you when rut is for your area. Prerut depends on the area and buck ratio but should be about a month before rut...it can be longer or shorter. Rut here is mid nov for whitetails and they are in prerut right now. The mule deer have a shorter prerut and are just starting to come into prerut, rubbing and sparring...rut for them here is first part of Nov.