Who hunts where the does are....during the rut?
#11
RE: Who hunts where the does are....during the rut?
Our property is all about does, they travel through and bed. We do not see bucks in the early season, but once things start to crank up, bucks start coming out of the swamp cruising for ladies and come right to us. IMO hunting right before, during and right after the primary rut is all about the does.
#12
RE: Who hunts where the does are....during the rut?
For the past two seasons I have been changing my hunting tactics during the chasing/seeking phase and while I haven't killed any mature deer during this timeframe, I have experienced many more close encounters than I used to when just randomly hunting the doe bedding areas or just off them during this phase. I have 2 primary tactics that both seem to work for me so far and hopefully will pay off soon.
My first tactic is todo my best to identify the doe bedding areas on the property before the chasing/seeking phase, and then play connect the dots using terrain features and wind directionto determine where I would go if traveling from bedding area to bedding area looking for does. I setup on the pinch points and funnels between these areasas needed and have had some good success with some great bucks very close.
My second tactic and probably most successful game plan in terms of producing encounters is to again identify where the does are bedding and feeding, and then learning where and how they move when either pressured or chased. I have seen at least on my properties that if they are being pressured by humans or chased by bucks, they seem to have very similar movement patterns and escape routes out of their primary bedding areas. This tactic has produced 2x encounters of the last 2 years for me with 125+ inch deer at well under 50 yards.........however hasn't actually helped me put one down yet. Last year I got trigger happy on one of these setups and shot the doe at 20 yardswhile she wasusing a stream crossing pinch point on a known escape route 100 yards from a main doe bedding area. I knew she was likely being chased but didn't have anything in the freezer yet and immediately after whacking her I saw the buckthat was chasing hersneaking away after watching what just happened to his girl. This is the same buck that we later found gut shot on the property that taped out at 129". Hopefully this tactic will produce another encounter this year for me.
I think the reason these tactics work well for me as compared to hunting right in or around the main doe bedding areas is I think I am able to stay out of these bedroom areas that the does use and I believe I educate less deer this way.
My first tactic is todo my best to identify the doe bedding areas on the property before the chasing/seeking phase, and then play connect the dots using terrain features and wind directionto determine where I would go if traveling from bedding area to bedding area looking for does. I setup on the pinch points and funnels between these areasas needed and have had some good success with some great bucks very close.
My second tactic and probably most successful game plan in terms of producing encounters is to again identify where the does are bedding and feeding, and then learning where and how they move when either pressured or chased. I have seen at least on my properties that if they are being pressured by humans or chased by bucks, they seem to have very similar movement patterns and escape routes out of their primary bedding areas. This tactic has produced 2x encounters of the last 2 years for me with 125+ inch deer at well under 50 yards.........however hasn't actually helped me put one down yet. Last year I got trigger happy on one of these setups and shot the doe at 20 yardswhile she wasusing a stream crossing pinch point on a known escape route 100 yards from a main doe bedding area. I knew she was likely being chased but didn't have anything in the freezer yet and immediately after whacking her I saw the buckthat was chasing hersneaking away after watching what just happened to his girl. This is the same buck that we later found gut shot on the property that taped out at 129". Hopefully this tactic will produce another encounter this year for me.
I think the reason these tactics work well for me as compared to hunting right in or around the main doe bedding areas is I think I am able to stay out of these bedroom areas that the does use and I believe I educate less deer this way.
#13
RE: Who hunts where the does are....during the rut?
I think that this question is very dependent on deer ratios. I have witnessed this in the last five years in my hunting area. about three years ago the DNR decided to really get the deer #s down. Huge amounts of antlerless permits were issued for my county. Now the ratio is really approaching 1:1, definately under 1:2,I beleive in the direct vicinity of my hunting areas.
the impact this has had locally is remarkable.it used to be 'hunt the does' but now when the chase phase really kicks in (right around Nov 1), the does for the most part vanish. family groups that I have seen for the last month suddenly move elsewhere, or at least move very differently. You can even see the difference in how the does act, they are much more jittery and quite often take off at the mere sight of a buck, big or small. The ones that are not hot are hiding, so it suddenly becomes more important to hunt the funnel points to catch the bucks trying to find does. Hunting traditional doe areas may still work, but they are not the highestprobability areasanymore.
the impact this has had locally is remarkable.it used to be 'hunt the does' but now when the chase phase really kicks in (right around Nov 1), the does for the most part vanish. family groups that I have seen for the last month suddenly move elsewhere, or at least move very differently. You can even see the difference in how the does act, they are much more jittery and quite often take off at the mere sight of a buck, big or small. The ones that are not hot are hiding, so it suddenly becomes more important to hunt the funnel points to catch the bucks trying to find does. Hunting traditional doe areas may still work, but they are not the highestprobability areasanymore.
#14
RE: Who hunts where the does are....during the rut?
I never looked at it as hunting does during the rut (seek/chase phase) because I completely shift stand sites from where I had been “hunting” does the early parts of the season. I look at it more of hunting places where I think bucks will travel in their quest to find does. Basically it boils down to bedding areas and travel corridors. I feel a buck is much more likely to be roaming around (even during the rut) in areas where he feels safe. I have a lot of does in my areas, and I really don’t think bucks have travel to the extent they do in other places. So I just tuck up tight to a bedding area and see what happens.
#15
RE: Who hunts where the does are....during the rut?
What I'm hearing from you rybo is......(transferring it to MY woods)....
I might be better suited just hunting some of the fringe woodlots until the chasing begins. COMPLETELY stay out of my core until the rut begins.
It's tough for me to contemplate......ESPECIALLY since targeting a buck isn't one of my major goals, this season. In the future.....I could EASILY see employing this strategy, though. I won't see as many deer.....but that won't be the goal, either.
I might be better suited just hunting some of the fringe woodlots until the chasing begins. COMPLETELY stay out of my core until the rut begins.
It's tough for me to contemplate......ESPECIALLY since targeting a buck isn't one of my major goals, this season. In the future.....I could EASILY see employing this strategy, though. I won't see as many deer.....but that won't be the goal, either.
#18
RE: Who hunts where the does are....during the rut?
i like to hunt funnels during the rut. small strips of woods, funnels in the terrain etc that filter deer through.
if not in a funnel, im most likely sitting real tight to a bedding area..bucks will walk the known bedding areas trying to find hot does...
hunting where the does are is great...thats what hunting the edges of the bedding areas is...but in your situation, id really try to key in on funnels if at all possible. you got more deer than most anyone...in a case like that, i think being in a funnel would be the ticket to seeing the most deer...
if not in a funnel, im most likely sitting real tight to a bedding area..bucks will walk the known bedding areas trying to find hot does...
hunting where the does are is great...thats what hunting the edges of the bedding areas is...but in your situation, id really try to key in on funnels if at all possible. you got more deer than most anyone...in a case like that, i think being in a funnel would be the ticket to seeing the most deer...
#19
RE: Who hunts where the does are....during the rut?
I will let you know what I think in a few months about this. I have an area that I started to hunt late last year that turns out to be a major, primary doe bedding area. I have about six "resident" does on this area, trail cam pics every day. One has had triplets, two had twins and two had singles, one never had any fawns with it. Last years I had a few does on my trail cam and lots of bucks, come rut time I had little action. I am hoping with this spot since I have only got about five pics all summer long of bucks, but hundreds of doe pics I have the spot come pre rut to rut time. I always heard a old friend of my dads and grandpa say you want big bucks, hunt the does. Have heard it hear, hope they are right.
#20
RE: Who hunts where the does are....during the rut?
hunting where the does are is great...thats what hunting the edges of the bedding areas is...but in your situation, id really try to key in on funnels if at all possible. you got more deer than most anyone...in a case like that, i think being in a funnel would be the ticket to seeing the most deer...
I catch the does coming out to eat.....and catch the bucks following them. I don't have any other choices.