When do you think the rut will begin to kick into full force in Pa. And what are some good tactics [calls, scents,places to be, etc...]. By places to be i mean terrain features like in a bottom or on a ridge.

Ful force, 3rd week in November 3 days after the ful moon. From what I read. Looks to be hot from Nov 19 till first week in Dec. Good time to be out will be during the pre rut phase. Get a decoy if PA allows that. set it up early Nov late Oct with a little doe urine. I can't wait to set mine up. Then Doe calls should work real well. I had a couple young bucks respond to doe urine and doe calls now. But I think the bigger ones won't care for a while yet.

The hot part of the prerut should start to pick up around the end of the 3rd week of October...and then get much better around the first week in November. The actual rut itself (breeding phase)should be right when lucknikk posted.

nov 1st i start vaca..i am hoping for ok weather and i might hunt 2 states if i can tag out in one fairly quickly

what method should i go with...decoy....calling....rattlin....all of the mentioned

How about in NY? When does the rut start?

If your souther tier it should be about the same time. Jersey ,pennsy and NYS. I would think,we are pretty close.I love hunting the chase phase though. you could see a ton of bucks in a day or see none at all.

lucknikk,i second that. chase phase is a great time. get in a good funnel and sit dark to dark.

Have any of you guys read/followed Charlie Alsciemer ( I think) writing in Deer & Deer Hunting Mag or his 'Hunting whitetails by the moon" book? Goes heavily into timing deer activity off the moon.. several deer I took fell in his peak rut predictions.. I consult it when planning my vacations/trips..