KitsapCaller

I' m doing some research on scouting whitetails in late September and October. My research indicates that I should be concentrating on rubs, scrapes, and bedding areas. Also, to begin looking for less traveled trails created by wary bucks who take their own route to feeding areas.

Also, outdoor researcher TR Michels believes that you can rattle at the point in the pre-rut when bucks are beginning to bachelor-up. What do you think about this?

And finally, when using attractant and cover scents during this period, should I be using food/curiosity and territorial (dominant buck) scents in lieu of estreus scents during the pre-rut?

Help me to become a better hunter...thanks for the feedback.

jred

Sounds like to me you are answering your own questions, which is a good sign that you are learning and have a good sence of direction.

Keep reading both on the board and Mags. Again, you sound like you have a good start already.

Be sure you always know your target, keep the wind in your face and practice safe hunting.

Good luck

Gryan

Around here, I find the most success finding bucks in the pre-rut and rut centers around toe does. NJ has a buck to doe ratio that is way of of whack. What I have found many times is a very faint trail (almost like that mythical big buck trail 20 yards off the real trail) that crosses the trails used by most of the local deer at a 90 degree angle. I begin to find these in late September and as the rut kicks in, I try to hunt them. It seems like these are circuits that the bucks use to find the does. I find the most activity in the 200 yards from the feeding area.(like 200 yards from the field. Sometimes in thick areas and sometimes in open woods. It has worked for me and I see bucks doing this just about evry year.

I never use cover scent unless I can step in droppings or the food source for the area.

Greg

Tazman

In regards to rattling, I am a firm beleiver that if you have a good buck to doe ratio that rattling will work, but when it is way out of whack like ours I don' t think it is that effective, I am not saying it will never work, but it is less likely to work when there are more than enough does to go around, why fight?

I am not a big beleiver in scent attractants with one exception and that is pre-rut and during the rut I will use my wifes used sanitary napkins. In my book the best cover scent going is manure of any type. Food scents I have never tried, for some reason I feel that if there is not an apple tree for 10 miles and suddenly a deer smells apple it may seem a little odd to them, maybe not though.

Canuck_2

KitsapCaller, knowing the county you' re from and suspecting where you will travel to hunt whitetails, I think you' ll experience whitetail behavior similar to what I see here.

Through at least the first half of October, the bucks are still hanging out in their bachelor groups and travelling fairly nonchalantly between feeding and bedding areas during good light. I scout via spotting scope and then set up in natural cover on good travel routes. This will probably change gradually as the month wears on.

The rut peaks about November 12 to 20 and that' s when the most fun occurs. I often call from my setups and use a bit of scent lure then but haven' t found rattling very effective at any time. Good luck in your quest.

KitsapCaller

I forgot to consider the buck-to-doe ratio which is especially high in doe numbers creating an out-of-whack ratio. Therefore, I don' t think rattling would produce much in the way of results.

In October, is it better to concentrate on scouting food sources, scrapes, rubs, and
bedding areas? Trails used by wary bucks?

Good topic.