Tips on Hunting the Rut?
 

Hey Guys,

I am new here, and wanted to start a discussion on tips for hunting the rut.

I have been Whitetail hunting since I was old enough to follow my dad out into the woods. In my many years, I tried lots of different things and come up with strategies that work for me.

With the rut coming on, I have been trying to think of ways to increase my odds. My rut hunting strategies are pretty strait forward, but work. If you care to read more about that, I have a post on my blog that covers it pretty well and can be viewed here http://lifestylelost.com/index.php/2...rutting-bucks/.

So here is my main question. Do you guys have any specific tactics you use when the rut starts heating up? I know that is pretty general, but just trying to come up with some ideas for next weekend.

Thanks all!

find the does, find the bucks.

There's really no tactic. The rut is crazy where I hunt. Just sit in a spot you've seen deer before and you'll see them again.

+1

................and there you have it !!! :confused0024:

Do your scouting beforehand, be in the woods before sunup, be quiet, be scent free and finally be ready. Works everytime.

I hunt food sources I know does frequent. If there are does, there will be bucks. I also make sure to stay vigilant and have my muzzleloader or crossbow ready to shoot at a moment's notice. Don't have your weapon leaning against a tree, or against the blind, or hanging on a hook. Have it in your hands/lap. Of all the bucks I've killed during the rut, I'm willing to bet most of them were shot within 10 to 15 seconds of when I first saw them.

Ok so it sounds like we are all on the same page here haha.
Just to get a little deeper into this topic, does anyone see real success with things like rattling, grunt calls, urine of either sex, mock scrapes, or any other tactics I have not mentioned. I used to try these things, and maybe some deer came in because of them, maybe not.

I know I have never killed a deer because of one thats for sure. Yeah I have grunted some young bucks in before, but they are not the smartest.

I used to read piles of hunting magazines when I was younger. I still get field and stream, but read one or two articles at best. The reason for this is because a lot of them are repeat themselves, and I don't know if the tactics are really something that works for most people.

However I could be wrong. Maybe I just don't know what I am doing. Have any of you had success killing mature bucks using tactics other than being in the right place at the right time?

We are a couple weeks from whitetail rut here in Montana, but when it starts, I will be in the field ALL day long, bucks get crazy. I have had good luck with doe in estrus scents as well, It is a great time to be in the woods, bucks scraping and fighting, chasing does, best time of year to see what's out there!

On the subject grunt tubes: I have one, not to call them in, but to get them stopped or, if the need arises, to try to get them to turn around if they're moving away from me. One buck that I spooked stopped running away and turned around to face me when I blew an aggressive grunt. If I didn't have my grunt tube that morning, I doubt I would have killed him. On the other hand, I've had younger bucks just look at me funny before going about their business when I called at them.

I have used grunt calls to stop deer. I have never had them actually come any closer to me because of it. Rather than fumble with a call I usually just grunt with my mouth to stop them now. It seams to work just as well.

In Michigan where it is legal to bait all bets are off. Lets see today is November 3d Fire arm season Opens up in 12 days, Saturday is the 5th and will be the first weekend the baiters for fire arm season will be setting their bait out. Of course the archery hunters are still putting their bait out till the 13th the last Sunday for archery till Dec. 1st again.
Deer patterns of travel and other things are changed due to that.


Only place that have the deer remaining in the same pattern is where there are huge 20acres or more of corn standing or picked.


:D Al

Alleyyooper - You have a good point, but a lot of people that I know that bait are a lot farther north than me. I hunt southern MI and don't bait here. All of the corn is up around me still. However my family lives in the UP and they bait a lot. The hunting is just so different up there.

Usually they start baiting early in the year. I cant remember for sure, but I feel like they start in September. They bring more bait out regularly, so I don't know if it affects them much as the deer are used to it. I'm not speaking from experience though so I could be wrong.

I was in a ladder stand before dawn and had hung some wildlife reseach doe in heat about 5 yards from me. Just a little after sunrise 2 coyotes came running down a trail which led to my ladder stand. I shot the 1st one and the 2nd yote was gone before I could chamber another round. I got down and looked at him and he had the mange in a real bad way. About 10 minutes later I decided to use a grunt call and grunted 3 times and within 10 minutes a nice 9 pointer came from down wind and walked to within 5 yards of the scent pad and he was focused on the dead coyote as I dropped the hammer on him.

In the UP depends on if they bow hunt. figure it is put out a week before the start of what ever season it is.


I've traveled southern Michigan. Bet right now if I drove in your town (Greenville) and stopped at a gas station there would be pallets of corn, apples and carrots for sale there. Almost for got the sugar beets too.


:D Al