By Jeff Johnston
Thanksgiving is nice, but for about 10-million Americans the whitetail rut is Fall’s gravy. There’s a reason why even neophyte hunters can find success during this annual event; it’s because normally wary whitetail bucks throw caution to the wind for a three-week window as they recklessly search for mates. Savvy hunters, however, don’t rely on luck as much as these three basic rut tactics.
- Hunt Does
During the rut it’s no longer food, cover and water that drives a buck’s movements, but rather his libido. Wherever does are, you can bet bucks are near, cruising, circling and scent checking them to find one that’s in estrous. Therefore, the best strategy for hunting bucks in the rut is to find concentrations of does.
Several years ago a couple buddies and I were hunting a 500-acre property in central Oklahoma during the rut. At dark after our first day of hunting we met back at camp to swap stories and intel.
“I saw three does and six or seven little bucks,” said Jim. “But none of them were even big enough to consider, so I think I’ll try somewhere else tomorrow.”
As soon as he said it, I noticed Brian perk up. “Well, I didn’t see a single deer, so if you’re going somewhere else, I think I’ll go where you were.”
Brian killed a 155-class 11-point the next morning from the exact spot where Jim had been sitting. Through experience, he knew something Jim didn’t: The reason all those little bucks were buzzing around was because at least one of the does that Jim saw was in estrous. And there’s no better bait in the world than a live doe-in-heat. Brian knew it was just a matter of time until a dominant buck picked up the scent. The lesson? If you find a hot doe, hunt in her vicinity for as long as you can.
- Shift to Stands with Wider Views
Before the rut, one of the biggest mistakes hunters make is to hunt for mature bucks in wide-open areas such as fields, powerlines and food plots—even if does are using them. During this time mature bucks don’t often venture in the wide open during daylight hours—that’s the reason they became mature in the first place. But the rut is different; Now’s the time to sit in stands or on vistas where you can cover more ground with your eyes as bucks zigzag miles through cover and across open areas that they would typically skirt around. Even if you don’t kill from that location, you can glean valuable intel. If, for example, you glimpse a buck chasing a doe 700 yards away across a field, you can make a plan to move in closer that evening. Bring binos, and don’t be afraid to move if you see something unfold.
The ultimate rut stand, however, is a location that I call a “Superstand.” It’s a spot on the edge of the woods—near the narrow portion of a natural funnel—that also looks out over a field or food plot on the opposite side. As roaming deer cruise through cover, they are often subtly guided by the terrain that leads them through these deadly funnels. If you’re hunting with a rifle, you’d prefer the wind to be blowing your scent into the field, although this is one location that can be good in any wind. During the rut, these stands are the ultimate … if you can identify such a location on your property.
- Hunt Long
There are reasons for not hunting prime hours in the pre-rut, because sometimes if the wind is wrong, the moon is full or the ground is too dry for sneaking, the chance of spooking a buck as you walk to your stand outweighs the odds of killing him. But not so in the rut. Often the hunter who puts in the most time afield has the most success, because bucks don’t stop chasing females to grab lunch when your watch says it’s 11:30 am. In fact, I’ve had as much success at noon as I have at 8 am during the rut. So pack a lunch, take a short nap below your stand if you must, and plan to stay in the field all day if possible.