2016 Rut

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U.P. MAN
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2016 Rut

Unread postby U.P. MAN » Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:46 pm

Interesting stuff! http://www.whitetailhabitatsolutions.co ... t-will-be/

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Jackson Marsh
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Re: 2016 Rut

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Wed Jul 20, 2016 3:56 pm

8-)

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Josh_S
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Re: 2016 Rut

Unread postby Josh_S » Wed Jul 20, 2016 4:30 pm

:lol:

"The rut will begin in your area at the same time, every single year"

"My system for predicting the 2016 whitetail rut is simple and it all begins with food"

"Deer have to have a level spot to bed in" (from the video)

Everybody definitely needs to watch the video of this guy making a bed by digging it out with a shovel. Dan, you've been doing it wrong all these years! Why put in the scouting hours of finding the best bedding areas when you can just find a good tree and dig out an even better one with a shovel?

I don't mean to rip on the guy, but I couldn't resist! A lot of the other stuff does make sense but is certainly not revolutionary. Probably would be helpful knowledge to novice hunters.
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Re: 2016 Rut

Unread postby JoeRE » Wed Jul 20, 2016 11:52 pm

Jeff likes numbers. :lol:

The rut is a very complex thing, his formula oversimplifies things a bit but agree weather is one of the biggest factors affecting mature buck daylight rutting movement (hunting pressure is undoubtedly #1 even during the rut - for mature bucks - and he completely skipped over that).

In 2013 we had a pretty lousy trickle rut, very little daylight cruising by mature bucks, that is what I observed and what I heard a lot of other reports of, yet we had great cold weather most of November, lots of fronts moving through.
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DaveT1963
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Re: 2016 Rut

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Thu Jul 21, 2016 12:23 am

Best Rut Strategy I ever heard was from Gene Wensel - and that was to spend every available hour you can in a tree between Halloween and Thanksgiving.... A quick check of harvest sites and record books clearly shows that the overwhelming majority of big bucks are killed during the Rut, year after year. ..... and outside factors may or may not influence how intense it [glow=red]"appears"[/glow] to us.


I am going to make a statement that might not be received by those wanting to sale books and calendars, but it is what I have found to be true: The biggest factor that influences buck deer movement during the rut is A WILLING DOE! Find that and you will be in for a great rut hunt. I honestly believe most of us would do much better if we dedicated a season or two to really watch and learn the local doe movement and behavior during this time.... think we would get a lot more useful info then focusing on calendars and rut predictions. Also, if you are not, start keeping a journal and when you see an increase in the number of bucks, and/or an increase in daytime movement in a specific area during this time WRITE THAT DOWN and remember it!!!!!!!!

IMHO a willing doe trumps moon, weather, location, barometric pressure, cold front and even HUMAN PRESSURE in the vast majority of cases. Yes there could be a "gay" buck that would rather hang out in the brush eating his curd and whey... but the majority of bucks in their prime are NOT going to miss the RUT when a "ripe" doe comes flaunting by..... despite moon, weather, lunar eclipse, tidal pull, zombie apocalypse, and other factors. [glow=red]Most outside influences are very temporary[/glow] during the rut - sure plan around them but don't let it keep you out of the game - it only takes one doe and 30 seconds to change your season. I honestly believe that most bucks move a tremendous amount during the day during this magic time - the trick is to find out where they feel secure doing that and the key during this time is THE DOE.
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Re: 2016 Rut

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Thu Jul 21, 2016 2:35 am

DaveT1963 wrote:Best Rut Strategy I ever heard was from Gene Wensel - and that was to spend every available hour you can in a tree between Halloween and Thanksgiving.... A quick check of harvest sites and record books clearly shows that the overwhelming majority of big bucks are killed during the Rut, year after year. ..... and outside factors may or may not influence how intense it [glow=red]"appears"[/glow] to us.


I am going to make a statement that might not be received by those wanting to sale books and calendars, but it is what I have found to be true: The biggest factor that influences buck deer movement during the rut is A WILLING DOE! Find that and you will be in for a great rut hunt. I honestly believe most of us would do much better if we dedicated a season or two to really watch and learn the local doe movement and behavior during this time.... think we would get a lot more useful info then focusing on calendars and rut predictions. Also, if you are not, start keeping a journal and when you see an increase in the number of bucks, and/or an increase in daytime movement in a specific area during this time WRITE THAT DOWN and remember it!!!!!!!!

IMHO a willing doe trumps moon, weather, location, barometric pressure, cold front and even HUMAN PRESSURE in the vast majority of cases. Yes there could be a "gay" buck that would rather hang out in the brush eating his curd and whey... but the majority of bucks in their prime are NOT going to miss the RUT when a "ripe" doe comes flaunting by..... despite moon, weather, lunar eclipse, tidal pull, zombie apocalypse, and other factors. [glow=red]Most outside influences are very temporary[/glow] during the rut - sure plan around them but don't let it keep you out of the game - it only takes one doe and 30 seconds to change your season. I honestly believe that most bucks move a tremendous amount during the day during this magic time - the trick is to find out where they feel secure doing that and the key during this time is THE DOE.


DOES TRUMP ALL -- if a property has no does, I move on. Its why I think rut tactics can be so simple. Its not nearly as hard to find that girls and where they bed. If I am not on the does during November, I am not in the game. I honestly don't pay a lot of attention to any of the other factors. I spend 2 weeks in the heart of the rut in a great state..and it always happens. I usually see all phases from cruising to lockdown to big bucks on their feet again as we near the 2oth. Some years it cold and deer move all day. Other years it warm. Sometimes the moon is full. Sometimes its not. But as Dave alluded to, does are always the constant factor.

When scouting new ground during the rut, I walk through all the cover, try to push does out, try to push deer out. I want to know they are there and the bedding area is active.

On a sidenote, tts kind of funny...the rut really is not so much my focus anymore. It is truly the best time to kill a mature buck. Maybe not "the buck" you have been chasing but any mature buck. I find it a much greater challenge to kill a good buck during Sept and October. Really has become my focus in the last 5-6yrs. Not to the place where I would schedule my midwest trip for Oct 1st...lol.
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Re: 2016 Rut

Unread postby MN Slick » Thu Jul 21, 2016 4:58 am

I find does can be hard to find during the rut in areas where buck to do ratios are reasonably even and there is a high population of deer. The area I hunt now is like this. Back in my Wisconsin days I'd see does all over during the peak chase/seeking phase.

I know they are around because I see them during the early and late season but I think they get so sick of being sexually harassed by all the young bucks starting in late October that they go into hiding. Sure I see them during the rut but not like other times of the season. They don't feed in open fields as much and often they aren't bedding in their typical spots. What's nice though is that bucks don't know they aren't bedded in their normal spots so they still check them so they are the place to be on morning hunts.
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Re: 2016 Rut

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Thu Jul 21, 2016 6:51 am

MN Slick wrote:I find does can be hard to find during the rut in areas where buck to do ratios are reasonably even and there is a high population of deer. The area I hunt now is like this. Back in my Wisconsin days I'd see does all over during the peak chase/seeking phase.

I know they are around because I see them during the early and late season but I think they get so sick of being sexually harassed by all the young bucks starting in late October that [glow=red]they go into hiding[/glow]. Sure I see them during the rut but not like other times of the season. They don't feed in open fields as much and often they aren't bedding in their typical spots. What's nice though is that bucks don't know they aren't bedded in their normal spots so they still check them so they are the place to be on morning hunts.


I see that a lot also, not sure if they are hiding as much as they move bedding to adapt to harassment and possibly pressure??? - but the big boys know exactly where they head and when- find that spot and when the time is right..............
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Re: 2016 Rut

Unread postby Dewey » Thu Jul 21, 2016 7:15 am

DaveT1963 wrote:Best Rut Strategy I ever heard was from Gene Wensel - and that was to spend every available hour you can in a tree between Halloween and Thanksgiving.... A quick check of harvest sites and record books clearly shows that the overwhelming majority of big bucks are killed during the Rut, year after year. ..... and outside factors may or may not influence how intense it [glow=red]"appears"[/glow] to us.


I am going to make a statement that might not be received by those wanting to sale books and calendars, but it is what I have found to be true: The biggest factor that influences buck deer movement during the rut is A WILLING DOE! Find that and you will be in for a great rut hunt. I honestly believe most of us would do much better if we dedicated a season or two to really watch and learn the local doe movement and behavior during this time.... think we would get a lot more useful info then focusing on calendars and rut predictions. Also, if you are not, start keeping a journal and when you see an increase in the number of bucks, and/or an increase in daytime movement in a specific area during this time WRITE THAT DOWN and remember it!!!!!!!!

IMHO a willing doe trumps moon, weather, location, barometric pressure, cold front and even HUMAN PRESSURE in the vast majority of cases. Yes there could be a "gay" buck that would rather hang out in the brush eating his curd and whey... but the majority of bucks in their prime are NOT going to miss the RUT when a "ripe" doe comes flaunting by..... despite moon, weather, lunar eclipse, tidal pull, zombie apocalypse, and other factors. [glow=red]Most outside influences are very temporary[/glow] during the rut - sure plan around them but don't let it keep you out of the game - it only takes one doe and 30 seconds to change your season. I honestly believe that most bucks move a tremendous amount during the day during this magic time - the trick is to find out where they feel secure doing that and the key during this time is THE DOE.

That is absolutely true.

In one area I hunted there was one doe that went into estrous a full month ahead of normal for some reason. If you ever seen what you thought was rut chasing in early October you have likely seen this happen. It was pretty crazy to witness it that early and proof one hot doe can trigger and explosion of activity from willing bucks. I experienced this for three straight seasons and then it never happened again. Thinking the doe was likely killed before the fourth season.

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Stanley
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Re: 2016 Rut

Unread postby Stanley » Thu Jul 21, 2016 7:29 am

DaveT1963 wrote:Best Rut Strategy spend every available hour you can in a tree between Halloween and Thanksgiving.... .


Lot of truth in this statement.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: 2016 Rut

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Thu Jul 21, 2016 9:20 am

This past season...the bucks ran the does right off our property. They pushed and harassed the does all day everyday. I would watch 5 or 6 does come back to bed...5 minutes later here they come again...Running full tilt.

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Re: 2016 Rut

Unread postby JoeRE » Thu Jul 21, 2016 11:36 am

Stanley wrote:
DaveT1963 wrote:Best Rut Strategy spend every available hour you can in a tree between Halloween and Thanksgiving.... .


Lot of truth in this statement.


I don't disagree with that at all, but if I live it out I am screwed, because if I took off from work, told the wife and kids see ya in four weeks (or two for that matter), good chance I would have lost both by the time I come back. :lol:

The rut is the easiest time to just sit in the woods and kill "any" nice buck no doubt about it particularly 2, 3, even some 4 year olds. I am pretty certain it is a lousy time to kill a specific fully mature buck - other than right at the start with the first hot doe, or right at the end with one of the last. Yes that buck is more at risk of doing something dumb and getting killed in November than any other time of the year, but the odds are higher that the dumb thing will be in front of some random hunter 2 miles away.

The rut, and what movement you may see, changes day to day let alone week to week. Understand that and you can be much more efficient with your time. For instance, dis-proportionally many absolute slobs are shot at the tail end of the rut cruising for that last hot doe - in states where gun seasons don't suppress that part of rutting activity. That is when most rut hunters have given up OR used up their vacation and are back at work! For a week to 10 days around here, about Nov 10-18 or so (and it does vary a bit for probably many reasons) there are more hot does than big mature bucks. You do the math. Yes they move a ton between does but try to pinpoint where that specific buck is going to be any given day - good luck with that. I will stick with hunting the pre-rut as a personal preference. Less hunters, more predictability, and yes more work to get that predictability but that is the fun part.

I don't at all disagree with most of the points that have been made, but its not the full picture IMO...
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Re: 2016 Rut

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Thu Jul 21, 2016 2:19 pm

Just bought plane tickets today for 5th to the 19th. I would even go a bit later but we head for my inlaws for Thanksgiving. I love both parts of the rut when it blows wide open and deer are running everywhere...to the slow down and big bucks are back on the prowl. Happened last year with a cold front on 11-6, wide open crazy. Loads of fun. Coming from a state where I have not seen a deer in 6 days of hunting...its a breath of fresh air.

I hear what you are saying Joe. It just gets a lot more technical trying to kill a good buck in Sept - Mid October, especially a target buck . It also really opens up your season, gives your more opportunities.
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Re: 2016 Rut

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Thu Jul 21, 2016 2:25 pm

I agree with Joe also .... i just consider the prerut as late Oct early Nov.... but cruising happens anytime a buck is looking, from Oct-Dec. And absolutely agree hunting a specific buck is far more technical then hunting any good buck.... at any time of the season.

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Re: 2016 Rut

Unread postby Twenty Up » Fri Jul 22, 2016 2:03 pm

Amen about the hot doe statement Dave, I've had some wild experiences around receptive, and non-receptive does before and during the rut. Halloween is when the bucks seem to start tending around here as well.
Had a ~130 class 10pt at 32 yards, completely downwind of me tailing a doe that was probably going to be receptive but she wasn't yet. Felt the wind and thermals on my head going towards him and he scent checked me, but once that doe moved I was irrelevant to him.
Had a young spike run INTO my makeshift ground blind after chasing a doe and her fawn off, she wasn't even receptive and I almost had to punch the spike in fear of getting run over.

I haven't been hunting very long in comparison to many of y'all but there's no doubt if I could hire a doe from Nov. 1-15th here I would be fat and happy!
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