Help Me Understand Rut Movement

[Rich M]

Bucky made a comment in the hub hunting post that caught my attention.

"Bucks will be chasing in core areas now" - (they just started 2-3 days ago where I hunt),
"expanding area/movement as time goes on" - (assuming due to the amount of available does?).

SO, in theory, I should start seeing more traveling bucks this weekend (Halloween weekend) as opposed to last weekend? and then the weekend following should be active as well?

What about daytime travel - this is when they'll move all day?
Will the large bucks and 1.5-2.5 yr olds use the same travel routes?

How about the 80+ degree temps I'm looking at this weekend - will that mess with movement much?

How would rattling and grunting fit into all of this? Try it during early am and late pm or all day long?

Sorry for all the questions - I'm down to 2 weekends to seal the deal and botched up on a big 8 this past Sunday.

There are 4 good stand possibilities. Sites 1, 3, and 4 have regular doe sightings/bedding nearby.
1. powerline with heavy cover.
2. swamp to woods & field transition line with lots of young buck travel.
3. hardwood bottom & funnel to field transition/edge.
4. food plot/baited rd (oats are coming up with corn on ground) with heavy deer traffic.

Trying to decide on the best options. First and last year on the property.

[whitetaildna]

Generally, I would say this coming weekend you should see more daylight activity than last weekend. As the day's keep getting shorter and shorter, those bucks are getting a little more testy each and every day. I strongly believe that the most mature bucks in an area are going to get with the first hot doe. The further we get into November, the more bucks will have to theoretically travel to find a doe that is in estrous.

As far as all day sits, I think those are worth doing more around the second week of November. But if you are limited on time, I think you can catch a buck cruising the downwind side of a bedding area in the next week. As far as your temps are concerned, the 80 degree temperature is pretty high. I would say overall, if it is significantly above the average temp where your located, it can definitely subdue daytime movement. If you can only hunt certain days, when it is this warm, I would tend to lean to hunting closer to bedding areas as I don't think deer will move as far.

On the rattling and grunting front, I already know guys that have successfully called bucks in. I think the big thing is being able to see a deer and how he is acting. This time of year can be fickle because some bucks will be acting aggressive and ready to breed, but some might take them until next week. If you can see a buck off in the distance pushing does, or making a scrape, then I would be more tempted to call to him, as I think I would have a better chance of calling him in.

Overall, the way I'm going to hunt this weekend is basically between doe bedding areas, hoping for a buck to be cruising between them. It might be a touch early, but I think it could work.

I hope some of this helped!

[JoeRE]

If there are the warm temps I would expect less daylight movement this weekend unfortunately. In even late October weather trumps everything else for daylight movement.

If there was decent weather, big bucks will be on their feet a bit more in daylight I agree. I wouldn't call it cruising though. You will see little bucks cruising a bit but not older bucks. Most rut funnel stand hunters have are too open and/or too far from buck bedding to be any good right now.

When big bucks get up in the evening they will be patrolling their range all night, heading toward where the does are, checking bedding areas, crossing doe trails and the major food sources, maybe dropping down to thermal hubs to scent check the surrounding ridges in hill country.

Hunting these buck travel routes is good but only if you are hunting close to good buck bedding. The vast majority of movement is still at night. A big buck also may stay out a little later in the morning at the tail end of October and give you a shot with a morning bed hunt. Thinking of it like that can help tell you what beds a buck will likely use now and what direction a buck is likely to head from his bed - and what direction he may come from in the morning. It can also tell you what spots to not bother with yet.

All this is if there is decent weather - most movement will be still nocturnal with warm temps.

[Stanley]

This is really a great topic for discussion. I'll put up some thoughts that I have. This would apply to the Midwest for the most part. October is more or less a transition month. The closer you get to the end of October the more bucks are on their feet during daylight hrs. I think Joe is also correct nighttime activity also increases. Overall buck movement increases.

I don't break it into core areas or whatever it gets called. I just call it buck movement, to simplify it. This phenomenon happens every year at the same time, give or take a day or two. The length of the days is what causes this to happen. Now the bucks are getting more and more anxious as Halloween approaches. Not all bucks act the same in all areas keep that in mind. Every year can produce different buck activity because of the individual characteristics of different bucks.

Now lets say a doe starts to smell right in an area, this is when buck activity really ramps up. This can happen anytime from the last few days in October to the first few days in November. This is when you can see multiple big bucks trailing a hot doe. This is also staggered a little, so a guy hunting a few mile away may not see the buck activity you are or vice versa.

So your area has a hot doe and the neighbors area doesn't. Guess where the bucks will migrate to? October Lull in a certain area? I honestly believe for a lot of areas the best time to kill a good buck is late October early November. I believe this to be a great time to kill a good Buck because there area less bucks tied up with does at this time. There are more bucks on their feet. Bucks are still some what pattern-able at this time. There are more bucks alive at this time. I also think if your into calling/rattling this is the best time of year. I also like just after peak rut excluding those states that have a gun season during that time.

I believe peak rut has more buck sightings as a whole but I still like just before peak rut for good buck activity and killing opportunities for a good buck. Now lets talk about conditions that can effect buck movement. All of the things I previously mentioned are going to happen, regardless of weather, moon phase, temperature, etc. But, buck activity can be more pronounced when its colder, nice sunny days seem to stimulate buck movement. I really like overcast days but buck movement is better for the most part on sunny days. This may be because buck movement is more concealed on a sunny day. Bucks like to be ghosts, they don't like to be seen, heard, or smelled.

Anyway those are some of my observations from 50 + years of deer hunting. Now to answer the OPs question. I will take thick heavy cover, over open fields all day everyday. Bucks move more in cover than they do in open areas. I also think bucks move more in thick heavy cover with an overhead canopy. If you can find multiple things that appeal to bucks all the better. Water, food, seclusion are a couple of those things. I'm not into hunting over food plots. So I don't have an opinion on that one. I like the hardwood bottom & funnel to field transition/edge. This along with the doe bedding near by would intrigue me.

[PK_]

Are you talking about in FL? If so pick the date on the rut map. Hunt the coldest weather within a week before or after that date. They can move all day for those three weeks even in hot weather. I have killed several good bucks midday in 90' weather around those peak dates from the map.

About 1 month prior to that date they will be seeking. There will generally be other peaks of rut activity roughly 30 and 60 days after that date. These are just my anecdotal observations throuought the years.

Big bucks and little bucks will use the same funnels etc.. But sometimes when u see pressure the big boys will skirt those funnels staying in wet areas or thick cover. Especially if there is a permanent stand or consistent hunter pressure over that funnel.

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[Bucky]

Too much to type... if u want to call me.... PM me for cell. I will be driving for hour tonight and you can ask whatever hunting ?s you have

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[Bucky]

Drurys 13 does a REALLY good job of breaking down deer behavior throughout Sept-Jan.

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[JoeRE]

Good points guys.

I agree with Bucky about Mark Drury breaking down the rutting season for us in the upper midwest. This whole podcast is good but where he talks about phases of the season is toward the end. http://wiredtohunt.com/2015/07/09/the-wired-to-hunt-podcast-episode-63-how-to-predict-deer-movement-wmark-drury/

My earlier comments were geared toward this exact time period, the last few days of October here in the midwest. Stan is right you can be covered up in bucks if there is an early hot doe nearby - and see absolutely no bucks around you if she is half a mile away. This is my favorite time of year to kill a mature buck "seeking" out that first hot doe in the area. They will still stay in the background but the fact "does + food" is in their brains gives a little more predictability and vulnerability in their movements than in the last few weeks.

I think bucks can tell several days in advance if a doe is going to come into heat early ("early" is late Oct and the first few days of November around here) and start clustering around there. The area buzzes with aggressive buck movement. To me that is the explanation for those big flurries of pre-rut activity on camera or from stand in one spot for a few days but no where else. Then she comes into heat and every buck within half a mile ends up within 100 yards of her but if you are hunting 300 yards away you might see zilch. I haven't seen science on this but I think does will come around generally the same time period every year....I think I had one doe come in heat in late October 3 years in a row in one spot.

[Buckshot20]

I think you are in South Carolina right? The rut dates there vary a little. I would check the rut map. The low country should be going off right now. I've been seeing a lot of pics starting to come from that area. I believe the hills are a more traditional Nov. Rut.

You are on private land in SC in late Oct. That sounds pretty good in my book. Find a funnel and sit all day, especially with this moon this weekend. I only grunt if I see a buck going away from me. That's it. Good luck

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[Bucky]

If U are in SC I'm probably no help on what happens typically for your rut timings. I thought you were from WI

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[JoeRE]

If U are in SC I'm probably no help on what happens typically for your rut timings. I thought you were from WI

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Likewise, sorry man

[Rich M]

Thanks, Guys.

I am in SC and the chasing just started this past weekend (Oct 22) - Was fortunate enough to actually see a big buck hounding a doe and it was awesome - awesome enough that I didn't shoot. Good stuff there. The guys I hunt with - one fellow had 2 bucks chasing where he was. Far as I know, the other 3 or 4 haven't seen any chasing but folks get quiet at times like this.

The location doesn't really matter as much since you guys are providing good information, no biggee if I need to adjust the timing by a week or so. Where I've hunted in GA & SC, the bucks have started moving/chasing the week before Halloween into the week after. Then things slow down. I'm officially in the movement/chase period. (The fawns need to be old enough to tolerate the heat once the southern hot summers set in, why I think the breeding is earliert han up north.)

Bucky - sorry about not PM-ing or calling. I had to leave early yesterday to go to a meeting and didn't get on a computer until this morning.

Just checked the wind and it looks like I'm gonna be hunting several different stands cause it is a variable weekend coming up - W Friday, S Saturday, & W again on Sunday. Now to just decide if I want to go thick cover for Friday Am, or just Friday mid-day until the wind shifts around 3. Will give it a solid go on Sunday am as that's the next prime west wind...

[Rich M]

I wanted to post an update based on my observations this weekend.

Deer movement was almost entirely at night. My trail cams showed the night movement starting Tuesday or Wednesday this past week.

I saw at least 1, mostly 2 bucks out cruising Friday am, Friday pm, Sat am, and Sat pm.

Saw an 8 bounce across my shooting lane on Friday at 5:30 pm but that was it for cruising bucks in daylight.

Saw deer movement from stand Friday am - 5 or 6 pt buck, spike, 3 does. None appeared to be rutting.

No deer seen Saturday from stand - I was moving between stands (sun in my face real bad) and bumped a couple - heard 'em galloping away.

The weather was miserable - chilly in am and sweat your clothes wet from noon til dark.