Just wondering how many guys here don't care much for the rut? Do you dislike the fact that your targeted buck may leave his core area in search of does? How do your tactics change? Do you continue on with your target or just hope for a good passer-by buck?
Personaly I think the distance bucks travel during the rut is often exagerated. I usually spend about 8 days straight of dawn to dusk sits in the 1st part of November. Year after year I see the very same bucks in November that I get trail cam pics of in October. Yes, I continue with my target.
I enjoy the rut because you just never know. I love that anticipation factor, it helps me sit for long periods of time.
Depends on the definition of abundance. I don't think we are at a 1:1 ratio, but its not terrible either. I'm sure bucks act differently in different geographical locations, but in my experience, most bucks prefer to "chase" infamiliarareas.
I have a love/hate relationship with the rut. Being that I'm 1.5 or 4 hours away from the two places I hunt, I have limited time to hunt, primarily weekends. It's rare that I'm able to get on a buck with that limited time before the rut. I am usually able to find and locate one though before the rut, I just am typically not able to put them down before the rut. I've gotten lucky with bucks I didn't know were around, but a LOT of the bucks I was trying to target have been killed on neighboring properties during the rut. It's tough for me to say I like/don't like it. If I had more time, I'd really not like it at all. Just MHO.
I am not picky. My primary reasons for hunting are the experience and meat in the freezer. Frankly, I could care less about size/points. I won't shoot a button, but other than than that.... So, I love the rut. Because like people, deer get stupid when they are horny. :p Will this change as I get more experienced? Maybe. Just please do not take this to mean that I am not respectful of the deer.
I love hunting during the rut. At any point during the day, a stud buck could come busting by you chasing a doe. It makes sitting on a stand all day tolerable.
I wouldn't say I don't like it, but I'm not a huge fan of it. The main farm I hunt has little to no hunting pressure the first 3 weeks of October. I actually enjoy doe hunting and I can do it without worrying about other hunters. Come the end of October and into early November, there are people cutting/gathering wood, guys setting up their gun spots, and guys that mostly gun hunt will pick up the bow when they hear "the rut is starting". Don't get my wrong, these guys are good guys, just not good hunters. In MI, the rut also means gun season is about to start. While I know the rut is my best chance at seeing a shooter, it sort of marks an end to first half of the archery season. Many of these reasons are why I probably enjoy doe hunting so much. Maybe one day I will find some land that will be better during the rut and I will enjoy it more.
Rut is my favorite time of the year. It's what I wait all year long for. Nothing better than bein on stand during that first week of November. Just doesn't get any better for me:D
Pros and Cons. The buck(s) you've patterned ? Forget it, its over. Take what you can from the summer pattern and apply to possible locations for the rut, and thats it. Sightings of SPECIFIC buck(s) go down because they are covering a massive amount of land, each day. Now, if you do not have a buck patterned, and knwo where the doe are- great. You'll probably see more bucks than in the early season(not counting glassing fields in the PM). This year, I welcome the rut..I did barely any scouting. I glassed some fields, walked a property or two, set a trail cam behind my house and that was about it.. I know where tehre are some decent animals, but, thats it ! So, this year, I'm relying on the girls to show me a bruiser. I cannot hunt but an hour here and there. So, this rut, I welcome...
Its frustrating for me because i am not the greatest mature buck hunter, and any deer that i finally might have patterned, well its usually timed with a week before rut, so it kinda messes that up. lol
I personally love the rut. I see all kinds of bucks that I never knew existed. Across the street from me there is a big mountain full of laurel, that is almost wilderness like. No pressure or even intrusion really for the majority of the year. I "think" the majority of the bucks I see magically appearing during the rut live most of the year up on that mountain in solitude. Come Nov....they get ancy, and go cruisin. I don't know of any mature bucks that "reside" on my property for sure, but there could be one obviously. My property seems to be more of a pass through than a residence for the mature bucks. Come on Nov!!!
Pretty much the answers I expected to see. I like the rut too. It's so unpredictable and I love knowing that anything can happen at ANY moment. My calling is also more effective during this time!
well...boy oh boy. to keep it simple i dislike it because patterns change, and i cant predict anything anymore it seems like (not that i did well in the first place haha) but all of my plans kinda go to hell when that time of year comes around. but like everyone else said...i do like it just cause of the fact big bucks get dumb...super dumb sometimes. so id say its a 50/50 love hate for me!
Pre and Post yes, but when the bucks get really doed up, I'd rather stay home. Pre rut can be tremedous in most areas. Favorite time of year is now until Nov 12th...then anytime after thanksgiving.
