Sweet November is HERE!

Rut Report presented by North American Deer Hunter

Carbon Score: 7.3

It is beginning to happen; we are seeing plenty of rut-like activity. Just not everywhere – every time. The does are still “on the feed” but the bucks are in the “starting gate” and ready to go. It is nothing to see a wall hanger buck just standing near a bedded doe or staring at a group of does while they feed, and then keep on feeding. Eventually he loses his patience and rushes the group, or just loses interest and moves on hoping to get lucky, hope springs eternal in pre-rut bucks. The doe-fawn groups are beginning to be separated and the does are giving the bucks plenty of room, (you never know when a buck’s testosterone will make him forget his manners). This week you want to be in travel corridors between a buck’s bed and food, especially when cold fronts pass through and immediately after. You want to carefully—with good entry and exit strategies—hunt these transition places where bucks move between feeding and bedding while scent-checking does. Evening sits should put you just downwind of well-worked scrapes located back in the forest and as close to bedding cover as you can safely get. Bucks are checking on does, but at any given day some does may be coming into estrous. Mature bucks will be the last to move now.

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