How to hunt a mature buck in the rut?

[Elite]

So I usually am fortunate enough to get my early season whitetail with my bow. But this year I was gone hunting elk most of the early season so I have 10 days this November to try for a mature buck with the rifle. I am in Alberta. I do have some private land that does hold 15-20 does per quarter on average. The one field is oats and there is always does feeding in the evening and early morning out there. The other parcel is a large wooded quarter that the deer bed in then go and feed in a alfalfa field across the road. So I am looking for some input on how to hunt this rut. Will a mature buck come running out to a open field in daylight after a hot doe?? Is it best to sit on a pinch point/travel way? Or a large scrape of I find one? I would be trying to sit all day. Any input of help would be appreciated


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[gobblesandgrunts]

I'd be sitting on the pinch points/travel routes if I were you. Just my opinion. After a decent rain or snow I'd check out the scrapes

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[realunlucky]

So I usually am fortunate enough to get my early season whitetail with my bow. But this year I was gone hunting elk most of the early season so I have 10 days this November to try for a mature buck with the rifle. I am in Alberta. I do have some private land that does hold 15-20 does per quarter on average. The one field is oats and there is always does feeding in the evening and early morning out there. The other parcel is a large wooded quarter that the deer bed in then go and feed in a alfalfa field across the road. So I am looking for some input on how to hunt this rut. Will a mature buck come running out to a open field in daylight after a hot doe?? Is it best to sit on a pinch point/travel way? Or a large scrape of I find one? I would be trying to sit all day. Any input of help would be appreciated


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I wouldn't hunt a scrape but that's just me. Travel zones and down wind doe bedding areas. Yes they'll follow a hot doe where ever she walks

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[OXN939]

So I usually am fortunate enough to get my early season whitetail with my bow. But this year I was gone hunting elk most of the early season so I have 10 days this November to try for a mature buck with the rifle. I am in Alberta. I do have some private land that does hold 15-20 does per quarter on average. The one field is oats and there is always does feeding in the evening and early morning out there. The other parcel is a large wooded quarter that the deer bed in then go and feed in a alfalfa field across the road. So I am looking for some input on how to hunt this rut. Will a mature buck come running out to a open field in daylight after a hot doe?? Is it best to sit on a pinch point/travel way? Or a large scrape of I find one? I would be trying to sit all day. Any input of help would be appreciated


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Agreed on the comment above this- if you can find a good bedding area for does that is near a scrape line or a bunch of rubs, that's a good place to look.

I just killed a big 10 point last night that I'd been after for two years, and have some input on what helps with success on animals like that. First, everything about those deer is playing the game on "expert" level difficulty. You have to hunt areas that don't occur to your average bubba who goes and throws a stand up on the edge of a field. You have to hunt the wind, AND your scent control needs to be good- my guy came in at a weird angle, and walked briefly downwind of me. If I hadn't thoroughly pined all my clothes and pack, I'm sure he would have smelled me. You need good concealment- they will notice small movements and sounds that other deer may pay no attention to. If you view it from the perspective of an extremely stealthy and intelligent animal that knows it's being targeted, it helps inform a lot of your decisions. Best of luck!

 

[Broomd]

Great advice, Ox. Agree with all of it.

If it weren't for the rut, 85% of mature bucks would never be killed, much less even be seen. They are amazingly ghost-like.
Congrats by the way...

 

[Ghetto]

Keep an open mind more than ever during the rut.

If you see a doe maybe move to get near where she crossed. If you are seeing sign in a weird spot hunt there. I have better luck following the sign rather than terrain.

 

[wildmed]

Change up where you sit. A lot of guys try to sit their "kill tree" every single time they go out during the rut, but in my opinion you limit yourself this way. The first time you sit a spot is the best, and each time you go in and leave your scent it might not be as good the next time. Keep moving around and playing the wind, especially during the rut he could pop up anywhere, don't confine yourself to one spot.

 

[heligoat11]

If you have the ability to use a 3-D buck decoy, I’ve seen large bucks who usually hang out in a staging area before dark charge out significantly earlier. It’s one of those things that seem to work well when you have some guys that just like to wait until dark to come out. Good luck!


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[Spiral Horn]

Fully mature whitetails are like hunting an entirely new species - they never doubt their senses. If they smell, hear or sense anything odd, you’re done. That being said if I’m after Mr. Big I do all my scouting way ahead of time and only hunt those honey-holes when conditions are right. Also have a backup plan to just hunt downwind of where I think the does will be when conditions are less than ideal. I’ve taken a few mature deer that I was actually hunting - probably bumped a few more than that from over-hunting my hot-spot area. Have taken an equal number hunting backup spots where I came across a non-resident whopper crusing outside of his core area for hot does. That’s when they are most vulnerable - Personally think that’s how most mature bucks are taken.

 

[OXN939]

Great advice, Ox. Agree with all of it.

If it weren't for the rut, 85% of mature bucks would never be killed, much less even be seen. They are amazingly ghost-like.
Congrats by the way...

Thanks, and a very valid observation. The big guys are almost exclusively nocturnal for probably 355 days a year. I got 5 trail cam pictures of my guy from August to October, all of which were between midnight and 6 a.m. 100% agree with Spiral Horn that they are like a different species, and about not burning your honey holes until conditions get really ideal. Mine this year happened on the first time I had hunted a spot in two years.

 

[JT113]

Hunt the does.. Be smart about the wind and your approach/departure from your stand. Those big rutting bucks will be less cautious eventually and show themselves. You just need to be there when that happens! I just had a giant standing in my driveway (about 10 yards from my parked truck) an hour and a half after sunrise looking around for 5 minutes, totally exposed and seemingly unaware of what he was doing.

 

[Broomd]

Hunt the does.. Be smart about the wind and your approach/departure from your stand. Those big rutting bucks will be less cautious eventually and show themselves. You just need to be there when that happens! I just had a giant standing in my driveway (about 10 yards from my parked truck) an hour and a half after sunrise looking around for 5 minutes, totally exposed and seemingly unaware of what he was doing.

We tree-stand hunt the back of our property every Fall. To get to the stand from the house one must walk through a wooded canyon/pond that is a potential bedding or travel area. I've gotten to the point where I have the wife drop me off behind the back property where the road wraps around. I do the same for her. Inevitably we kill bucks that we would otherwise push or spook walking through the canyon area from the house.
I killed one two weeks ago utilizing this strategy.....It's always worth the extra effort!
Have to think like a deer!