deer hunting tips | Buck Manager

Hunting Pre-Rut Bucks For Success

When it comes to timing your deer hunting activity, every deer hunter knows that hunting during the rut is a great time to be in the woods. Sure, this can a great way to harvest a white-tailed buck because during the rut bucks can be downright stupid.

In addition to bucks having only one thing on their mind, they may stray up to several miles from their summer range in search of does or chasing does to breed. And as exciting as this may be, there is another way to bag your buck that can take some of the guess work out of the equation.

Pre-Rut Success: Pattern Bucks

The secret is patterning the movement those early season bucks way before the breeding season kicks off. Early season bucks are motivated by safety and food. Bucks feel rather safe during the early fall because for 9 months no one has bothered them — no hunters in the woods, no funny scents, no 4-wheelers running around both before and after dark, and nothing strange at all. It has been quiet.

It’s during this time of year that whitetail bucks find food sources and eat in preparation of the breeding season and winter. They may be hitting a feeder, a food plot, or an ag field, but they are all the same as far as you are concerned. If you can figure out a buck’s pre-rut pattern you drastically improve your chances of bagging that big boy.

Pre-Season: First Shot is the Best Shot

Now as I mentioned earlier the rut can cause bucks to travel long distances, so once the rut begins the buck you may have had your heart set on may no longer be in the area, so why wait? You don’t want him throwing caution to the wind somewhere else now do you?

But as easy as it is to say get out there early, early season hunting brings its own set of challenges. In addition to facing warm, maybe even hot weather, you will be heading out into the woods battling mosquitoes, chiggers, and lots of leaves that have yet to fall. Hey, I never said it would be easy even though hunting pre-rut bucks can be highly effective.

In addition to potentially tough environmental conditions, many hunters have another huge obstacle when it comes to patterning and hunting bucks early in the season. This is the fact that the rut actually occurs prior to hunting season.

This can happen in many cases. In Texas, there are many parts of the state where the general deer hunting season opens after the rut has already begun! Many hunters across the country know this fact — and in many cases it’s probably one of the important reasons they picked up a bow. In areas where the rut takes place prior to the gun (general) season, bow-hunters have the best shot at both pre-rut and early-rut bucks.

Pre-Rut Turns to Post-Rut Hunting

The rut kicking off prior the gun season opener is not unique to Texas so it’s important to know when the rut takes place in the area where you hunt, because timing can be everything. It is very difficult to pattern a pre-rut buck that’s locked into a feeding pattern when you show up a few weeks late, after the pattern has been broken.

But not all is lost, assuming that buck you are chasing is still alive. Once the whitetail breeding season is complete bucks will return to their pre-rut patterns, hitting food sources hard to replenish fat reserves before the worst of winter sets in.

However, increased hunter activity, hunting pressure, and colder weather may cause the buck to shift to a more nocturnal pattern. All of these factors contribute to a buck that is much more difficult to hunt, so take advantage of the hunting pre-rut bucks early and you will not have to hunt late.

More Game Camera Tips for Hunters

Now that you have decided on the best locations to monitor with your game camera, you will need to know a few tips to help make sure that you get quality deer photos. With that goal in mind, when at all possible point the camera toward the north. Not on will placing the game camera in this position greatly reduce the chance of the camera getting triggered by the sun, but it will reduce back-lighting on your subject and give you much better deer photos.

Likewise, placing the game camera in areas of heavy tree cover will also help prevent the mid-day sun from accidentally triggering the sensor. So, if you want to take better photos in a relatively open area, face the camera north. If you are trying to pattern deer using a game camera in a heavily wooded area, any direction will work.

Next, it’s important that you accurately measure the distance from the trail camera to where you expect deer to travel. If the camera is set back too far, then the sensor might not trigger and the camera will miss the shot. Of course, having a deer cross too closely is equally bad since the camera will only capture part of the deer as it passes by — or totally miss the deer all together! Continue reading “More Game Camera Tips for Hunters”

Tips For Whitetail Deer Hunters

White-tailed deer hunters are a varied lot. Just as with deer, some are young and naive while others are older, wiser, and pay a lot more attention to detail. And hunting, like life, is all about the details. Trust me, a mature white-tailed buck pays a lot of attention to details and so should you. With that said, here are a few hunting tips to take with you next time you head into the woods. New hunters, file these tips away. Seasoned hunters, consider it a refresher. Now, here are some key tips when heading out whitetail hunting:

Look for Food Sources

This is rather simple. In wooded areas, look for mast producing trees like oaks and pecan. If trees have mast under them, deer will be there. If agricultural fields are nearby, deer will get there. Look for standing corn, wheat fields, alfalfa, and oats. Oh, and do not miss areas that have been either intentionally or unitentionally burned recently. Deer will frequent these areas to get succulent regrowth and cool-season forbs.

Learn the Lay of the Land

By knowing the area where you’re hunting, you’re more likely to be successful. So you know where the food is, but where are the deer coming from? What routes offer the best protection and are the easiest travel corridors for deer to use? Identify the terrain and natural funnels and take advantage of them. This could be anything from a wooded fenceline to a draw on a hill to a trail beside a river.

Know When to Call and Rattle

Just because you have a deer call doesn’t mean you know what you’re doing. The same goes for a set of rattling antlers. I once heard that timing is everything. This is very true when it comes to using audible noices to attract bucks. Whitetail bucks are much more active and likely to respond during certain periods. Discover when this time is in your neck of the woods. Learn what vocalizations are effective and when, then learn to immitate them. Learn when, where, and how to rattle effectively. Know the limitations of rattling.

Take Advantage of the Rut

During rutting season, hunt specific areas where you know there are lots of does. In addition, hunt those areas in the general area where you know a mature buck resides. This offers your best chance at having a smart deer make a stupid mistake. Because bucks are preoccupied during this time, choose to hunt areas that offer good visibility.

Hide Your Scent, Use Theirs

Scent is the number one way deer detect danger. Even though numerous products are on the market that disguise human scent, they all fail at some point. Pay very close attention to the direction of the wind. Have two or more locations to hunt depending upon the direction of the wind. Learn how deer communicate through leaving and detecting deer scent. Eliminate your scent and use theirs to give you the advantage.

Hunt the Cold Fronts

This is very important at southern latitudes where cold weather comes and goes rather quickly during the fall and early winter. Whitetail deer will be more active and more visible the first few days after a cold front passes through an area. If you can hunt cool weather during the rutting period, your odds are that much better.

Be Safe and Prepared

Hunting is all about getting outdoors and having fun. Make sure you keep your equipment in excellent working condition and it will save on the frustration and keep you in a good state of mind. Don’t take chances. Unload your gun before crawling over a fence. Use a safety lanyard when climbing and hunting from an elevated position. Be careful when cleaning game by yourself. A fall from a tree or even a serious cut can become life-threatening when others are not around to assist you. Do not under estimate caution and check out this article for more hunting safety tips.

Leave a game plan with a friend, spouse, or family member to let them know where you are going, when you are going to check in, and when you are returning home. If you have a cell phone, carry it. Keep a first-aid kit in camp, in your truck, and in your hunting pack. I hope you never need it. But if you do, you’ll be glad you have it.