Rut Fresh Report: 11/21

At this phase in the rut, most does have been bred and will yet again be distancing themselves from bucks. This can inspire a burst of midday movement, sign making, and chasing that resembles what you’d see during pre-rut. But there will still be some willing does in the woods, and mature bucks know that. Now, maybe more than ever, they’ll throw caution to the wind and seek out those last remaining estrus females.

If you’re still bowhunting, hunt travel corridors and pinch points near doe bedding. If you’re toting a gun, consider sitting on food sources where does will congregate in the evening. Think of does as live decoys this time of year.

Here’s how each region breaks down for the coming week.

East
Nearly all gun seasons have opened or will open by this weekend. This is an exciting yet challenging time to be in the woods. I think the absolute greatest outside factor affecting deer movement is hunting pressure. If you can find a place where the orange armies haven’t marched, then that’s where you’ll find deer.

That means you’ll need to get away from the parking lots and avoid the food plots that everyone else is attracted to. When you get past the crowds, look for deer to be more nocturnal than they have been all month. To kill one of these deer, you’ll want to get as close to bedding as possible.

South
A lot of the South saw peak rut this week, but the region is a patchwork of deer herds with different internal clocks. If your region is in peak rut right now, then keep it simple and look for does. And, like I talked about last week, don’t fret over a potential lockdown phase.

If you’re hunting a December rut, in parts of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, or Mississippi, then expect to start seeing some pre-rut activity. Sign making will be increasing with each day, and bucks will soon start taking extended (but predictable) walkabouts.

Midwest
Like the East, gun season openers have or will alter buck patterns soon. If you’re hunting a pressured area, then refer the report above. If not, then let does lead you to those wise, mature bucks that are still out cruising.

Some good news for the region is that crop harvest is about to bring hunters some relief. The Midwest had a late harvest this year, and all the standing crops have limited hunter success. Take advantage of combines hitting the rows and hunt fresh-picked fields that deer seem to love. Harvest creates a bit of chaos with so much machinery moving around, so don’t be afraid to throw up a new ground blind in the open. Unlike other parts of the season, deer won’t pay them much attention.

West
This is the time of year to put the screws to your optics. Glass fields that offer obvious food sources, and don’t leave any bit of cover unturned where there might be a buck locked down with a doe. I’d say this is one of the harder times to kill a big buck in the West.

A week ago, mature bucks would be moving all day. A week from now, deer will herd up and congregate on food. During this awkward time of year, let your glass kill the deer for you. Allow yourself to see as much country as possible in the morning, even if that means you won’t be in position for a shot. Once you’ve figured out where the deer are moving, get situated for an evening kill.

Want more rut reports like this? Make sure you subscribe to the Wired to Hunt Podcast, where each Wednesday in the fall we release a Rut Fresh episode breaking down buck movement across the country.