When will you be hunting in November? If you want to succeed and maximize your possibilities for a great buck, plan hunting the rut like you would a vacation. If you can’t take a day off during the week, is it possible to go in a little late or leave early? I faced this dilemma many years ago as a teacher with a very inflexible work schedule. However, I had my teeth cleaned twice each year and scheduled those appointments for 11:00 a.m. in November and late April, coinciding with deer and turkey seasons. When I became a principal, I sent teachers home early one November afternoon due to a PTA meeting that night. I was able to squeeze in the last hour of daylight and bagged the biggest buck I’d seen in the wild.
Make the Most of the Rut
The message here is “get out there” and plan to do it as often as you can, especially just prior to the peak of the rut. Many hunters believe that the early days of the rut offer more opportunity than when bucks are actually breeding. This is a time when buck are roaming in daylight searching for estrous does. Not finding any, they keep moving and often respond to rut stimuli such as rattling and grunt calls.
Charlie Alsheimer Knows
This post from well known deer expert Charlie Alsheimer on the Deer & Deer Hunting website is packed with great information about what lies ahead this year. It’s a video you will want to watch over and over as well as send to your friends. More importantly, act on the information. Plan and adjust your work schedule to maximize time afield. Any time of day can work as bucks often move throughout the day.
