Tracking the Rut October Volume 3

Tracking the Rut 10-19-2018

                                             (Rut Meter 17%)

The Hunting Page Rut Meter is on the move once again this week it’s hovering around 17%. We heading toward the “Rut On” alert, but don’t fall asleep, it can shoot up to 75% or so at any time and you don’t want to be watching football or raking leaves when you should be sitting in a treestand, every day that passes brings us closer to those magic hunting days we have been waiting for all year,

Here’s what our deer watchers are reporting this week: Food sources are still being frequented by both bucks and does and the fawns are still hanging with momma, by and large the deer are still in their fall feeding frenzy, they are chomping down on their favorite fall foods: acorns are always a big favorite as are all kinds of brassicas greens and standing corn, did we mention apples and persimmons, the list goes on and on.

A sure sign of the upcoming rut is the does are expanding their safety zone between them and bucks who are working the same food sources, if a buck comes within 30 yards the doe will nervously move away or bolt entirely, does are also spending more time “on alert” than they were earlier this season. The buck pressure is starting to have its effect on doe behavior, while there is not full bore “chasing” going on, the bucks are not above taking a short run at a doe just for “old times sake”, before long buck aggression will separate the does from their fawns.

Buck scraping is also increasing and sparring matches between bucks is also intensifying. Larger bucks are also busy exhibiting their dominance over lesser bucks by posturing, staring, showing how “bad” they are, and brief pushing matches. The larger older bucks are still moving mostly under the cover of darkness, that will change when their “need to breed” overpowers their natural caution.

The Hunting Page will be reporting on a regular basis as the rut continues to build. Keep your favorite internet device on “ready “as our “Rut On” alert will be going out sometime in the not too distant future. As far as hunting strategies go, it is still about hunting whichever fall food your deer are on at any given time. it changes weekly and sometimes daily so stay on top on of food availability on the property you are hunting. If you see the buck you want, a little grunt may entice him your way, but aggressive antler rattling and snort-wheezing might better be saved for when the dominant bucks are a bit more “on the muscle”.