Who relies on "Rut"
Wisconsin
Wondering who relies on the rut every year to kill a deer? I know for guys who hunt in the big woods, trying to kill a decent buck outside of it is tough. I use to be the guy that would struggle to find a buck early season. Farmland I have killed some great deer before the rut. But hunting flat farmland is very predictable. Hunting public land bigwoods took me years to find what works consistently, and as prepared as I feel. There are still a number of things for me to dial in. So since the season is closing and our minds are still fresh. What are some of the specifics you feel should be shared that help your success. We know scouting is huge. So name specifics that boost your confidence. Some guys have that special spot that yields a buck sighting. Explain why it is so good. Maybe we can help others get into better situations for next year.
I want to talk about whitetails and this should be something we can once again learn from. I know a lot of guys have different styles. Everyone is welcome to question or answer! :)
this is a good post, but I think Northern Wis is more diversed than what many speak of ,,,, so you really have to relate to country and terrain,and goal population... my experience in N Wis is western Florence Co and Forest Co.... Use to have special spots, but that was a lot of year ago,,,,, wolves and terrible timber management have made it to the point, that you have to continue to scout and search.....
My success up there this year, was I could have easily killed over 8 bucks this year, all spikes to forks and small basket racks,,,,,,, when you are trying to rebuild a herd, I see no reason on killing, what is the future seed,,, and by the way, I am no trophy hunter in any stretch of the imagination.......
I know that Iron County I wonder if it will ever recover, however Price Co is doing better, and I know that it seems no one really cares from the state what is going on in the north.....
I am a grouse hunter and trout bum for me N wis and the UP is nirvana, but what would help the north, as far as deer ,I have no idea anymore,,,,,,,,,,,
Poaching is out of control, game wardens are spread very thin, and to me most of the north as a lack of respect for the herd, as they continue to kill whatever they want
it seems harsh, but this is what I have seen,,,,,,, as far as me seeing all those 8 bucks I could have shot, most do not care, on how I got that close to them, since most want to kill big bucks......
If I do one thing different than what I did in Bayfield County in the 70's and 80's is that in season scouting is more important than spring scouting
Good Thread Noc,...
Yes, I focus now mainly on the rut. For me that's the key. Two important aspects of it however: #1.) I try to hunt pinch-points or funnels (if there is not a natural funnel I have created them by using brush and fallen small trees to "guide" the deer. Some of my "fences" have been over 100 yards long.), and #2.) I try to choose areas with heavy doe & fawn activity (look for doe & fawn tracks. If the family groups are there the bucks will be too as they look for does).
Before I moved to NW Wi, I lived in So Wi. Hunted Dane & Iowa County and would always take a week off work and hunt the first week of bow season. Great time to see bucks when they're in their bachelor groups. Shot some decent bucks during that week over the years. Took two weeks off work and hunted hard during the pre-rut and the rut itself. Eighteen years ago I moved to the north country. I hunted the same but obviously saw fewer deer. I've only seen four or five really good bucks in those first sixteen years. I have to agree with Razor that I did more in season scouting up here than spring or summer scouting compared to what I did in So. Wi.
Scout scout scout number on . Also pinch points. An . Food sorce in the big woods acorns and. Logging help
Lol you guys... Jeeez.... I start up a topic about getting close to bucks in the big woods and you guys talk about deer population, the importance of in season scouting. The only person that came remotely close was "case" and "tack"
We know scouting is the number one thing. Everyone who is in the game knows this. Anyone can scout. Most guys don't know how to scout. They will sit on last years "rut" rubs and hope for the best during the early season. I believe in a good pinch, but in order for me to even consider sitting in one, I need to see a combination of things. Sure we can set up on a good food source that is raining acorns. But I know it is much more complex than that. Especially when we are talking about bucks in general. Details guys? Details?
I've only ever shot 1 buck with my bow during "rut".
All the others were in early to Mid-October.
On a whim this year I made two mock scrapes in pinch point areas with deer sign in them mid-October (big woods area). I didn't plan on bowhunting them but wanted to try it out and hopefully get my son on a buck. Checking my cameras the day before gun season and at one of the scrapes I had 12 different deer (does and bucks), six bucks and two PY hit them. The two PY bucks hit the scrape on November 8th and November 12th, both in daylight. So, now I have a new weapon in the arsenal.
However, what struck me was despite the fact that deer were visiting the scrape almost daily for at least 3 weeks there was almost a complete lack of sign around it. No defined trail(s) or other markings other than one new rub in the vicinity. From the trail camera I could tell that the deer rarely used the same trail to access the scrape, it was very random how they approached. I had no idea this particular area was such a hub but was proved otherwise.
Bluegrass, that has been my experience too. Many of the most heavily visited scrapes actually have very little ground scraping but rather the overhanging branch seems to be what draws the deer to the hub of activity.
Good thread Nocturnal...
Py entries track mature bucks. Most entries are rut (10-30-11/12), the next highest period is the first week(summer patterned.
I wanna throw some of my examples on how I hunt the bigwoods during and outside of the rut. For every picture I post will be the same. These aren't guesses but what I found during my scouting.
Red- beds
Green- my path and stand
Yellow- deer path..
Blue- wind direction I hunted.
I saw a bachelor group of small bucks work out of this bedding area going to a over grown CC. This spot use to be dynamite before everything grew up. I need to rescout this area. I think the big boy has relocated to something safer. Trail cams had him going the other way on a south wind.
This spot is a little more complex. Took me years to figure out. I killed a 9 point here this year on the opener. This is a thick cedar swamp around the beds. The yellow trails go to a pretty good size oak forest. I hunted the oaks for years and rarely seen any kind of horns besides does and fawns. Now since I have hunted the green circle. I see a buck or two almost everytime I've stepped in there since. Also passed a smaller 10 in here in November.
This is my best bedding I have found yet. It is almost to good. This took me a couple of years to get pretty good at. The lower left screen is a small beaver pond. I've talked about it before here. I use to set up on the green dot cause a lot of times deer would be bedded around the water. But then I threw a trail cam in there and noticed a lot of the older deer were coming from the top of the picture. I relocated my stand and took a very respectable buck where the orange dot is last year.
Note this is a classic pinch. Even though this is thicker than the looks. The big bucks don't go all the way accross. They seem to work the trail. further to the top of the pinch. Lots of small bucks will cruise and come from my entrance parallel to the right.. this year I want to venture further to where they go. But have yet to effectively put boots on the ground. I believe I could concentrate all my efforts in this area every year and have a great chance of tagging out. So far between my dad and I. We are 2 for 2 on bucks here. If anyone followed my live hunt thread. That's where he shot it.
I took my friend here this year. Again anyone who followed my live thread. He shot a 7 point that we didn't find and had issues with the neighboring land owner. I took him up with me and he took a great buck. His biggest yet. I was so pumped for him. Honestly I was probably more happy than he was. This is a overlooked spot that gets quite a bit of hunting pressure. All the guys walk down the fire lane to a big block of timber. The buck had many beds in here. And others I'm sure bed in here too.
We tracked this buck quite a ways before we found him dead. He hit him high in the lungs. It was a classic bed hunt though.
I Don't so much rely on the rut as I enjoy hunting late October and november more. I'm not just talking temp, less bugs/leaves and such either. I have shot quite a few bucks in Sept and early Oct. I just enjoy from mid Oct on more, and I find I hunt harder/better when I am enjoying it.
Nice posts Noc. Its so much harder taking a big buck in big woods vs ag country.
I mainly rely on cold fronts. I hunt opening weekend just to be out there and then wind direction/ cold fronts determines when and where I hunt. Second I rely on morning hunts during the rut.
Tackdriver posted this... "Scout scout scout number on . Also pinch points. An . Food sorce in the big woods acorns and. Logging help"
THIS GUY IS A TOOL. His method of scout, scout, scout is to go dump 500# of corn in the northwoods and then sit around the clock until a deer comes in, regardless of legality he can say "I got it done". Food source=feed mill to old Tackdriver. For a guy who scout, scout, scouts, there sure is an awful lot of GARBAGE left on the public lands around his treestand areas!!!
Again,,,, #imgoingtoactlikeabitchandruingoodthreadsbecauseimadickanddontreallywanttolearnanything,justcausetrouble.
Noc, good thread. I do have a few questions as to your reasoning but I'm going to wait and make sure this thread can stay on track for a little while. Thank you for your patience.
Hmmmm... been away for a little while. Looked like bowsite was clean for a change. Let's not poisen this "keepinitreal" please.... crusader.... let's hear what you have to say?
