The rut is right around the corner, and hunters oftentimes pull the same cards out of their hand to play each year. Some of these are great and consistently work well. However, there are other underrated rut tactics that you should also try this deer season. Here are seven of these.
1. Calling & Rattling
So, this isn’t technically underrated. Deer hunters have been using these tactics for a very long time. Few hunting tactics receive more press than these two methods. But while most hunters use these, a certain crowd is completely set against calling and rattling. So, to those who don’t implement these things, these are underrated.
Grant it, most of the time, I prefer not to call. I certainly don’t like to blind call. I like to stay off whitetails’ radars. This is usually confined to the early season, early pre-rut, and late season, though. During the tail end of the pre-rut, and the rut itself, I’m all about grunting or rattling at deer that are passing by out of range and moving away from me.
2. Hunting Weird Spots
Traditional rut stands are great. Funnels, pinch points, saddles, and other common rut stands make for solid spots to arrow a rutting buck. But these are well-known and not at all underrated.
What stand and ground blind locations are? Brush piles, ditches, drainages, fencerows, old home places, small woodlots, water holes, and other oddball spots. Oftentimes, bucks push does to these overlooked places to get them away from the bulk of the deer herd. And all deer drink, especially rutting bucks that are tired and thirsty.
3. Sitting All Day Long
Those who choose not to sit all day long oftentimes do so because they can’t take the discomfort. They don’t realize just how much action they’re missing by not hunting all day, though. And that’s why it’s underrated.
During the rut, deer activity sometimes picks back up after the midmorning shift ends. Sometimes, bucks get up and cruise after a few hours of rest. Other times, they leave the doe they’re with in search of the next one. Oftentimes, hunters push deer around, too, which can stir up movement. These reasons and more are great ones to sit all day long, when possible.
4. Hunting the Late Rut
Thanks to social media, everyone thinks all the big bucks have been shot out by the end of the rut. That isn’t true. A lot of deer make it through to see the late rut (and even later), making this a perfect time to hunt a big whitetail.
Those who are still packing a tag during the latter days of the rut madness should know that a high percentage of top-end bucks are taken during this late-November timeframe (or whenever your rut falls). While most of the young bucks have already run out of gas, older bucks have saved some for the end of the big show. Knowing this, you can have faith in that you still have a chance, even after everyone else is staying at camp to watch football, rather than sit out in the freezing cold.
5. Stalking with a Decoy
Bucks don’t completely lose their mind during the rut, but they lose a lot of it. High testosterone levels make the rut a great time to play off a buck’s short fuse. Trigger a response from their willingness to engage in a fight.
One of the best ways to do this is by stalking deer with a decoy, rather than just staking it, sitting down, and waiting. Instead, stalking with a decoy adds an element of motion, and makes it more convincing to a deer. Plus, it makes it possible to make a move, if necessary. That said, don’t use this tactic on public lands, during gun seasons, or if any other hunters are in the area.
6. Mobile Hang and Hunts
Most hunters prefer to hunt from pre-hung and pre-set stands and blinds. But never underestimate the power of a mobile hang and hunt during the rut. This tactic is a great option for deer hunters, especially those who might not know their property well enough.
For this reason, I keep a lightweight hang-on treestand and set of sticks on hand in case I need to be mobile. This opens me up to additional opportunities and doesn’t confine me to the permanent stand locations that I have.
7. Still Hunting
I advise against still hunting throughout the early and later days of the rut. During these periods, bucks are cruising regularly in search of does. Spot and stalk hunts aside, given that the bucks are in motion, a hunter in motion reduces his chances of crossing paths with a deer.
It’s different during the peak rut window, though. This period — which is oftentimes referred to as the lockdown phase — sees an increased number of bucks bedded down with estrus does. They move minimally and cover as little ground as possible. Because of this, when a high percentage of bucks are laid up, you increase your odds of success by slowly still hunting through known places that bucks oftentimes push does to during the rut.
All things considered, there are many tactics you can use during the rut. Some are overrated. Others are underrated. And others don’t fall in either category. Still, it doesn’t hurt to pull the cards that bucks rarely see. It just might catch a big one off-guard.
