How To Approach The Next 3 Weeks Of The Rut Phases

http://StrategicHabitat.com - Habitat Plans and Hunting Setups
Randy VanderVeen - 616-560-7488 - [email protected]

It’s that time of the hunting season most of us have been waiting for…
The rut phases.
Sitting on the edge of food plots watching deer is always entertaining in the early season, and a great way to take a nice buck while he’s still in his summer feeding patterns.
But in areas of high hunting pressure it doesn’t take long for mature bucks to feel that pressure, and only use food plots after dark.
That leaves young bucks, who are some of the dumbest deer in the woods, with these food plots all to themselves during the day.
By the time we get to the rut phases, the chances of shooting a 3.5 yr old buck while standing still feeding in broad daylight in high hunting pressured areas are pretty low.
For a 3.5 yr old buck, that’s his 4th hunting season. He’s seen plenty of hunters come and go to and from blinds and stands completely exposed to deer feeding in plots and fields, and probably even been shot at a time or two before he had nice antlers.
If this sounds like your situation on your hunting property in high hunting pressured areas, let me ask you a question.
How many mature shooter bucks have you taken with a bow while Mr big is standing still within bow range, feeding in a food plot in broad daylight after Oct 26 when the rut phases start?
We’re talking 3.5 yr olds or older in high hunting pressured areas. Not IA or KS.
In most cases, if a mature buck is on a food plot during the rut, he’s usually tailing a hot doe or pushing does around. Not exactly a high percentage shot on a moving target that won’t stop at the sound of your grunts.
But for some guys it’s hard to get away from food plots and hunt in the timber. After all, we want to see deer. But just because there’s deer in food plots during daylight hours, doesn’t mean the mature buck is gonna do the same in high hunting pressured areas.