RUT STRATEGIES
At this writing, the late prerut is getting ready to kick in throughout much of the whitetail’s range, and that of course means the start to what many of us consider the very best time to be in the whitetail woods. To make the most of this special time, here are a few rut-hunting strategies, gathered from some of the country’s top hunters and outfitters, that just might give you an edge during the next few wild and woolly weeks.
SIT a WATER SOURCE
If your tried-and-true rut stand sites aren’t producing, it might be time for a changeup. Try sitting a small, secluded pond or slough to ambush bucks thirsty from chasing does. Bonus points if your chosen water source will stay open during severely cold weather, because the bucks will know where they are.
THE RIGHT SCRAPES
Bucks in a rutting frenzy can lay down a lot of scrapes during the late pre rut, but knowing which ones to hunt over can be critical. Ignore scrapes missing a snapped overhanging limb. Instead, focus only on those possessing a licking branch, which are likely primary scrapes a buck will return to and rework.
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