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March 31, 2008 09:00 AM
Main Rut Deer Hunting Success by Marty Prokop
If you would like to listen to this Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com blog post as a podcast click the play button…
Main Rut or the peak of the rut lasts much longer than the pre-rut we discussed in my prior Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Newsletter and blog post.
In my deer hunting area in northern USA, generally the main rut will begin the last week of October to the first week in November and run to the end of November.
During Main Rut you will notice daylight hours dwindling. This change in the amount of daylight, also called photoperiodism, triggers higher testosterone production in bucks.
The combination of less daylight and more testosterone makes the bucks more agitated and less friendly towards other bucks. If you happen to see two bucks meet during Main Rut a fight usually occurs.
Scrapes… What Do They Mean?
During Main Rut, as you walk through the deer hunting woods, you will notice more scrapes on the ground and more rubs on trees and saplings. Both are calling cards to other bucks in the area that this territory is taken. All challengers welcome!
Big bucks check their scrape lines and rub lines frequently during Main Rut.
Bucks will make scrapes by pawing leaves, grasses and debris off the ground’s surface and exposing fresh earth. The buck then urinates on his tarsal glands, which drip onto the fresh earth leaving his scent behind.
There is always a licking branch above a buck scrape. Look for it. A buck will rub his pre-orbital glands (near his eyes) on the branches and lick the branch to leave additional scent. This lets both bucks and does in the area know he is there and ready for action.
Big bucks will make multiple scrapes throughout their territories. Finding a big buck’s scrape line is a great tool for intercepting him, as he will be checking the scrapes frequently.
If you find an area that has multiple scrapes relatively close to each other, you may have found a big buck’s scrape line. Set up your deer hunting tree stand off the main trail and downwind of the scrapes.
Tree Rubs… What Do They Mean?
Tree rubs are made by bucks as a way to release their frustrations as well as prepare for future battles with other bucks that enter their domains. Bucks will also make tree rub lines to mark their territories.
To locate a tree rub line stand facing a rub on a tree and look in the direction going directly away from the first rub. For example, if you spot a rub on the south side of a tree, the buck was traveling north when he made the rub. Look towards the north for additional rubs on saplings and small trees.
If you see a “string” of tree rubs in a line, you have found the buck’s travel route.
Setting up a deer hunting tree stand or ground blind near this tree rub line could put you in a big buck’s front yard.
Doe… a Deer... a Female Deer
One key factor in hunting Main Rut is to have lots of doe activity near your deer hunting location.
During Main Rut bucks will only make ground scrapes and tree rubs if there are female deer nearby. During Main Rut, bucks will travel and move to where does are located.
If there are doe deer in front of you, and the rut is on, pay close attention to their body language.
If does are running about, seeming to be overly skittish and looking over their backs constantly, be on the lookout for a big buck.
As a doe is ready to accept a buck she will hold her tail cocked off to one side. If you see a doe doing this, pay very close attention as the big buck could be close by.
There is still one magical part of the rut that is often overlooked, and it can also produce a truly huge buck. That is Post-Rut.
We’ll look at hunting Post-Rut in my next Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Newsletter and blog post.
To subscribe to the weekly Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Newsletter or get blog post delivered to you by subscribing to our RSS feed by clicking on one of the RSS feed buttons in the right hand column of this blog.
Good Luck and Great Hunting!
Deer Hunting Expert at http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com
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Find Deer Games, Pictures and Hunting Fun at: http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com
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*** More Free Stuff ***
Get Your Own Free Audio Deer Hunting Tips, listen to the Deer Hunting Podcast, subscribe to our RSS Feed, see Big Buck Pictures and read the Deer Hunting Secrets Blog at: http://www.marty-prokop.com
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*** Newsletter and RSS Feed ***
If you want to keep up on new deer hunting secrets subscribe to the weekly Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Newsletter or get blog posts delivered to you by subscribing to our RSS feed by clicking on one of the RSS feed buttons in the right hand column of this blog.
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*** Help Your Deer Hunting Buddies ***
Help your deer hunting buddies and support deer hunting…it’s free to do… Go ahead and email this Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com blog URL to your deer hunting buddies or use our Tell A Friend form at http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com/ .
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Posted by Marty Prokop at 9:00 AM | Comments (0)
March 28, 2008 12:01 PM
Pre-Rut Deer Hunting Success by Marty Prokop
If you would like to listen to this Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com blog post as a podcast click the play button…
Deer hunting during the rut and being in the right place at the right time can have you shooting the monster buck of your dreams. But, which rut should you hunt?
You might be thinking, “Wait a minute Marty Prokop, have you fallen off your rocker? There is only one rut.”
Actually there are three very distinct parts to the deer rut: Pre-Rut, Main Rut and Post-Rut. Knowing and understanding each could help you bag the buck of a lifetime.
In my Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Newsletter and this blog post I will share with you secrets for deer hunting success during Pre-Rut. In the next tips I will cover Main Rut and Post-Rut.
What is the Pre Rut?
Pre-Rut is triggered by mature does, those that are at least 4½ years old, going into a very short estrus cycle. This cycle lasts only 24 to 36 hours.
In the northern areas of the USA, Pre-Rut usually begins in early October.
Up until this short estrus cycle, bucks are still wandering around in their small bachelor groups.
As soon as the smell of an estrus doe hits the air, the bucks react by making scrapes and rubs. During this 24 to 36 hour period, deer hunters who are in the woods may notice vast numbers of fresh scrapes and rubs almost appearing overnight.
Noticing these new scrapes and increased deer activity as part of the pre-rut phase, could increase your odds of tagging a big buck.
Being in the Right Place at the Right Time
Remember, Pre-Rut only last a few days, so timing is everything. Here are some options for connecting with a big buck during Pre-Rut.
Set up your deer hunting tree stand overlooking one of the new scrapes. Make sure you are downwind of the scrape. Then you simply wait him out. Eventually he will come to check his scrape.
Another way to attract the dominant buck and lure him to you is by making a mock scrape.
A mock scrape should be about two feet in diameter, with a licking branch approximately three feet above the ground.
Mock scrapes are made by removing leaves, grasses and debris off the ground’s surface and exposing fresh earth. This can be done with a stick or garden rake.
Once fresh earth is exposed, pour a good amount of Dominant Buck Urine and Doe in Heat (doe in estrus) urine onto the scrape. Saturate two scent wicks, one with dominant buck urine and the other with doe in heat deer scent, and hang them on the licking branch above the scrape.
Place your deer stand downwind of the mock scrape and wait for the big buck to come in.
During the short Pre-Rut, testosterone levels of buck deer begin to increase and very few bucks have the chance to breed the few doe deer that go into estrus. Many bucks become frustrated. This frustration is how Mother Nature alerts and prepares the rest of the bucks for the upcoming Main Rut.
We’ll talk more about the Main Rut in my next blog post.
Good Luck and Great Hunting!
Deer Hunting Expert at http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com
****************************
Find Deer Games, Pictures and Hunting Fun at: http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com
=========================
*** More Free Stuff ***
Get Your Own Free Audio Deer Hunting Tips, listen to the Deer Hunting Podcast, subscribe to our RSS Feed, see Big Buck Pictures and read the Deer Hunting Secrets Blog at: http://www.marty-prokop.com
=========================
*** Newsletter and RSS Feed ***
If you want to keep up on new deer hunting secrets subscribe to the weekly Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Newsletter or get blog posts delivered to you by subscribing to our RSS feed by clicking on one of the RSS feed buttons in the right hand column of this blog.
=========================
*** Help Your Deer Hunting Buddies ***
Help your deer hunting buddies and support deer hunting…it’s free to do… Go ahead and email this Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com blog URL to your deer hunting buddies or use our Tell A Friend form at http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com/ .
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Posted by Marty Prokop at 12:01 PM | Comments (0)
March 20, 2008 01:25 PM
Whitetail Deer in Deep Snow
And You Thought Your Winter Was Bad...
Above is a picture I received from a Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com reader.
This photo was taken in 2008 in Canada.
Can you imagine deer trying to find food in this deep snow?
Look at the lead deer in the photo. You can't even see her back!
Tell us what you think of this picture by leaving a comment here at the blog.
Send in your deer photos and stories by emailing marty(at)free-deer-hunting-tips.com. Make sure to replace the word (at) with the @ sign.
Good Luck and Great Hunting!
Marty Prokop
Posted by Marty Prokop at 1:25 PM | Comments (0)
March 15, 2008 11:40 PM
Marty Prokop at Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Announces New Podcasting and Changes to RSS Feed
The Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com blog is being enhanced and more free services added for deer hunters.
Podcasts Added to Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com
We are adding audio podcasting of our free deer hunting tips at http://www.marty-prokop.com
The Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com podcast is like having a deer hunting coach and guide with you sharing successful deer hunts, giving you tips, helping you remember techniques and secrets to bag those big bucks and preparing you for your next successful deer hunt.
You can receive free deer hunting tips audio podcasts and text blog posts delivered through our new RSS feed.
Here are the RSS feed details…
New RSS Feed
If you have signed up for our prior RSS feed or added our blog to your own RSS feed we are upgrading and changing the RSS feed so it will send you the new audio podcasts in addition to the text blog posts.
What does this mean to you?
How to Receive Podcasts via RSS Feed
If you have not signed up for the RSS feed yet, here is how you can. Just click one of the feed reader service chicklets (buttons) in the right column of this blog.
How to Receive Podcasts via Your Current RSS Feed
If you have already signed up for the Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com RSS feed in the past to receive the new audio podcasts delivered to you via RSS feed you will need to subscribe to the new RSS feed by entering the following link into your feed reader:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/%20Free_Deer_Hunting_Tips_By_Marty_Prokop
Fix Podcast Feed
If you are reading blog posts and receiving podcasts through a feed reader and don’t make this update, the blog posts and podcast may come through unclear or look funny.
To fix this simply subscribe to the new feed by entering the following link into your feed reader:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/%20Free_Deer_Hunting_Tips_By_Marty_Prokop
What about the Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Newsletter?
If you have signed up for our Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Newsletter and are receiving our deer hunting tips via email, you will continue to receive those tips via email. This does not change your newsletter subscription. Audio free deer hunting tips come through the RSS feed.
If you would like to receive our Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Newsletter (which has tips in addition to the blog posts you receive from our blog) you can subscribe to the newsletter at http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com .
What is an RSS Feed?
With RSS you will receive the Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com blog posts and audio podcasts sent directly to your computer via feed reader software or service as soon as they are posted to our blog.
You get free feed reader service when you click on one of the RSS feed reader service chicklets (buttons) in the right column of this blog.
Free feed reader service is really similar to your email software, but without any spam. Your RSS feed will allow into your computer only blog posts and podcasts that you have signed up for. You don’t receive any spam. So you could say it is similar to spam-free email.
You are guaranteed to receive the blog posts and audio podcasts because RSS feed readers bypass email and spam filters. Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com blog posts and audio podcasts will be delivered straight into your RSS feeder right on your computer.
You will be able to read the blog posts through your favorite feed reader instead of having to remember to come out and visit the Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com blog each week. You can go to the blog to leave your comments.
You will be able to listen to the audio deer hunting tips just like you can music or other audio files on your computer or MP3 player.
RSS feed saves you time, sends the free deer hunting tips right to you, protects you from spam and gives you maximum privacy.
What is an Audio Podcast?
Audio podcasts are audio similar to radio shows, only generally shorter. I will be recording Free Deer Hunting Tips in audio files and distributing them through the Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com blog.
You can hear free deer hunting tips audio podcasts on your computer using a media player (such as Windows Media Player) or through an iPod or MP3 player.
You can listen to these free deer hunting tips all year around on your computer. An MP3 player makes Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips portable, and you can listen to Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips audios on the way to your deer hunting camp and even while you are sitting in your deer stand.
You can receive our Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com audio podcasts free by visiting http://www.marty-prokop.com or subscribing to our new RSS feed.
You can subscribe to our Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com newsletter at http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com
Good Luck and Great Hunting!
Marty Prokop
Posted by Marty Prokop at 11:40 PM | Comments (0)
