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Pre-Rut Deer Hunting Success by Marty Prokop
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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
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Posted by Marty Prokop
