More useless data

[Andy S.]

So basically be in the woods the first 3 weeks of Nov as much as you possibly can in TN

Data and generalizations above are geographic specific and much of daylight activity/sightings are hunting pressure/weather dependent. If I could only hunt three weeks of the year for a rutting mature buck here in my neck of the woods (SW TN), I'd hunt last 7 days of November and first 14 of December. December 1-10 is money for us in SW TN, when weather and temps are usually in our favor for increased daylight activity.

 

[BSK]

Data and generalizations above are geographic specific and much of daylight activity/sightings are hunting pressure/weather dependent. If I could only hunt three weeks of the year for a rutting mature buck here in my neck of the woods (SW TN), I'd hunt last 7 days of November and first 14 of December. December 1-10 is money for us in SW TN, when weather and temps are usually in our favor for increased daylight activity.

Absolutely true. Rut timing is VERY site specific. All you have to do is look at the peak breeding dates across Alabama and Mississippi. HUGE variations by locality.

 

[TheLBLman]

It finally sunk into my thick skull that bucks are bedding down nearby the food sources and just watching the entrance trails to the food sources. Once a doe group approaches, the bucks come running. We've always had stands overlooking the food plots for obvious reasons but have only been marginally successful shooting bucks out of the plots . . . . I now realize the way to hunt plots is well back from the plot, at least 100 yards.

BINGO!

I've killed some mature bucks (and does!) by hunting permanent stands on food plots, but keeping my back to the plot, looking in the opposite direction anyone else would likely face. Usually, when I pick a tree to climb near a food plot or field, it is more or less 50 yds from the field, and I do often face the field, but am unable to have a shot into the field. Mature bucks will often walk just inside the woods line, scent-checking AND looking out into the field. If you get too far back on a trail, you will miss much of this.

Another thing:

Mature bucks will often RUN out into a field to "herd" a doe back into the woods or heavy cover. When you're hunting the actual field, you may see this, but often cannot get a high-probability shot. But if hunting just inside the woods, you'll often catch these older bucks carefully checking out the field first.

Unfortunately, some mature bucks simply refuse to come out, even with a hot doe in the field. They'll just let a younger buck do the "herding" for them, or wait until after dark.

 

[Andy S.]

^^^ No doubt, MS has the most interesting rut timing map I have seen.

 

[TheLBLman]

Older deer also learn that the cover of darkness is great camouflage.

Not only will many not step into a field during daylight, but also they actually "bed" during night right out in the open field! This may be the main reason hunters commonly have poor luck hunting fields on morning hunts, as the hunters spook the deer bedded in the fields.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

@TheLBLman and @BSK - spot on! On the few rare occasions I hunt fields, mainly for trying to tag a doe for meat, I hear "commotion" back in the woods. Last year was a perfect example. I was hunting in a field, but heard what was clearly a buck chasing a doe about 50 yards off the side of the hill from the field line. The commotion stopped about 30 minutes before dark, but I knew exactly where they were. I had to walk through that area on the way out. When it got dark, I got about 40 yards from them and blew on my coyote call. They took off - didn't want them associating any human activity. I do this quite often, especially when there are deer in the field and I'm trying to leave.

In this case, does typically enter this field at a certain location….and that's where this commotion came from. I suspect a buck was bedded off the side of the hill waiting on the does to show up. They came through and he herded one about 100 yards and they bedded up….until I came in sounding like a coyote .

I also see big beds in our fields, and I know those are bucks bedding there at night. Why wouldn't they? It's like sitting at the bar waiting on the ladies to show up.