Strike During the Second Rut to Bag A Buck

"The Rut", the topic of topics when deer hunters get together and plan out their schedule for the upcoming season. With everyone so focused on this time of year, once it's over, hopes get dashed and jackets get hung up for the last time. If you couldn't get it done by that point in the season, then you're probably not going to afterwards, is often a familiar mantra. And, after all of these years in the deer woods, I can't say that I haven't been there before. For what always seems like waiting an eternity to appear, the rut seems to last for only minutes in comparison to the rest of the season. Now, there's no doubt that this time of year can be one of the best times of the year to catch a big buck making a mistake while searching for love. But with that statement also comes the notion that you're not the only hunter in the woods with that very thought. From the Golden Triangle of South Texas, to the dark timber of Michigan, rut week can be one of the most pressured and chaotic weeks to sit for that monster buck. The deer are running everywhere, bucks are acting like high school boys and the woods are overloaded with hunters from every age bracket and skill level for better or worse. And, when the dust finally settles and this magical week comes to an end, some will be left admiring a trophy that they had never seen before, while most others will not. So, it begs the question, is the rut really the best time of the season to hunt?

The second rut is something that I often heard during my early years as a deer hunter, but never really paid much attention to. After all, it sounds like the second rendition of a movie-- and those aren't ever any good. Theoretically speaking, it's a time of year at which does that weren't bred during the initial rut come back into heat and also when doe fawns come into their first heat. Both scenarios are more than enough to drive nearby bucks crazy one last time, despite many of them still recovering from a very active primary rut. It also happens to be roughly a month later than the actual rut, so depending on where you hunt, this could mean late December or even part of January. That timing alone removes a bunch of people from the mix. Between that meaning late muzzleloader season in some states, the holidays and the fact that it could mean negative temperatures, the sheer number of hunters in the woods during the second rut is significantly less than the first one. But this might just be the reason to be the one in your hunting camp to go get a few more sits in before things shut down.

The last couple of seasons, I've really made it a point to get out and put extra time in during the late season. The craziness of the rut has past, the numbers of people out and about it way less and theres something honestly nostalgic about sitting in the deer woods on a cold winters day, waiting for something good to happen. Use these three tactics to help tip the odds in your favor during the last stretch of the season.

Hunt the late season food sources

It's no secret that the first rut has bucks cruising all day, fighting over does and losing a ton of weight with each passing minute. By the end, bucks will have used up most all of the stored fat that they packed on during the summer and early fall. And though bucks are still willing to get into a fight over a hot doe, the action is not nearly as robust as it was during the month prior. Bucks aren't spending as much time cruising during the day, in fact many of them start to build a bit of a daily routine again, making it easier to predict they're movement. During this time of year, keep your trail cams running and stick to the main food sources to catch a late season buck that is still on the hunt for a hot doe.

Pack a lunch

Despite the days of winter being shorter than they are during the rest of the year, the cold, harsh weather can certain make for some really long sits. And, if the weather is starting to change its pattern, being in the stand during the middle of the day can prove to be extremely successful. Depending on the barometric pressure and weather conditions, sitting out during the middle of the day can really be a hot time to catch a buck that's getting that mid day stretch in. If you're not able to sit from the morning through the afternoon, sleep in and get into the stand during the mid-morning. This will keep you fresh and will have you waiting for him at lunch time.

Use up your remaining scent

There's no better time of year to run through the rest of the scent that you have in your arsenal. By this time of the season, scents can still be a really deadly tactic to use, especially if your target buck is still looking for one more hot doe. Pack a scent drag and use an estrus lure on your final approach to your spot. Prior to getting into your stand, make a large semi-circle within shooting range and hang the drag on a nearby limb or bush. Remember exactly which direction that you approached from, because if he's in the area and the wind is right, he's going to have his nose to the ground coming your direction.

If the first rut passes you by with little luck, keep the morale high and reset your sights for the second one. Pressure is lighter, patterns are easier to understand and there are still plenty of love sick bucks out on the prowl.