i hate the rut

[longbowben]

I think most hunters let some of the best days of hunting slip by.By waiting for november.Leatherneck and myself will open a few eyes on early season hunting when the article comes out.

[pitbull]

It is no coincidence that I take my hunting vacation every year which is the first 10 days of our season.

[Bonebuster]

I have found the rut to be feast or famine.

There have been seasons past, where I saw nearly NOTHING while hunting the traditional rut period...and then there have been times that were totally amazing.

If nothing else, I love the rut for the possibilities!

[jerseyboy]

Do you guys write for a magazine and if so what one? And secondly i live and hunt in an area that has between 20-50 deer per sq. mile and also has some book class bucks. One killedduring the firearm season last year not 5 miles from where i live scored 190+ but i must say that in 32 years of hunting i have only seen bucks chasing does about 4-5 times heard bucks grunting about 3 times and have never heard two bucks fighting. So what gives i live and hunt in a great farming area with good nutrition,water cover and pretty decent gene pool but i never see the good stuff. I kill plenty but nothing amazing.

[NEB]

It ain't the rut that gets me, its work!  I was only to get out during our bow season for two afternoon hunts.  Then once the rifle season opened I have hunted 8 days.  I passed up numerous bucks and does to get a chance at a big buck, and then the weather hit us.  It has been extremely wet and hot down here and the rutting activity has been non-existant on our land.  Oh well, I shot a doe Sun. night with a rifle.  I have to wait until Dec. to go back, and I intend to hunt the remaining weekends with a bow.  I envy you guys who can hunt every day or whenever you want.  I mostly have to watch the rut go by while I work.

[KentuckyTJ]

Jersey, Not sure whats going on with you not hearing or seeing rut activity with #'s like that. My last two hunts on different farms I saw three shooter bucks two of which came under my tree. Saw one of them rake his antlers through the limbs and make a scrape. Then take off after deer chasing sounds on a close by ridge. When he was about to crest the top a monster came crashing down off the ridge after him. Couldn't really tell exactly what he was but he was huge. Then right before dark a wide 8 point came across under me with his nose to the ground looking for love. The next hunt saw three different bucks chasing does one of which was grunting uncontrollably all around me while sitting in a thicket.

You need to move to Kentucky.

[jerseyboy]

I think like i said earlier in this post that there are too many food sources where i live in fact thats all there is, one farm after another.Soybean,corn sourgum alfalfa,timothy all types of orchards and vegetable farms and the list goes on, and lets not forget hundreds of acres of white and red oak along with beechnut,hickory and wild grapes. Why the heck would they come by me in particular when they could go any direction and find anything they want. Im going to try more winter bow this year when the food sources are low and see if that makes a difference. Also the hunting pressure is very low because all the land is private so there are a limited # of hunters especially in archery season, most of the landowners dont bowhunt only shotgun.I know what your thinking what a problem to have right!

[Pegen]

I love it all, anytime of the year.