Pre rut or Peak rut

[dbldroptyne]

just a quick check of who likes the pre rut or the peak rut for hunting in SE Ohio. First time hunting in SE Ohio, wondering to pick the first week or the second week.  Thanks, alot

[Longbow338]

Anybody that thinks they like the peak of the rut does not no what it is.   The peak of the rut is the actual breeding phase known as lock down.  I prefer the pre rut mainly the seeking phase when bucks 4.5 plus  are on there feet actively persueing does.  Having said that I have killed my 2 biggest bucks 161 5/8 and 161 7/8 in the early season feeding pattern before all the guns start ringing out.

oh yeh! love it when there running around like a bunch of nuts,  ive seen 16 different bucks in one day and all were 8 points or better my best day in the woods, and didnt even get a shot.

[xtrema312]

I don't know about Ohio, but I like pre-rut when the bucks are moving looking for the first does.  Once they get hooked up they don't move as much.  Peak rut can be good if a stupid young doe drags a big old buck out in the open in the day time.

[knd2970]

Can't go wrong with the last week of Oct and first week in Nov. We always see the most deer then. Pre rut all the way

[Panzer II]

Pre-Rut for me, seems like they dissappear during actual breeding.

[rascal]

I like the Pre-Rut, lots of action and always a thrill to see so many animals.  Then again here in Iowa Pre - Rut and Rut are both during bow season and I hunt an awful lot during both.

[jbuck9]

Pre rut hands down.

[pitbull]

I'll add another pre-rut.

[Tom]

Pre-rut here as well.

[leatherneck]

Pre all the way. Never know where they will be at during the chasing period.

[Mike Spaulding]

I love hearing them grunting away as they follow a hot trail, but rut is chaotic I think.. harder for me to pattern a buck since they're going all over which way following estrous does.  I like to hunt early season, when they're still on their feeding patterns... generally less pressured too where I hunt.

[wapiti792]

I think we need a little better definition of pre-rut and peak-rut I think...PEAK to me is the tending phase where the bucks have the does locked up in open ditches and thickets that are nott approachable by other bucks or hunters for that matter without being seen. That is a tough time to hunt mature bucks because they tend to be locked up. You can do it and I have had some great stalks with a buck bedded with a doe but tough...

Pre-rut is anytime from Oct 1 opener to the breeding/tending phase the 3rd week of Nov. I think the week before the tending/breeding fortnight, say November 8th to the 15th or so here is So Illinois is the time. It's the time my clinic is closed, I am logging a bunch of dark-to-darks in trees and the bucks are "seeking" hot does.

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Wapiti792 hit it right on the head - when you see the bucks chasing the does around ain't the rut - when you DON'T see the bigger bucks - THAT'S the rut - he's holed up with a girlfriend somewhere.  Hunting the peak of the rut would be a mistake (although as stated above, most don't really know what the peak of the rut is).

Anywhere in the Midwest I'd hunt either the first or second week of November - they are equal in my opinion - the differentiation year to year is typically weather.  The week that gets the cold front will be better.  Predicting THAT is tough!

Ryan

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

Originally posted by Longbow338:
Anybody that thinks they like the peak of the rut does not no what it is.   The peak of the rut is the actual breeding phase known as lock down.  I prefer the pre rut mainly the seeking phase when bucks 4.5 plus  are on there feet actively persueing does.  Having said that I have killed my 2 biggest bucks 161 5/8 and 161 7/8 in the early season feeding pattern before all the guns start ringing out.

What he said.

[shadman]

No contest...pre rut. The breeding phase is tough!

[JARHEAD1371]

I prefer the early season. The bucks follow a pattern and may still be in semi bachelor groups. My biggest buck was taken on the 20th of Oct on the edge of a been field on our farm in Ill. I shot a doe about 30 minutes before the 171" 11pt came in. The rut can be more exciting, but it's a crap shoot. You are either on them or not.

[meathead]

Just take all of November off and you don't have to worry about missing either.

[Roy Steele]

Prerut bucks are traveling looking for those first doe's to come in heat.Bucks can still be in in there feeding patterens or going from doe group to doe group.Still some what patterenable.
  Durning the rut bucks get locked down with a doe.Or can be far away and locked down.

[KentuckyWolf]

Prerut is where it is at. Unpressured animals, population is still at or near its high (the population...sheer number of animals out there...goes down as the season progresses), food sources to key in on, etc.

Prerut...any day. I LOVE hunting whitetails in October. Nothing better.