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November rut vacations?

hickslawns

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,772
248
Ohio
JD Boyd said:
You guys have fun hunting during the rut. I plan on being done...lol... Seriously though, from my observations the best time to hunt is every night you can.
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Hard to argue with this. Pretty much what I am going to do. I will hunt whenever time permits. If time is not being my friend, I will probably spend a little money on a babysitter and willingly drop the cash to hunt in the 6-12th time period. I have killed my two on the wall in late November and early December. Goes to show you just never know when they are going to be on their feet during the day. I like JD's idea of tagging out early though. That would not break my heart at all!
 
buckstar25

buckstar25

Junior Member
691
81
T-county
I take the second week of November off, whether it's 70 degrees or 39 degrees I see bucks all day long. Key for me is bending areas. If a buck puts a doe to bed and it's 70 degrees out, you can bet your ass at some point during the day she will go to water.

I set-up on water sources and put in 13 hrs in the stand. It only takes a minute to come together and I'd rather be sitting in the stand than back at camp. Deer have to feed every 2 or 3 hours and in order to do that they must be on their feet. I have watched them get up and feed within 10 yds I their beds, but I have also watched them travel 100 yds back and forth, it all depends. And if I know a doe is in the area and she comes out to drink or feed chances are high that a buck is close by. Last year I had called in 3 shooters at 2:13 in the afternoon and it was around 70-73 degrees. 2 of the 3 locked up less than 100yds from me. If there is a hot doe in your area te weather won't stop them.
 
at1010

at1010

*Supporting Member*
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I agree with JD, I love good rut action, but it seems so iffy for me atleast. I have seen great chasing or nothing at all. I love to hunt early season when I have deer semi patterned on cameras, then I try to just hunt hard over plots or trails to plots once late season comes.

Dont get me wrong I hunt the rut, but I feel like its mostly luck, plus I rarely see the bucks I have had on camera during the rut normally crusiers from far away, which can make it fun tho!
 
Schu72

Schu72

Well-Known Member
3,864
113
Streetsboro
JD Boyd said:
You guys have fun hunting during the rut. I plan on being done...lol... Seriously though, from my observations the best time to hunt is every night you can.
Click to expand...

I won't even see a buck until late October. I'm not sure where they summer, but its not on property I have access to. Its not worth my drive time to watch slick heads. I need to find an early season spot close to home.
 
bowhunter1023

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,916
274
Appalachia
I'll be off from November 2nd through the 11th this year and I hope like hell Charlie is right this year!!!

I don't see shit during the rut and haven't for several years. Apparently I have a force field around me that keeps the deer at bay while I'm in the woods...
 
finelyshedded

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,899
260
SW Ohio
JD Boyd said:
You guys have fun hunting during the rut. I plan on being done...lol... Seriously though, from my observations the best time to hunt is every night you can.
Click to expand...

I find myself hunting much more during the early part of season than I use too. Primarily because the woods gets more crowded during the rut and the target bucks are usually still in the area and are still pretty much on a constant feeding pattern. I missed a great opportunity last season only 5 days into the season. I still love to hunt the rut for a number of reasons. Temps are cooler,bucks are amped up and are in the seek and chase phase and the action is much more intense. Last season heading into the first week of Nov. I found myself sharing the property with 3 or 4 more hunters. Nothing makes a mature deer head underground and turn nocturnal quicker than added pressure. This year I hope to have another opportunity early and be tagged out on a mature deer and spend the remainder part of the season video taping the action of the rut and try for a doe in the later part of the season.
 
Fullbore

Fullbore

Senior Member
6,439
126
South Eastern Ohio
Quite frankly, the last week of October. I see and have killed more cruisers inches week than any other time of the season. Sometimes that week will overlap the first week of November. Once the dominate bucks have locked down a doe it gets slow. A lot of the breeding happens at night a we all know. Basically being in the right set at the right time is the key. Thats where luck plays its role. Just saying.
 
rgecko23

rgecko23

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Massillon, Ohio
the second full moon is October 29th. So i plan on being in the stand at that time. I would love to have one go down before that. But if it doesn't happen I am taking my vacation that weekend.
 
Schu72

Schu72

Well-Known Member
3,864
113
Streetsboro
I was just doing some quick checking on the days where I saw the most chasing activity in the last few seasons. According to my "notes" in 2009 my best day on stand was Sunday November 15th, one day before the new moon. I had bucks running everywhere, just couldn't get the target buck in range. Watched them chase a doe for almost 6 hours. In 2010 it was Saturday November 6th, new moon. Again had deer running everywhere with multiple bucks chasing the same does. I wish I had better notes on my prior seasons. Last year I shot my buck before a saw much rutting activity. This year the new moon is November 13. I'm going to try and be in the woods as much as possible around that time.
 
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jagermeister

jagermeister

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18,082
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Ohio
rgecko23 said:
New mooon is when you cant see it at all right? Now you got me thinkin schu
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Yep. In theory, new moon equates to better daytime deer movement because of decreased visability at night. The rutting moon, 2nd full moon after the autumnal equinox, is on October 29th or 30th this year... and is said to be a trigger for doe estrus cycles... So one could expect the first couple weeks following the rutting moon to be pretty good, assuming cool daytime air temps.
 
dante322

dante322

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5,506
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Crawford county
I dont get paid vacation, so i have to be sparing with my days off.
I will be in a tree all day on halloween, which is a wednsday. I am also taking thursday and friday.

So that puts me in the woods from the 31st through the 4th. I might try to squeeze in another day toward the end of november, just before gun season.
 
JOHNROHIO

JOHNROHIO

Participation Trophy Winner
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Last week of October and first week of November seems to be the best for me. The rut has never been good hunting for me other than watching doinkers run around stupid. In those two weeks before I have noticed that you still have your good deer on a summer pattern but they seem to show a little more often as if there getting lowdown from the does. Could be just the area I'm in. then again it's all a crap shoot.
 
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