The Rut Only Has Four Good Days | Whitetail Watch w/ Bill Winke

[@gsquared2394]

I literally just said this to my brother last night, the rut is like the stock market. There are 3-4 good days per year with a lot of nothing in between. Eye opening year for me. To your credit Bill I’ve never heard anyone else come to this conclusion. I hate the thought of so many poor days, but it’s the reality of the situation and it’s worse on public land.

[@Woodland-Gangsta]

No day is a poor day if you have access to his/her bedroom. Right now it's her bedroom. Sometimes we overthink hunting. Just go as many days as you can and hunt smart.

[@BG-bx4ey]

​@@Woodland-GangstaGoing out and making your presence known as many days as you can on the small-tract private land that over half of the deer hunters in America hunt is NOT hunting smart. I used to make ~40 hunts per year and only got a target buck once every 2-3 years. Now, I hunt 20 times per year and sit less hours per hunt and take 2-3 target bucks per year, I see 4x as many deer per hunt too.

[@Woodland-Gangsta]

@@gsquared2394 Let's start by acknowledging that if your track of land is private then you are the only hunter hunting it not half of the hunters in America. The 2 to 3 years that you didn't harvest a buck ...the bucks in your area got 3 years older. Plus the upcoming deer that are now three years old. That's why you are seeing more deer assuming your property can hold a larger population. If you hunt 20 times a year then that's awesome but 40 times a year with hrs in the stand is unheard of where I'm from. You must be retired. And if you have logged in that many hunts and hours on the same property that's all the Intel you need. So quite naturally you would reduce hunting pressure because the deer may not even be there but now you know this from years of experience. No one knows your property and how it's used like you. My comment is not to tell hunters how to hunt because there are too many variables...I'm simply saying hunt as much as you can and for most people it's the weekend. I wish I had 40 days to hunt. Good luck

[@sunshineperhach1199]

Dad use to say take what the land gives you.

[@alexfrazier88]

That was one of the best ways I’ve heard someone describe the rut. Well said

[@tedrickabus2087]

I am retired and I hunt a lot. This year I decided to chart every day I've hunted: moon phase, daylight buck sightings, number of deer seen on stand whether a.m. or p.m.. my first shooter buck daylighted on Oct. 28. November 2nd, I was not home, but cameras picked up 6 shooters during the daylight. I blew a shot on a shooter on Nov. 7 and another encounter on Nov. 9. Before October 28 and after Nov. 9th shooter bucks have been non-exisent. I did meet a fellow hunter that had bucks on their feet all day on Nov. 15. He was hunting very dense cover and only had one shooting lane, so most sightings were just glimpses of bucks. All other camps / hunters I've talked to said they've seen nothing since nov. 10. So, for me and the data I am gathering, you are right on the money. I have, however, had some buck seeking activity around December 1, 2, 3. There are a lot of does around my property that have yet to be bred, so I am hopeful that more bucks will be on the prowl for these does when they come into estrous in a couple of weeks. Great stuff Bill. It's frustrating, but understanding the game helps us all focus on high opportunity days, which ultimately should lead to more success. One of my hunting buddies had an 8-point running through his yard in daylight this morning. Another decided to crash through the front window of a furniture store in his town. Bucks are getting active again. Time on stand is key. Good luck. Hunt safe. Respect the game and honor the tradition.

[@guardianminifarm8005]

I would take the observation and advice from anyone who is honest and has over 30 years experience in any given area. My sons and I would have to agree that the rut isn't what we Envisioned it to be the past few years. We appreciate the clarification and encouragement. It has been a frustrating year thus far. Happy hunting.

[@stevedenoyer5956]

Totally agree Bill, rarely am I out there for one of those days we all live for with all that action while you’re on stand. This year I never saw one of those days. We had warm / hot weather all October and still even into mid November here. I hardly saw any chasing, mostly 1.5 year olds.

[@markheidema3699]

It's been the same here in SW MI. We just haven't had the 30 degree days yet. Supposed to change this weekend!

[@stevedenoyer5956]

@@markheidema3699 hope so had a touch of snow on the ground this morning, but calling for low 40’s this weekend. Best of luck Mark!

[@naturescoper3936]

In Pennsylvania we could only hunt till the last Saturday in October a few years ago ,it changed and now we can hunt almost to gun season after Thanksgiving. I have way better luck in mid to late October, especially with coldfronts . 35 yrs of bowhunting for me .Always great information Bill and hope you get one !

[@jasonmalsom5269]

Yes I agree. I had 8 days in a row to hunt..6th through 13th of November. Although I shot the deer of my lifetime on the 13th, it was super slow. Only a little action each day, mostly if not all immature bucks. Right place at the right time is key no matter how good you are!

[@lonniechartrand]

This is the FIRST HONEST truth telling as to what the rut is, and for how long it will last. I have not heard anyone else speak about the rut like you did. Thanks Bill for this "revelation"!

[@Woodland-Gangsta]

If you start with the fact that a doe only stays in estrus for 36 hrs then you come to the conclusion that almost every doe of breeding age is bred within a weak. The phase most people get excited about is the seeking and tending phase right before she's bred which can last a bit longer.

[@TonyWoods-l9c]

Bill, you are spot on with this. I missed my target buck on Oct 31, killed my biggest MI bow buck on Nov 9, and am here in Kansas this week and it's on fire. Multiple encounters with big maure bucks. Absolutely love the videos. Keep them coming.

[@RichieRich-pn3gg]

Thank you for these truths. Biggest bucks on my camera showed 10-25 to 11-7. Havent seen these since.

[@brandonthalacker5316]

I would add that not all food is equal at this time of the season. Temperature will motivate deer to move towards certain nutrients over others. Temps below 40f try to get over carbs and above 40f look for available greens. Enjoying your content Bill. “Dream Big”

[@stephenmanukas7601]

I agree 100%. I used to think the first two weeks of November were the best, but the older I get the more I think late October and the later part of November are the best. Need to be there when they NEED to go looking for a hot doe.

[@MiloMiller-ut6ik]

I cannot agree more with this post! The absolute best time to be out is during the low ends of the rut bell curve- when most does are not in estrous. The mature bucks have no idea about bell curves- they just know they need to breed. If they don’t find a ready doe, they will keep looking. Of course, during both those low ends of the bell curve i provide them with the hot doe they’re looking for- my hot n ready doe decoy! Works almost every time!!

[@Camera1931-p5v]

I agree my friend! I have hunted for 52 years!

[@JayN4GO]

Nov 2,3,4 seemed to be the days here running multiple cell cameras. You’re spot on bill

[@homeinthewhiteoaks]

And I have not hunted one of those 4 days yet this year. LOL I did have a day that my cameras caught a lot of movement from older deer Nov 8 I had two of my target bucks daylight while I was at another location. Then the Firearms Season opened on the 16th in Indiana and all daylight movement stopped on cameras. I'm back to 2 target bucks that seem to still be active on my land at night about 2 or 3 times a week on multiple cameras. So my spirits are low, hoping that the food plots (mix of clover, wheat, oats and rye) pull one of them to daylight if it ever gets cold.

[@alexpinnow6509]

It's definitely a roller-coaster of ups and downs. I've seen some of the biggest bucks of my life on slow slow days though so it's worth all the hours logged in the tree. Good year to be tagged out so I can finally take a small break, get some more farm work done, and try for a few does

[@Fishboy68]

I agree something about hunting around Halloween.Never had much luck here in Pa during the height of the rut first week of Nov 5- 9 traditionally.

[@nybbhUSA]

after 45 years of bowhunting i agree 100%. if we get some cold weather the last week of October and the first 5 or 6 days of November I believe are much better than the rest of the whole month of November.

[@PBAdventures146]

I agree 100% and for me the best time to hunt in my area is the last 10 days of October assuming the weather is reasonable. In my spot the first two weeks of November are so hit and miss when it comes to Buck movement. And my cameras now having run them since the early 2000s would seem to indicate the same thing. This November honestly has been probably the biggest disappointment I can ever remember of hunting in November so far. I hunt public so I'm sure pressure definitely affects the deer movement, but it's never been this bad since I can remember.

[@weldermike7017]

I saw six deer with my own eyes for the whole entire season which was only weekends thru October and two weeks off in November which I played the wind and hunted every day. I have to say prime time rut in my area is the worst time to hunt year after year

[@jaxchristian6408]

Had one day last year late rut me and a friend walked up on 1 doe and 6 bucks all laying on a thick bedding. Perfect situation we didn't expect to see any bright sun behind us shining towards the bucks. We both had rifles we were as started as the deer. They ran circles didn't hit one of them

[@DavidHarperMusic]

Thank you Bill, I think your right... thx

[@JimBowSlice]

Even in michigan the biggest oldest bucks ive seen during hunting season has always been those last few days of November. Weather it's driving down the road or glassing, those big ghost bucks make an appearence looking for the last doe.

[@therezboysoutdoors44]

Always had luck with big bucks on thanksgiving or right after

[@GarrettHamilton]

Great ep, Bill! I agree with all points and outlooks you’ve made here and I’ve been of the same thoughts for the last few years as well. Especially weather involved.

[@chocolategravyandbiscuits8418]

Everything is relative to your location. Mid October where I’m at is by far the best time to catch a big Buck out in daylight and November sucks. Obviously look at Mississippi. December rut. I think it’s a very local thing. Nov 7 in Iowa may be great but not herewhere I’m at.

[@tickfisher721]

Biggest bucks I’ve ever seen were on Black Friday. I’m bow hunting until it’s time to get the 45/70 out of the closet. It takes one good minute to change your season. Best of luck and Happy Thanksgiving!

[@skeller77]

This year was my 35th year of bow hunting, for the last 33 of them years I took 2 weeks vacation during archery season,the last week of October and the first week of November. I agree with you 100% Bill, If I could only take one week off it would definitely be the last week of October.

[@JamesRegis-g9j]

Year in and year out, in SE Kansas the best time to be in the woods and see mature bucks is Thanksgiving week. Some things never change.

[@BrianCuellar-m8s]

I have hunted high pressure public for over 23 years in Indiana and this year has been the worst for rutting activitie.. only now we are getting the cold temps.. hopefully that will help

[@rfb7117]

Bill...I agree, the best luck we have had with mature bucks has always been in late October. Thanks, Bob

[@sureguy8124]

I can tell, this new farm made you humble now. Aint as easy like the old farm.

[@bill-winke]

The other farm wasn't easy-just easier.

[@sureguy8124]

@bill-winke I love that response! Keep chasing!

[@Matt-33]

The last week of October can certainly be the best time of the rut for killing a local buck IF the weather is cold. Halloween is my favorite day by far and it's not even close.

[@searchingfor6thgear44]

Thanks for confirming my observations. This was my first year of hunting a lot of days in the rut. My trail cameras were active to the end of October then sporadic activity afterwards. I’m going to focus more on the end of October and beginning of November next year. Rifle season starts on the 30th in Pennsylvania. At that point my job is to put deer in front of our sons.

[@RS-ms1bz]

Hard to make sense of this year's rut. I think the record warmth over the last month had a lot to do with it, at least here in WV. It's 63 degrees today, last night the low was only 49, and a buddy of mine just shot a mature ten point at 11this morning. No pics of him at all with a dozen cameras out for the last several months. He was just out cruising, no other deer around.

[@robertpettit2636]

Been hunting 50 years with bow hunted a ton this year retired.This was a wired rut but every year different. The most important fact of all is good luck it matters still so fun.

[@PaulWalerczak]

Great information Bill. I would agree with your assessment no doubt. Griffin killed his buck on Nov 7th this year. He saw 8 different bucks that morning and 6 does. I killed my buck on the Nov14th, saw 4 different bucks that day. The 11th was a decent morning too. Cameras are cold right now with little activity, but I always expect around Thanksgiving there is an uptick again. Great info Bill. Learned a lot from you over the years!!!

[@bill-winke]

Thanks Paul and congrats to you guys on your success. I am glad you are still going strong in the deer woods. God bless and have a great day.

[@kristophstjames4143]

I agree 100%, I have noticed the same thing on my SW Georgia farm, our "peak" is typically around Christmas each season. That being said, you may only have 1 or 2 days when you see mature bucks on their feet traveling in search of does or chasing a doe. The most active deer movement I've noticed is the pre-rut, which is about 4 weeks before that peak. That's the period when doe's and 3.5-year-old and younger bucks are on their feet a great deal of time during the day. Once that so-called"peak" hits , you may go several days without seeing any deer. The doe's are scared to move for fear of showing themselves to bucks, most of the younger age class of bucks are not moving at all ( at least compared to the prior weeks) so yea, the rut can be great when you're in the right place at the right time- other than that, it can be a ghost town for movement and a frustrating endeavor to sit on cold gorgeous days and see little to no activity.

[@ericjeske153]

Great information!!! Love this

[@TS-nb9ko]

I love listening to bill.thanks bill

[@leecrawford6393]

Bill as soon as you have completed your mastery of the Iowa rut I want you to visit me in south central Alabama. I’m 57. Killed my first deer when I was 12. Haven’t missed a season since. Nobody has a clue about the rut here. It is different between counties 100 miles apart. I always thought the 3 week of January was it. They extended our season to February 10 and there are many deer killed in that last 10 days. My plan for this…hunt when you can stay in the trees as long as you can and hope.

[@eddaniels3404]

I Saw 3 or 4 Big Bucks with a Hot Doe One Frosty Morning. 29 degrees 8 Am. 😅

[@waynehumphrey8910]

The right place at the right time is key here in NY fire arms season is all ready in it some times it benefits me that have the neighbors pushing things around they push the deer up on the property I bow hunt and the deer use it as a sanctuary the nice thing about NY is that you can bow hunt through fire arms season

[@miketandeski4959]

37 years for me and this is my favorite week to sit all day. Missed and shot some good ones over the years at this time of year. Good luck to all!

[@kanook9]

Thank you bill, excellent, excellent piece. #Reality

[@stevenr3134]

In my experience Late October 30th or 31st especially if snow. Then the 11th and 12th. Last phase right around Thanksgiving (22nd to the 25th)

[@everythingoutdoors-vl9bl]

One week of peak best of the best but there’s a lot of great hunting leading up to it and some decent hunting on the down swing after the peak ….. a lot of pple don’t understand how it works and the phases

[@waynerumfelt9060]

That's it Bill...Hoyt's Archery Chasing October & dodging the Lull...😂 don't dream small. Haha. Good luck

[@inthewoods3237]

The rut is very tricky, I’ve always loved Nov 5-9 BUT the last 2 years I tagged out Oct 27 and the 30th, both the biggest bucks near my property. As you say the peak can be fantastic or dead, some years they’re in our place sometimes they aren’t. If they aren’t it’s horrible.

[@robertpettit2636]

I’m in south west wi. I agree late October the best.

[@troybrake5686]

Im noticing deer that have been gone for awhile are coming back or there on there fringes! I think bucks are getting desperate again and really stretching there ranges out looking for the last few does this month! I had a giant show up 14th 15th and now gone! I just hope im in his home and wasn't on the fringes!

[@branndonbowman]

100% I think late Oct is better

[@edwardclark5211]

Dream Big brother 🙏

[@robertfmccarthy2360]

After 40yrs, I never count on the rut. If I’m on stand and it blows up, Bucks & doe running Awesomeness!! With so many great hunters, biologist and business people trying to learn & capitalize on the rut. If we don’t understand it now, we will never. Mother natures algorithm is not simple. I heard split rut, double rut (2stage), trickle rut. Just like women, we will never understand it! Good luck & be safe!

[@cbs196]

I say last week of October if not so warm but definitely first week of November

[@20byrd]

I've always heard there's a "late rut" in Dec-Jan because the yearling does go into heat a bit later. Any truth to that? It very well could be one of the many myths in the deer hunting world.

[@bill-winke]

Yes, there is truth to this. I don't specifically hunt it because by then most of the activity is around food in the evenings and by then I am pretty much worn out from the hunt and don't go out in the mornings any more. I can get some work done, hunt the feeding areas from a blind for a few quick hours in the afternoons and still enjoy the time. But, you are correct, there are some doe fawns that come into estrus a month (roughly) after the primary rut and there are even still a few more that come in roughly 2 months after the primary rut. These are not intense rutting events for the bucks, but it can bring them out in daylight when otherwise they might stay closer to their beds. Good luck.

[@20byrd]

@@bill-winke Thanks for the reply, Bill! This is good to know. I'll be hunting food sources late season as well..hoping for a yearling doe to get some big ones fired up again.

[@whitetail229]

30 degree temp drop tomorrow in sw pa. I took off. Last ditch effort👍🤞

[@trevorlamble3645]

Almost time to hunt the food again. In my opinion it's easier to kill a mature buck late season on food vs the rut

[@robertpettit2636]

Also hunting pressure in my are goes nuts with the rut.

[@bill-winke]

Yes, I saw that on public land here too. Some in October, lots in early November and basically none now. Good luck.

[@robertpettit2636]

I sat five ours yesterday prime country windy saw one doe at 4 pm .

[@mikemellon80]

i've had bucks running around in SW Wisconsin all week, chasing hot doe after hot doe. Rifle opener Saturday cant come soon enough.

[@jerimahjohnson8698]

I think late October was actually better this year

[@Pwrcritter]

My cams were blowing Up all day yesterday, Wv.

[@SOKYRIDGERUNNER]

Well said Bill! Always spot on and I’ve come to that same conclusion over the years. The advantage of getting out early and hunting soft or clean as we may call it is, it helps me identify places it’s not gonna happen. Then Halloween and that first week of November I probe in more to spots I’ve keyed in on until I find a spot with the wind for that week because we all know how unpredictable they can be. I just ground hunt that period and keep stands available to hang as I see what I’m looking for. I often hunt a morning or still hunt a rainy day with stands in my truck. I’ll then study the weather and do a hang and hunt for that afternoon once I see sign, access, wind that gives me some advantages. Good lucky and keep dreaming BIG!!!

[@ForgottenHillbilly]

I think you are hitting on something talking about October. We all know they are laying down a lot of sign mid to late October and i have saw more knock down drag out buck fights around Halloween more than any other time. Last year though i shot a big buck the day before Thanksgiving that had ran a poor doe ragged all morning. I have saw a lot of younger does coming in around that 1st week of December. In 2021 i killed one of the biggest 12 pointers of my life and he was in lock down with a young doe. I know the rut is going to happen but when it's warm most chasing happens at night. Here in my parts it just don't get cold as early as it used to and weather i think is just one of those key elements that can make for great days afield or some not so good days.

[@richstafford1245]

Every year my enjoyment of the rut decreases. For many reasons. I would much rather hunt early season and pre rut…

[@bill-winke]

I am with you on that Rich. I love October. It is a great time of year to be in the woods. Good luck.

[@shadowdawg04]

Took a friend put on public to one of my favorite places, nice saddle dropping down into a couple finger ridges - hot doe came by and ten minutes later a massive 10 came running down in front of him... took us two hours to drag it out! Another friend texted me: Note to self, don't take friends to your best spots 🙂 I'm still working it and the next fours days ought to be nice. Passed up a couple already... not working this hard for Jr. 🤣