Is post-rut the best time to bag a big buck?
Ask a group of deer hunters when theirpreferred time to hunt is and you’ll likely get opinions that are as different as they are strong. Some favor the early season, when bucks are still on regular feeding routines, which makes them easier to pattern. They’re also still in bachelor groups, which means where you see one, you’ll likely see more. Other hunters prefer the early rut stages, when bucks are starting to patrol rub and scrape lines and their increasing intolerance of other males makes them more susceptible to aggressive calling and raiding. Still others enjoy the unpredictable excitement of peak rut, when mature bucks let their guard down and wander around in the full light of day; and they’ll come to the sound of rattling with fire in their eyes. Only a select few, it seems, put the post-rut at the top of their list. While it may not be as glamorous, there are some good reasons why post-rut can be a very good time to bag a big buck. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] However, before we di
