Yes, ladies and gentlemen and deer hunters everywhere it’s time for your favorite deer season topic, and that is the rut. I was contemplating skipping a column on this wildly popular deer related subject this year but thought better of it as I knew there would be a massive public outcry.
For those of you that just tuned in, “the rut” is the breeding season for animals in the deer family, the genus Cervidae. This includes whitetail and mule deer, moose, elk, caribou, Axis and Sika deer, and many others. As we have noted before in these sermons during the rut, male members of the deer family change their behavior and daily routine as they seem to have only one thing in mind and that is pursuing female deer. (please check your notes on this as there will be quiz later)
If you are a deer hunter and especially if you are hunting bucks this is the golden time to be in the woods. The peak of the rut usually (but not always) coincides the firearms season for deer and here is where a lot of controversy may happen between hunters and those in state game departments that set the actual time frame for the season. The sticking point here is the issue of actually when the peak of the rut occurs. I will try to explain. As we delve into this remember that deer hunters (like most hunters) seem to have a hard time agreeing on anything. The rut generally happens, depending on your states geographical location, between November 1 and the 15th, give or take a few days. When the peak of this activity happens is a much discussed and fought about topic at bars, the hardware store, gun store counters, and barber shops.
This may be a typical exchange that we are talking about.
Deer hunter #1. “Man, I haven’t seen any rut activity at all, no chasing, no bucks cruising around, nothing.”
Deer hunter #2. “Dude! What are you talkin’ about?” “I have seen bucks everywhere!” “They’re chasing does and running crazy, have you even been out there scouting?”
Deer hunter #1. (voice rising) “Of course I have!” I’m in the woods all the time and checking trail cams!” “I don’t know where you are seeing all these deer!”
And so on.
Is it possible that these two intrepid hunters are talking about two different areas and the deer may be acting differently in these areas? Absolutely. The pinning down of absolute times and dates when whitetail deer will be most active is, if I may say so, not an exact science. This does not, however, keep many in the outdoor industry from writing about and telling us exactly when the best time and day will be to be in your stand to meet that big buck. At least a month ago and continuing now magazines and hunting related websites have been proclaiming how November 4, the 10th, or maybe the 15th is the day you need to be in your stand. (Avid hunters will note for many states this is before the firearms season for deer, but archery season is in so plan accordingly). Just for an example archery hunters in Ohio checked 4,748 white-tailed deer on Saturday, Nov. 8, the highest single-day total during the 2025-26 season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Evidently that was a good day to be in the deer woods.
Now back there a minute ago we mentioned how the rut is the best, the golden time to be in the woods for seeing buck deer. Some would say that during this time buck deer lose some of their caution and are less wary at avoiding hunters. No doubt this is true to a point but it is also the time that bucks are simply more active as they are roaming far and wide for romantic interludes with doe deer. While being stationed in a deer stand can sometimes be as exciting as watching white paint dry, during an active rut is often quite the opposite.
If you have several deer in the area and the rut is in full swing you may be in for quite a show. Often an episode is preceded by a flurry of noise in the dry leaves with some stick and branch crashing for good measure. At first you may think it is the band of outlaw squirrels who have been plaguing you all season with noise pollution. But as you watch for the source of the approaching noise you may soon see one or several doe deer getting out of Dodge at a high rate of speed. Unless they are being pursued by a coyote or other predator they are almost surely being chased by a buck.
The does may run past you or some may stop nearby, if they look over their shoulder for their pursuer, get ready! It may be the buck you are after and it may not, the buck you are ready to take may stop and offer a shot and he may not. The buck that shows up may be a spindly antlered spike that you will not shoot, but fear not. During the rut this whole scenario can change in a matter of seconds or minutes. This bunch of deer run off and may appear later, or not. The big buck may take a spin past your blind four times in one afternoon. You never know during the rut, it’s just one thing that makes it so much fun.
I hope the bucks are running and chasing their hind ends off on the days you have to hunt this year. I hope you have a safe and successful deer season. Wear your blaze orange, eat lots of deer camp chili, and take a kid hunting with you.
Larry Case
