It’s late October and most of the Big Whitetail Bucks have been caught on the game trail cameras either early in the morning or late at night. However, with the temperatures dropping and the crops being harvested we are starting to see the larger bucks (pushed out of the corn) in the woods again during the daylight hours. We also have the Pre-Rut starting, which has the more mature bucks running and chasing.
Has The Pre-Rut Started?
The Pre-Rut is in its early stages, which begins around the last week of October through the first week or two of November. In this Video below it was not a mature doe that this buck was interested in, but a first year fawn.
Does Doe Scent Really Work?
During the Pre-rut and Rut you want to be dragging a scent rag to your stand, which I call a drag-line. Watch this young buck walk past my stand approximately 35 yards out, and as soon as he hits my scent trail he follows it right to my stand, up to the scent rag, and takes a sniff. So yes these scents work and you should be using them!
How To Use A Scent Drag-Line
Two ways to use a Scent Drag Line. Start by using a material that will soak up and hold the scent. Tie a string to this material, making it long enough to either tie to your boot or to drag it on the ground from you hand. Use the drag-line for the entire walk to your stand. Once you’re near your deer stand hang the scent rag in a tree approximately four feet off the ground, this will allow the wind to carry the scent and help mask your scent.
Hunting The Pre-Rut!
If there is a time to be in the woods hunting the Whitetail Buck it’s during the Pre-rut! From my experience this time of the year is better then the Rut itself. During the pre-rut there is no best hour of the day as the bucks will be looking and chasing doe all day long. So plan your day and enjoy the scenery as you are waiting for that right buck to walk by. Don’t forget to bring along your rattles and grunt as these work well in the Pre-rut.
