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As the last week of archery season ends, hunters find themselves in the peak of the rut. It's like the stars have aligned and provided the best for last. But this does not mean that bagging your buck is a guarantee. There are still plenty of ways you can screw it up.
The first mistake hunters make is thinking that the rut means anything goes. Can you get away with a little bit more noise walking in? Maybe hunting a less than perfect wind? Maybe, if the doe activity is so hot around you that bumped bucks will come back anyway. But this doesn't mean that you can throw caution to the wind, burn your spot and still fill a tag.
The next thing that hunters do is through everything but the kitchen sink at the deer whether it is warranted or not. Calling, rattling, spraying every scent that Walmart had available is not the way to win. Even during the rut the chances of blind calling or rattling pulling buck from far and wide is slim. Each technique works much better when used to get bucks you know are there to commit to your spot instead of continuing to move.
Finally, there is the mistake of using old intelligence. Trail cam pics from earlier in the season, scrapes from last week and sitting the stand that got you a buck last rifle season are not the best way to fill a tag today. The rut changes everything. Deer will act differently, move differently and travel different trails. Relying on what they did last year, last month or even last week can steer you in the wrong direction.
So, what can you do?
When it comes to scent control, noise discipline and hunting the wind treat every hunt the same- as if it is your last chance. Never let deer being a little bit inattentive let you think they will not notice you at the wrong time.
The season is coming to a close and conditions are perfect, so it is easy to understand why you would pull out all the stops to fill a tag. What you really need to do is make every hunt the perfect hunt. Now is not the time to try new techniques. Do what you know and what you are good at, adapting to what the deer tell you they want.
Keep on top of what is going on around you. That scrape might have been hot last week, but is there any reason to think it's still hot today? The trail cam pics from last month got you excited and showed where to be then. But where is that buck now? Why isn't he on trail pics from last weekend or yesterday?
You want to fill a tag, and now is one of your best opportunities to do so. Just make sure you do not shoot yourself in the foot while doing so.
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Tom Burrell is a retired Waterways Conservation Officer, veteran and lifelong outdoorsman. He now spends his days hunting, fishing and sharing his experiences with readers.