Hunting the rut with Carolina ALL OUT

Spend some extra time in the stand during the rut

While different hunters have their own opinions about when the rut takes place in the Carolinas, the general consensus among wildlife biologists is that the peak of the rut is determined by only one factor, and that factor is photoperiod, which is a fancy way of saying how much light is available during a 24-hour period.

Certainly, plenty of chasing goes on at various stages of the year, but biologically, the rut is the term for when does are most receptive to the chasing that bucks engage in pretty much year-round. And in the Carolinas, the photoperiod most accomodating to the rut takes place in November.

Chris Douglas of Carolina ALL OUT takes advantage of the rut each season, and during the filming of his shows, has taken some nice bucks over the years. He said his strategy is pretty simple.

“If you ask me what my strategy is, I’d have to admit that we typically find ourselves close to bedding areas with the best possible wind scenario,” he said.

Douglas also said they stay as quiet in the stand as possible, but will do a little bit of rattling at appropriate times.

“We have found success from rattling, hoping a big buck will hear and decide to leave the thick safety to find out who’s fighting for breeding rights on his turf,” he said.

Don’t shoot just anything

Setting up in a travel corridor where he knows bucks are moving is also a good tip he offered. He also said he’ll have some type of food available to the deer. He said this isn’t to draw the deer in, but to give them a reason to stop for a minute or two while they’re moving through.

Many hunters caution others against shooting just anything during the rut. One reason for that is because if you put enough time in the stand, you’re bound to see some impressive bucks out prowling for a mate. These are often bucks that have never shown up on trail cams in that area. The roaming range of big bucks increases dramatically during the rut.

But another reason, as Douglas shows in Season 9, Episode 1: Mid Rut Bucks! of the Carolina ALL OUT TV show, is because you might want to give a young buck with promising potential a pass.

Douglas did just that when a young 12-point buck showed up.

“You can tell he’s probably about 3-years-old, and I’d just love to see him reach his full potential,” he said. “It’s possible I’ll never see that buck again, but I just couldn’t bring myself to pull the trigger on him.”

Douglas found success later in that same hunt, and he’s happy with his decision to pass. ■