Preparing for mule deer season, particularly during the rut, comes with its own set of hurdles that differ from other seasonal hunting strategies for mule deer. During the rut, when mule deer are searching for a mate, their behavior tends to be very different than other times during hunting season. That said, let’s take a look at the best tactics for hunting mule deer during the rut.
1. Timing Is Everything
Timing your hunt with peak rutting activity can dramatically increase your chances of successfully bagging a big buck or tasty fat doe. In North America, the rut typically runs from late October through late November, but this is going to depend on your exact location. Most states and provinces purposefully have their hunting seasons overlap with the rut, but you can always contact your local wildlife division if you are unsure of when it generally hits in your region. Hunting the rut is so fruitful because of the increased deer activity as bucks are on the move, searching for mates. Doe crazy bucks make easier targets because they don’t have all their wits about them. Focusing on the weeks when this behavior is at its peak, makes bagging and tagging mule deer that much easier.
Plenty of sportsmen prefer hunting pre-rut, which has its own set of advantages, but the peak of the rut is when big bucks will be at their most vulnerable. The rut is triggered by shorter daylight hours which is followed by cooler temperatures. Understanding this shift is crucial in ensuring you are out in the field during the rut.
The weeks leading up to the rut are when bucks begin to establish their territories and show interest in does. This is the ideal time to start scouting to find some of the biggest local bucks. Being in the right place at the right time while bucks are preoccupied with finding a doe is a great first step to filling your mule deer tags.
2. Spotting And Calling
Since mule bucks are constantly on the move during the rut, sitting in cover or a blind and simply waiting is a tried and true method for bagging the big one. Employing calls can also give you that edge to draw the target in close enough for a clean kill. Sitting in a blind or tree stand isn’t everyone’s favorite way to hunt, but it’s the best way to stay quiet and scan the environment for any movement. Any type of hunting requires a level of patience that most non-hunters don’t possess, but waiting until your prey is close enough for a clean shot outweighs tracking a gut-shot deer every time – for both the hunter and the animal.
Calls are effective during the rut because it is one of the noisiest times of the year for mule deer. Between bucks challenging each other and searching for does a herd of mule deer can produce quite the racket. Aside from the actual hunt, this is one of the endless awesome reasons to get out in the field.
Using calls successfully is all about learning the nuances of each call at your disposal, from a tending grunt, a snort-wheeze, or rattling antlers. Each can and does mimic real-life scenarios that tend to pique a buck’s interest.
Context is key when discussing calls. Generally, you will want to get more aggressive with your calls as the rut progresses. For instance, early in the rut, softer calls may be more effective as bucks are just starting to search for a mate and aren’t quite as desperate yet. As we see the rut progress and competition heighten, you will probably need to try more aggressive calling techniques to get the attention of any potential trophy bucks in the area. Using a snort-wheeze call is a great way to challenge nearby cruising bucks.
3. Stalking Your Prey
Successfully stalking any target species takes practice, and stalking mule deer during the rut is one of the best times to do so.
It relies heavily on using the local terrain to your advantage, understanding how wind direction should influence your approach, and moving quickly and quietly. Although their movement patterns are going to be less predictable than at other times of the year, they are preoccupied with mating so it should be much easier to go unnoticed.
It may take several hours to close the distance to a shootable range, so patience is key. Even though bucks are focused on does, you have to be competent enough at reading the landscape to use it to your advantage. Using natural features for cover, and keeping an eye on the wind direction. The closer you get, the more important it is to stay concealed. That final approach when your adrenaline is pumping and your heart is pounding is critical; keep it slow and low to give yourself the best shot possible.
4. Know Your Target Species
Mature mule deer bucks exhibit distinct behaviors during the rut that aren’t as apparent earlier in the season. They usually become more aggressive, territorial, and often travel alone in pursuit of does. Identifying these common behaviors and understanding how to exploit them is going to be the difference between an empty and full freezer after hunting season wraps up.
Things like rub lines and the direction they are facing can give you a better insight into a buck’s territory and typical travel patterns. Fresh tracks, scrapes, and bedding areas also provide a better understanding of how and where the deer are moving. Though their behavior isn’t as predictable as it is pre and post-rut, signs such as these help you to anticipate movement so you can position yourself accordingly.
5. Hunting Edge Habitat
It’s not uncommon for mature mule deer to travel along the edges of different habitats, such as the transition between thick forests and open meadows or the boundaries of agricultural areas. This is because these areas are rich in food sources, cover, and happen to be close to each other, reducing the distance that the deer has to travel for what it needs.
Focus on these transition zones to intercept bucks as they move. Positioning yourself downwind of these areas in a concealed spot with a clear view is one of the biggest favors you can do yourself as a hunter.
6. To Take The Shot Or Not?
No matter how experienced you may be as a hunter, there are always unforeseen variables that will arise to turn a perfect shot into an OK shot. After all, the bucks are going to go wherever the does decide to go. Proficiency with your firearm or bow is going to determine your comfort level for landing a clean shot at different distances. Not only is taking a long-distance potshot wildly inaccurate, but it’s also unethical, especially if you were to foul shot and injure the deer.
This means practicing year-round is the best way to increase your max shot distance when hunting for mature mule deer. Practicing in various conditions is the absolute best way to ensure you can make a precise and ethical shot when the moment comes.
Beyond target practice, it’s always a good idea to have at least a basic understanding of how ballistics, wind drift, and elevation changes are going to affect your shot. The longer the shot, the more considerations you have to take into account. Showing up to any situation unprepared and uneducated is a bad idea, and this goes double for scenarios when we are using firearms.
7. Scent Control
Just because the bucks are doe crazy during the rut, doesn’t mean they won’t take notice of your scent. Since the sense of smell is among mule deer’s primary defense mechanisms, scent control is always advantageous for any serious mule deer hunter. We aren’t saying that you have to employ any new techniques that you wouldn’t normally use on any other hunt, but don’t minimize a mule deer’s ability to sniff you out during the rut. Make use of scent-eliminating sprays on clothing and gear to help prevent any unnecessary lost shots.
More importantly, you should be staying downwind of the deer whenever possible. Strategically planning around wind direction can help mask your presence better than any product on the market.
8. Be Persistent, Yet Flexible
The unpredictability of the rut is going to work in your favor some days, and others it will burn you. This means that what works one day may not the next, so don’t ever throw the towel in early. Sun’s out, guns out should be your motto. You might have great luck one day with certain calls, then consistently come up short the rest of the week. These things happen, but you would be wise to exercise some persistence in your hunting efforts. This means returning to previously productive areas, relying on experience, and maintaining a presence in the field. More often than not, you will find the mule deer you’ve been searching for.
All of this being said, sometimes persistence comes with the need for adaptation. Conditions and mature mule deer behavior will inevitably change as the rut goes on, so you shouldn’t be afraid to tweak some of your tactics. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water, but some fine-tuning to your approach can be the little extra bit you need to fill those tags. A little flexibility in your calling techniques or locations shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as a bad thing because of your past experiences. The only constant in life is change, and this idea applies to nature as well.
9. Safety First
It would be pretty easy to argue that hunters can get just as crazy as mule deer during the rut. Few things rival hunting when it comes to excitement, but there is so much more that goes into hunting mature mule deer other than lining up a shot and pulling the trigger. The rut and hunting seasons last only so long, so the pressure to bag a deer in time can get to a point where it clouds a hunter’s judgment when deciding whether or not to take a shot. Safety is always paramount during any hunt, but the increased number of hunters in the field during the rut can lead to a greater chance for dangerous and life-threatening mishaps.
Don’t let your need to fill the freezer make you forget what you learned in your hunter’s safety courses back in the day, and don’t leave your common sense back at home.
Always prepare for inclement weather or varying conditions, keep a first-aid kit nearby, wear your blaze orange clothing, and have a plan for field dressing and transporting your freshly shot mule deer. All of these are a part of hunting safely and ethically. Remember, the goal is a successful hunt and a safe return home.
Final Thoughts
Hunting mature mule deer bucks during the rut is something that everyone should experience at least once in their life. Keeping these proven tactics in mind is only going to increase your chances of bagging a mule deer buck that is worth hanging on the wall. No matter your hunting experience, every hunt is a chance to learn something new, refine your technique, and deepen your appreciation of the outdoors. So embrace the challenge, and don’t forget to enjoy yourself.