Miller’s Tips: Whitetail – Pre Rut

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As bowhunters we live for this time of the year. today the Rut or Breeding season is on somewhere in the U.S., as always, states are in different stages of pre rut / rut / post Rut. Example in the North most of you are in between Rut and Post Rut. Middle of the country the same and in the southern extremes either the rut is full swing or as in Far South Texas it’s still a couple of weeks away. it all depends where you live.

First and foremost, I want you to think about this statement, and it will scare you! Did you know that on an average 17% of all Bowhunters will kill a buck this season? Now here’s the real scary point, those successful bowhunters will account for almost 80% of the bucks killed! told you this will scare you.

Here’s some tips that help me be successful:

First Tip on the rut:

Pre Rut:

Depending on where you live but either in October / November or December start cruising the timber, brush or the areas you’re going to bowhunt looking for rubs (Rubs, are where bucks rub their horns against bushes, saplings, trees and even wooden fence post. I’m a strong supporter of the fact big rubs means big bucks.

Once you have located a rub line along an old logging road, sendero, or motte, ‘a bunch of trees in a field’, get your cameras set. Once I’ve located a good rub line, I will place several of my Spypoint M-8 Trail Cameras in Lost Camo along this rub line to do my scouting for me. Please remember to spray down your scouting cameras with cover scent.

Also when I’m in the mode of placing scouting cameras for potential bucks to hunt I always wear rubber boots, rubber gloves and spray down constantly with Atsko N-O-Dor. I want to be as scent free as possible and make sure I leave as little scent as possible. I will then wait a week before I go back and check my photos to see what buck I want to hunt.

I also make sure I scout where I will want to place a deer stand or ground blind as I scout for the rubs. As I do when hunting, I always, sneak into the area I’m scouting as if I’m sneaking out of the house before daylight and trying hard not to disturb anyone or anything.

For more please go to: Jim Miller