How to Hunt the Pre-Rut

Hunting the Pre Rut

October is an exciting month for deer hunters looking for a mature buck moving during daylight hours. You've put the late summer and early fall behind you and all that goes with it - sweat, heat, bugs, etc.

By this point, the leaves are changing, the cool air is invigorating and deer season is well underway. For the average whitetail hunter in the midwest, deer movement tends to change in a magical way as you get closer to the rut.

But before the peak rut really gets going, there's a critical period known as the pre rut. The pre rut is a period of time during late October when mature whitetail bucks aren't able to breed a receptive doe yet but they're rubbing trees, making scraps and doing a bit of sparring.

There is often more deer movement during daylight hours during this time and fresh rubs and scraps seem to be appearing out of no where.

The pre rut is an extremely exciting time in the deer woods and, if you know what to look for, you can take advantage of this time to get within bow range of a mature deer. With the right hunting strategy, you can find yourself among a few mature whitetails.

Here are a few hunting tactics that deer hunters can use for the pre rut:

Look for rubs.

Mature bucks begin start making rubs on trees to mark travel corridors during the pre rut. When trying to decipher what type of buck was making the rub, consider the size and height of the rub on a tree. The bigger the tree and the higher the rub usually mean it was left by a mature buck.

We've found that the largest bucks will move out of heavy cover and begin to rub higher on trees. Lesser bucks, on the other hand, will tend to have much smaller rubs.

Look for scrapes.

In addition to rubs, during the pre rut, bucks will also start making scrapes - areas where they've pawed away leaves to expose the bare ground. They do this to leave their scent and, often, lots of different deer will check a scrape line to get a sense of which deer were moving through the area.

Scrapes will usually be found under an overhanging branch near rubs. Often, we'll put trail cameras in these locations (usually for the entire season) to get a sense of which bucks are moving through the woods. Set up in these locations and try to intercept a buck checking scrapes and looking for a hot doe.

Pay attention to food sources.

During the pre rut, bucks will be focused on putting on weight in preparation for the rut and winter ahead. So, pay attention to areas where there is an abundance of acorns or other food sources that deer love during this year. Bucks will often cruise between bedding area to feeding areas. Remember, during the mid-October food habits change. Make sure you find what they're presently eating.

Sometimes crop fields, field edges and food plots are a great bet but, usually, we find the best source of food deeper in the woods around mast crops like oak trees (especially white oaks).

Bucks will often move their core areas/home range to these locations. These areas will be key spots to set up your tree stand or blind.

Be patient and prepared.

The pre rut can be a challenging time to hunt because the deer are still patternable but beginning to move their core area (areas of tall grass, thick cover, swamps, etc.) .

You'll need to be patient and prepared to hunt any time of day, based on the weather and wind direction.

Having a comfortable tree stand or blind is key (we prefer tree saddles), as you may be sitting in it for long periods of time waiting for that big buck to show himself! This also might be the time to get out the grunt call and let it sing.

Take Time to Hunt the Pre Rut

The pre rut phase is an exciting time of year for many whitetail deer hunters, especially those looking for mature bucks. The early season is behind you and buck activity has begun to change. Many hunters love the pre rut (maybe worth taking a little vacation time hint hint) and for good reason.

By paying attention to rubs, scrapes, and food sources, you can up your chances of success when hunting during the pre rut by thinking carefully about your hunting area. Just remember to be patient and prepared in your tree stands (or saddles!), as bucks can be unpredictable.

A magical time for whitetail deer hunting is coming. Use these strategies and go hit the woods for those big bucks during the pre rut.