Deer Hunting The Rut Chase Stage
After the first does come into estrus, the bucks will begin following the does around waiting for the opportunity to breed. This period is known as the chase stage of the rut.
The bucks will stay close to the does chasing them from one place to another until the doe is ready to be bred. The bucks will become relentless during this time often becoming more visible during daylight hours.
When preparing for deer hunting, The hunter needs to locate bedding, feeding, and travel areas that are being used by the does. Tall grassy fields, small sapling thickets, and funnels that lead to these areas are excellent locations for a deer hunting setup.
The hunter can also use a doe decoy that is placed where it can be seen. Put the doe decoy in areas that are frequented by the does. Use doe in estrus deer scents placed in canisters around the decoy in a circle. This technique will often bring in bucks that are roaming the area.
The hunter can also use a set of deer rattling antlers. Use a series of short, soft sequences of up to a minute. Then pause for ten minutes or so to allow time for any buck in the area to respond. Add a grunt call to the mix before and after rattling. This can be an effective way to draw in a buck.
The rut chase stage is very exciting and allows the hunter to be aggressive during the rutting period.
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