Whitetails 365: Patterning Trophy Bucks Post-Rut

Whitetails 365: Patterning Trophy Bucks Post-Rut

By Aaron McKinney

As bowhunters, we wait all year for the Iowa rut. We hunt hard, see bucks chasing does around in open fields. We see a lot of deer on their feet moving. Anything can happen during this time. As December approaches, the rut winds down. Deer change their activity level and now we have to go back to finding mature bucks. We now find ourselves at a pivotal juncture in the hunting season. With the echoes of rutting battles and amorous pursuits fading into memory, the time has come to shift focus towards the impending gun seasons. The question that looms large in every hunter’s mind is this: How do you locate and pursue those elusive bucks you once laid eyes on during the feverish days of the rut? In this critical juncture of the hunting calendar, we will dive into the art of strategy, and patience that becomes necessary to the pursuit of trophy whitetails.

Food is Key
During the rut, bucks can experience a significant amount of weight loss due to their increased activity levels and decreased focus on feeding. While the exact amount of weight loss can vary depending on factors such as the availability of food, the duration of the rut, and the individual buck’s behavior, it’s not uncommon for bucks to lose 10% to 20% of their body weight or more during this time. With the rut behind them, deer, and bucks in particular, embark on a mission to regain their lost strength. The post-rut season becomes a crucial period of recuperation, and the primary objective for deer shifts to feeding and restoring their body condition.

Finding high-quality food sources becomes key as deer strive to rebuild their fat reserves for the impending winter. This transition provides hunters with a strategic advantage, as they can predict where deer are likely to congregate.

Food plots become magnets for post-rut deer. Planting food plots with crops such as clover, brassicas, and winter wheat can provide a reliable food source that sustains deer throughout the winter months. It’s important to note that deer may be more cautious during the post-rut season, so hunting food plots requires patience and a keen understanding of deer behavior.

Don’t Overlook Water
Water was in the forefront of our minds earlier this year with the drought. It seemed obvious that the water sources were drying up and water was necessary. As December approaches hunter seem to forget about the importance of water. Whitetails will seek out unfrozen water sources, which can include creeks, rivers, ponds, and even man-made sources like troughs. Setting up near reliable water sources can be highly productive. Observing deer behavior around these areas can provide valuable insights into their movement patterns. Even if you do not want to hunt directly over water, you can often see where deer enter and exit timber and brush. This can help you get to a place where you can effectively shoot.

Thermal Cover
As temperatures plummet and snow blankets the landscape, deer seek refuge and warmth in secluded bedding areas. Finding these hideaways is the key to a successful late-season hunt. Some bedding area will stay the same, but you will see more does and bucks seeking shelter in thermal cover. This cover could include thick cedar covers. In fact, I guarantee there are deer bedded there right now. Thermal cover could also include CRP ground where there’s switchgrass, native warm season grasses, like Indiangrass and Big Bluestem. Better yet, do you know of an area where CRP and cedars co-exist? This is the best bedding, often holding and concealing big bucks.

Bucks tend to bed in areas that offer both security and access to food. Look for bedding areas in close proximity to food sources like crop fields or late-season food plots. Ridges, creek bottoms, and thickets can provide ideal bedding sites as they offer cover, visibility, and escape routes. Deer will also use the terrain to escape the harsh north winds. So, from December on, I watch the activity on the south sides of hills. Hunting bedding areas during December requires patience and a willingness to sit quietly for extended periods. Bucks may be slow to leave their beds in the cold, so you must be prepared for extended waits.

Deer Live and Die by Their Noses
Whitetail deer possess a remarkable sense of smell, with an estimated 297 million olfactory receptors in their noses. This highly developed sense allows them to detect scents from great distances and discern even the slightest hint of danger. As a hunter, this means that scent control is paramount. As gun hunters, sometimes we let the scent control slide a little when we shouldn’t. To have the best chance at success, we need to practice a strict scent control program to leave as little pressure behind in the field, and to get the chance to be within range of a trophy whitetail. Use scent-neutralizing products to minimize your odor. This could include scent free and eliminating soaps, dusts, sprays, and ozone technology. Given a deer’s acute sense of smell, wind direction is the most critical factor in your hunting strategy. Position yourself downwind of known bedding areas to ensure your scent doesn’t reach the deer.

One strategy I use is utilizing estrus after the peak of the rut. A lot of hunters quit using estrus scents after mid-November. However, does will cycle back into estrus. There is a specific period of estrus or “heat” when the doe is receptive to mating. This estrus phase typically lasts for about 24 to 36 hours. Bucks can smell does approaching this, and it is the time when the doe is most likely locked down with a buck. Does will cycle back into estrus, if unbred, in about 28 days. It’s important to note that the timing of the estrus cycle and the duration of estrus can vary among individual does and can be influenced by factors such as age, health, and environmental conditions. The “second rut” picks up around this time. This is why I keep using estrus after the peak of the rut. The rut approaches and leaves as a bell curve, with some does going into estrus early, and some a few days later. Yes, there might be a week where the does aren’t receptive to bucks, but the bucks do not always know these statistics. Consider using deer attractants strategically. Attractant scents can lure bucks out of their beds, increasing your chances of a shot.

Final Thoughts
Successfully patterning trophy bucks after the rut involves a multi-faceted approach that takes into account their fundamental needs and instincts. Food sources play a pivotal role in determining a buck’s movement patterns during the late season. Understanding their preferences for late-season food plots or natural forage is a key element of the puzzle. Deer must replenish calories and stay hydrated as they navigate the harsh winter conditions of Iowa. Thermal cover and bedding areas provide critical security and sanctuary for bucks. Recognizing these areas and the travel corridors leading to them can offer opportunities for patient hunters. To tip the odds further in our favor, don’t get lax on scent control techniques. A whitetail’s olfactory senses are incredibly keen, and minimizing human odor can mean the difference between success and failure. This includes careful attention to wind direction and the use of scent-neutralizing products. Estrus scents can be powerful tools when used during this time.They can draw in bucks seeking receptive does increasing your chances of a successful hunt. Above all, don’t lose hope or patience. We hunt hours upon hours, just for a few minutes’ opportunity.