| Putting yourself in the right position to find a bigger, | | | | brush, it's notuncommon to see them cutting straight |
| mature buckduring the rut doesn't necessarily mean | | | | across an open fieldduring midday! |
| that you'll have to walk wayback into no-man's land | | | | Major travel routes and isolated clearings become |
| to in order to find them. | | | | staging areas formature bucks to intercept passing |
| Now, I know many would argue otherwise saying | | | | does that may be in heat. Try toset your ground |
| that the only wayyou're going to find Ole' Mossy | | | | blind or tree stand up within a comfortable |
| Horns is by getting into the denselycovered areas | | | | shootingdistance from where you feel the deer will |
| where predators can't find them and at any other | | | | be coming from. Keep inmind that at this point it |
| timeof the year, I'd agree, but not during the rut. | | | | becomes a matter of hunting the does tohopefully |
| Once the rut begins, bucks are focused on one thing- | | | | have a chance at seeing a mature buck. Find out |
| breeding does. | | | | where thetravel routes and feeding habits are for |
| During the pre-rut period, bucks frequent food | | | | the does. |
| sources to build uptheir energy for mating. When | | | | When analyzing the terrain, look for areas that are |
| bucks are roaming around looking forunbred does, | | | | less demandingtravel with light cover possibly near a |
| they know that taking the easiest route is best. | | | | major food source and thenyou'll be thinking like a |
| Ratherthan seeing them traveling through thickets of | | | | buck starving for love! |