Advanced Rut Hunting: Strategies for Taking Whitetails During Prime Time

Whitetail rut behavior and the hunting strategies that take it into account have come a long way in the last thirty years. We now know when--almost to the date-whitetails breed in a particular geographic location. We can translate and decipher deer vocalizations and language; have better knowledge of the size of a buck's home range; know why bucks make rubs, and where; and much more.

Still, one thing remains the same: The rut is a time for hope and big dreams--that the biggest buck in the woods will be so transfixed that he'll finally make the mistake that brings him within range.

Here, from some of the most respected and entertaining writers in the business, is an anthology of hunting the rut. Chapters include:

Catching the Early Rut, by Gary Clancy; Hitting the Rut Right, by Greg Miller; S-L-O-W Stalking the Rut, by Bob McNally; Forget About Hunting Scrapes, by John Weiss; Do You Savvy Rut Speak? by John Weiss; The Seven Phases of the Rut, by Curt Wells; EZ Guide to Calling Bucks, by Michael Hanback; Best Stands for the Rut, by Bill Winke; Calling the Rut, by John Weiss; Just a Matter of Time, by Kenn Young; Climb High for Rutting Bucks, by Bob Robb; Sure-Cure for the Post-Rut Blues, by Greg Miller; Early Rubs and How to Hunt Them, by Greg Miller; A Sham in the Deer Woods! by Gary Clancy; Follow Your Does, by Dave Justmann; and more.

Gerald Bethge is the executive editor of the Outdoor Magazine Group of Harris Publications in New York. An avid whitetail hunter, he is the co-author of The Ultimate Guide to Elk hunting. He lives in Fairfield, Connecticut