Last year in Ontario we had a November first opener... this put the season a week early compared to most other years. I predicted that this would put us earlier in the rut where Bucks are actively pursuing the Does prior to the breeding period and that we would see a lot of bucks shot early. As it turned out this was the case in my area and we shot a lot of bucks that were chasing does and just plain running around stupid.
This was a dream situation for just sitting the edges, corridors and the feeding areas as the bucks were not hunkered down with their does yet.
The gun season opens on November 6th this year which puts a lot of bucks already hunkered down in the cover with willing does. The fact that the 5th is a full moon means that for the immediate period leading up to opening day and for the first few days of the hunt it is going to be bright at night. This allows for some serious night time activity which slows the daytime activity a lot! These two factors together are certainly not ideal but if you alter your strategy from last years methods you can still be successful.
I use the archery season as a primer to watch and learn, because we can start bow-hunting in October I will set up where I can see a long way. Watching the bucks early in the rut when they are chasing will tell you where they are and where to move your stands, for the bow and gun season.
I suggest moving your stands or using the stands that are closest to cover or right in the travel ways/funnels close to the core areas. The standard field edges and feeding areas are just not going to be as productive in this bright-night middle-rut type of scenario.
Also the use of scents, calls and in some situations decoys will help your chances. Doe in heat and buck in the rut scent used together will get the attention of even a tending buck (one who is with a hot doe). And in conjunction with grunt and bleat calls you may just move a buck into your sights or convince a hot doe that the buck of her dreams is just around the corner.
Sit later in the day, or do not even go to your stand until late morning! The bright nights are going to decrease the activity early in the morning but it will make them more active in the middle of the day. Mid-day is deadly during the rut, invariably this is prime-time for Buck activity.
Watch the weather, if you know there is a front moving in, a cold front or snow or rain, get out and hunt before it hits! The deer will move just before a front and in the peak of the rut the movement can be extreme. Remember, get out and hunt in front of a front.
These are some of the strategies that I am going to employ on the opener this year... what are your plans... what are your predictions.
This was a dream situation for just sitting the edges, corridors and the feeding areas as the bucks were not hunkered down with their does yet.
The gun season opens on November 6th this year which puts a lot of bucks already hunkered down in the cover with willing does. The fact that the 5th is a full moon means that for the immediate period leading up to opening day and for the first few days of the hunt it is going to be bright at night. This allows for some serious night time activity which slows the daytime activity a lot! These two factors together are certainly not ideal but if you alter your strategy from last years methods you can still be successful.
I use the archery season as a primer to watch and learn, because we can start bow-hunting in October I will set up where I can see a long way. Watching the bucks early in the rut when they are chasing will tell you where they are and where to move your stands, for the bow and gun season.
I suggest moving your stands or using the stands that are closest to cover or right in the travel ways/funnels close to the core areas. The standard field edges and feeding areas are just not going to be as productive in this bright-night middle-rut type of scenario.
Also the use of scents, calls and in some situations decoys will help your chances. Doe in heat and buck in the rut scent used together will get the attention of even a tending buck (one who is with a hot doe). And in conjunction with grunt and bleat calls you may just move a buck into your sights or convince a hot doe that the buck of her dreams is just around the corner.
Sit later in the day, or do not even go to your stand until late morning! The bright nights are going to decrease the activity early in the morning but it will make them more active in the middle of the day. Mid-day is deadly during the rut, invariably this is prime-time for Buck activity.
Watch the weather, if you know there is a front moving in, a cold front or snow or rain, get out and hunt before it hits! The deer will move just before a front and in the peak of the rut the movement can be extreme. Remember, get out and hunt in front of a front.
These are some of the strategies that I am going to employ on the opener this year... what are your plans... what are your predictions.
just started my scouting 2 weekends ago. Sign looks good, more moose tracks then last year, but still waiting to see if I have a draw for moose. Deer have changed their pattern a bit, could be that we got rid of a huge beaver dam complex and this allows them to take a more direct route. If this is the case I know exactly where they are going to be crossing. Saw 2 bucks with decent rack growth and half a dozen does and fawns. Also saw a blackie sow with 2 cubs. 
