Nine Bar Ranch Blog
What Hard Rut Season Means for Deer Hunters in North Texas
It’s early autumn at the ranch and love is in the air. The deer are in hard rut and the season is a magical time. The sounds of the deer in fall make this an amazing time for deer hunters in North Texas; red deer roar, fallow deer grunt, and sika deer bugle. Experience the hunt during this special time and you’ll remember it for a lifetime!
Hunting during rutting season requires a change in tactics. The deer’s behavior changes and your hunting behavior will need to adjust to be successful. The different phases of the rut will require that hunters make different shifts – let’s take a look at the various periods of rut season and what you can expect.
Pre-rut
Look for environmental evidence of rut transition. Tree bark will show signs of scraping as deer use the roughness to remove velvet from their antlers. You’ll see hollows in the ground where the bucks have urinated and rolled around in the resulting mud. The deer stay mostly to wooded areas and are less likely to be found in the open.
Seeking
Mature males will begin seeking out does to get an idea of their location once they are in estrus. Young males will become active earlier and may begin to get impatient for the does to become receptive. Deer will be seen out during the day more often. Your chances of success during the hunt will be improved if you stay near signs of rutting.
Chasing
Get your game face on hunters, because this is where the magic happens. Every eligible bachelor in the woods will be searching for his lady. Bucks will lower their guards so they can locate their mates. Here is where your bags of tricks will do the most good. Using doe-in-heat calls will attract males looking for a mate. Buck-grunt calls also work to draw in males who want to chase out the competition from their territory. Scents can also work to attract active males, but pay attention to where you plant the scent relative to where you’re setting yourself. You want the deer to smell the hormones, not the humans.
Decoys can also be effective at attracting a male. As a buck approaches a doe, if she’s receptive to his advances she’ll stay still. A decoy looks very much like an interested lady and will draw in your prize.
Tending
The tending phase is where most of the physical mating occurs and can be a more difficult time to hunt successfully for obvious reasons. Pairs settle in to bedding areas under thick cover. Finding bedding locations will be your best tactic to catching a deer who happens to slip up and break cover during this time.
Post-Rut
Deer become more cautious after breeding and settle in to their winter behavior. Does become much more difficult to find and males mostly only come out of their thick cover to feed. Stick to bedding and feeding areas for the best chances of locating deer after mating.
Texas Dove Hunting Tips
Both seasoned pros and novices alike can get a lot of enjoyment out of Texas dove hunting. Here are a few tips to get you started this season.
What Is the Best Time for Dove Hunting?
Part of successful hunting is knowing when to be there. If there are no doves in the sky, you’re wasting your time. You’ll have the best luck finding them during the times when they’re flying from nests to food. Generally between 8:00 and 10:00 in the morning and 5:30 to 7:00 at night.
What Should You Wear?
Bright orange and reflectors can spoil a hunt before it ever starts. Doves see in color and will flare when they see something abnormal. Wear camo, brown, olive, or tan clothing to blend into your surroundings. Avoid movement to prevent alerting the flock.
Ear protection is also a must for hunters. If you’re in a field with other hunters, the sounds of the shots going off all around you can be deafening. Save your hearing and wear some protection, even if it’s foam plugs.
Eye protection is also important. On a sunny day they reduce glare and improve your shots. They also protect your eyes from falling shot.
How Far Out Should You Be to Shoot a Dove?
Too close and you’ll give yourself away. Too far and you won’t have any accuracy. The best range is thirty to forty yards. Get used to overshooting the birds. Shoot six feet in front of them and you’ll hit more often. You’ll need to shoot while sitting so practice from a sitting position.
What Shot Should You Use?
Smaller shots are best for these birds. A little goes a long way so 7½, 8, or 9 should do the trick. The best overall shell may be an ounce or 1 1/8 ounce load. You may go through several boxes of shells during one hunt.
Bring a Well-Trained Dog
Man’s best friend is also a hunter’s best friend. A typical hunter will only retrieve seventy to eighty percent of his downed doves. A retriever will bring back all of them. A dog is invaluable when you’re shooting in high grass. He can sniff out the dove when you can’t see it. If you’re trying to shoot two birds at one time you can’t watch to see where the first bird falls or else you’ll miss the second bird. You’ll waste valuable time looking for the first when a dog can bring you both. Many breeds of dogs instinctively are good hunting companions—spaniels, retrievers, labs, and pointers are common.
Always Follow Safety Guidelines
- Engage your safety when your gun is not in use, including when walking through a field looking for downed doves. Keep your safety on AT ALL TIMES until you’re ready to shoot.
- Never shoot at a dove below the tree line; you might hit other hunters or animals.
- Remember to unload the gun before you leave the field.
- Don’t partake in any alcoholic beverages until the hunt is over, or until you’re safely home if you’ll be driving.