Whitetail Rut-Cation Journal 11-1-17

by Eric Hall

Ohio Whitetail Buck, Trail camera, Deer Hunting

Good looking buck on camera today…Anyone have a name for him?

This journal will chronicle my Rut-cation and review tactics based on weather and timing to hunt NE Ohio whitetail deer. I look forward to sharing this ongoing story with you.

Good Luck Everyone and – Stay Afflicted with Whitetail OCD

11/1

Weather

Pressure 30.01 and falling all day long
SE winds 5 MPH
Temperature highs in low 40’s with rain all day
Moon waxing Gibbous
- Rise 4:08 PM
- Set: 2:30 AM

Strategy today:

Funnel
1. Hunt transition zone between bedding areas
Extended sit 7 hours
1. Looking for seeking/chasing as breeding approaches
2. Mature bucks on their feet in daylight seeking the first estrous doe

Results:

6 AM found me face to face with 3 deer, eyes glowing in the headlamp. They were standing in front of the route into the stand. The wind was in my face so they did not smell me, but the largest deer did blow one time. The three did not run off, they stood around with glowing eyes looking into my green light. Twenty minutes passed and they slowly moved off between the pond and the timber. I waited an additional 15 minutes before moving into the stand.

Those were the only deer I saw today. The weather was rough today. It rained all day from first light until I left the stand at 2:30 pm. The saving grace was the Muddy Wing Span umbrella that kept me dry while on the stand. The walk out of the stand was another story. Suffice to say I need to dry EVERYTHING.

I pulled the camera card from this location. This was my first trip into this area in 45 days. Trail cameras revealed one buck who looks mature, showed up on camera 3-4 times starting with the picture above in early October. The last picture of him was the end of October on the 26th. Unsure of his place on the hit list for 2017 I took a quick poll of my hunting buddies and my wife. The overall consensus was that if he walks in front of the stand, I should consider this buck a shooter.

His pics are mostly afternoon and evening at this stand. With the rain slowing mid-morning, my plan is to be in by 1 pm and sit until dark, hoping a doe or his natural movement will pull him through a shooting lane.

Till tomorrow, everyone be safe in the woods and STAY AFFLICTED with WHITETAIL OCD.

Stay Afflicted with Whitetail OCD!

Please feel free to comment below! - We would love to hear from you!