Five Tips Leading to Pre-Rut Whitetail Success

By Kyle Wieter

The Whitetail pre-rut presents a golden opportunity for hunters, as bucks have come out of the dreaded October lull in full force. Bachelor groups have long separated, and territories start to become established. Testosterone levels are beginning to peak, as whitetail bucks have become battle ready with increased body mass, muscular necks, and an attitude to go along with it.

The best indication the pre-rut is underway is a dramatic increase in the amount of rubbing and scraping activity appearing within a few days period. This stage of the deer season can be one of the most productive and exciting times to be in the deer woods as daylight activity picks up, in turn giving hunters more recon to work with and allowing for more aggressive tactics to be implemented. Read on to learn pre-rut tactics for harvesting a mature whitetail.