Still Waiting . . .

The weather has turned cold here in the great state of Michigan. The rut is fixing to blow soon. But it very clearly has not yet. So I thought I'd share a little advice with the guys out there who, like me, are absolutely stoked for the rut to come. Now is the time when I've made some of my biggest mistakes in the woods.

How? By trying to force the issue. In heavily-hunted, heavily-pressured areas it's my opinion (and, remember, this is just an opinion based on my personal observations) the mature bucks simply do not chase does. They tend them. They breed them. They will dog them when they're about ready to breed.

But I have never, ever seen a truly mature buck on its feet after a doe in late October or even in the first few days of November. Sure, I'll see some good bucks then. But the real bruisers -- the 4-year-olds and older -- just don't do the crazy early-rut chase thing. I believe they've simply learned that doing so gets them in big trouble. Remember, we've got 350,000 bowhunters and almost 700,000 gun hunters. Deer here know that after they've lived a year or two. The worst thing to do right now is to climb into that rut stand that you've left alone all year. It's too early. In another week, go for it.

But right now, patience is the virtue.

And, trust me, I have just as much trouble doing it as anyone. I know there are some good bucks on the ground I'm hunting. And I also know there are some nasty, thick patches where they hang out. But I must wait until the time is right before penetrating that cover. And the time, while close, is not yet at hand.
But when it is, I'll post the photos.

Good luck out there. It's about to get fun.

Tony Hansen, Michigan Man