The whitetail rut consists of does coming into heat and bucks looking to breed them. It’s a simple concept and applies in all areas of the country where whitetails roam. The definition of the rut might be the same, but it varies regionally depending on your location and habitat type.
Over the years, I’ve hunted the rut throughout the Appalachian mountains in the big woods, as well as the agricultural settings found in the Midwest and Canada. Throughout these experiences, it’s obvious that the rut is much different in the big woods I’ve spent my entire life hunting.
Lower Deer Densities
Farm country is known to have healthy populations of deer, and the open fields make them visible on almost every hunt if you have the wind in your favor. Big woods have sporadic food sources, thick timber, and lower deer densities making for many long, deerless sits in the tree.
The lower deer densities cause bucks to travel further distances to find does. Early in the rut, bucks typically…