The prospect to hunt a deer while in rut is a one of its kind experience that can produce tremendous success if done properly. Accurate scouting is always a must. As the mantra goes in real estate: location, location, location. It is the same for hunting the rut.

Once you have successfully found a scrape or rub line the next task is locating your ambush point. As always consider the wind direction and topography of your surroundings before placing a blind or tree stand. Is your location an area deer are likely to visit on their way to feeding zones or are they likely to pass through heading off to bedding area? After considering these factors you, will be better prepared to decide to hunt the area.

Is success eluding you while hunting a rub line or scrape? Try hunting during different hours of the day. During the rut, a buck's movement patterns are more likely to revolve around a hot doe than his stomach. Many bucks are shot every year in the rut during the middle of the day.

If altering your hunting hours doesn't work or just is not possible, there are other tricks that you can try to get the buck within range. If a friend has only just harvested a buck from another area, ask them for the buck's tarsal gland. Be sure not to contaminate the gland with human scent. This can be done by handling the gland with gloved hands and transporting it in a sealed container. This gland can be hung close to a scrape or rub that you are hunting. The scent of a new buck in the area will bring the trophy buck you have been chasing out to investigate.

Another way to get a glimpse of the trophy you have been pursuing is find a different buck's scrape. Again with gloved hands and a sealable container harvest some of the urine scented dirt and droppings from the other scrape. Then place what you collected on top of the scrape you have been hunting. The territorial buck in your area will come to see which one of his rivals is trying to steal his does.

Scent is an important part of hunting most animals. Scent is extremely important during the rut and while hunting rub lines or scrapes. Always hunt the downwind side of the rub or scrape. There are many scent attractants on the market that come in liquid and solid states. Bucks may be enticed into visiting their scrapes more often by adding doe-in-heat urine to their scrapes.

One other strategy to get bucks to move into view is to create a drag line. Do this simply by soaking a scent free cloth attached to about 8 feet of string or light-weight rope in doe-in-heat urine or a similar attractant. Drag this cloth across near by trails leading into your shooting lanes always being mindful of where you step to avoid contaminating the area with your human scent. After you have created your drag line hang the cloth from a nearby tree for extra scent attraction.

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Outdoorsman and Author Ethan O. Tanner gives advice on the process of hunting during a rut and gives suggestions for a successful hunt during the rut