Well, there are too many holes in that to hold water. First of all, not all bucks are with does during the rut. Some are still looking for a lady to hook up with. And even those with does will leave their companion after they've bred her for a day or two and then go looking for others.

The sound of a pair of antlers clashing might be just what they need to get such bucks heading in your direction. A major study done recently showed that the most bucks to come in to rattling was during peak rut! Get out the horns.

MISTAKE NUMBER 4
Not grunting. Those who avoid using a grunt call this time of year use a rationale similar to the non-rattling hunters. They figure bucks are with does, so they won't likely come into a grunt call.

Just as with rattling, though, sometimes bucks are "between does" and will respond well to a series of soft contact grunts. This is also a great time to throw out a louder, faster-paced series of tending grunts.

I had a heavy 9-point respond to just such a loud grunting session last season during peak breeding period. He was walking parallel, too far back in cover for a shot. But when he heard the call, he came in with his back hairs raised and chest puffed out, just like I'd thrown a lasso out and roped him in. A Barnes muzzleloader bullet found him just behind the shoulders and confirmed once again for me the value of carrying a grunt call during the rut.

MISTAKE NUMBER 5
Hunting the wrong doe group. Different groups of does cycle at slightly different times. If you hunt a group that is not yet coming into estrus, or one that has already been bred, your odds will go down dramatically for finding that trophy buck.

The key to hunting near a group of does in peak estrus is spending plenty of time in the woods and being observant. Where I hunt, for instance, there are two types of habitat -- woods and then broken cedars and meadows. The group in the woods tends to rut earlier every year, so I've learned to focus on them first. Then when things slow down and fewer bucks are hanging out with them, I quickly shift my focus to the lower elevations with the cedars and broken cover.

Also, watch the does themselves. Females in heat act different. They are more nervous. They look back behind them, searching for trailing bucks. They often crook their tail either straight out or at an angle to the side. Find does acting like that and hunt that area quickly and intensely. In just days, the action may wan and you'll need to focus on another group.

MISTAKE NUMBER 6
Not hunting the "peak" breeding period. Some hunters actually skip the very peak of the breeding period because they've found things can be slow then when almost all of the bucks are hunkered down with does. This is a big mistake.

Sure, things can get strangely quiet at this time. Plenty of bucks do simply hang tight in cover with a hot doe and move little. Just before and just after the peak are definitely hotter times to be in the woods.

Nevertheless, there are some bucks moving even during the peak rut. Maybe a buck has just finished with a doe and is looking for another one. You can often catch these "in-between" bucks traveling routes between major doe groups. On the other hand, maybe the doe a mature buck is with will amble out to grab a bite and he'll step just far enough out following her to offer a shot.

It may be slower than before or after the peak, but there still is a chance to score right in the middle of major breeding. If you're home, you'll miss that chance.