Spartan Forge and Moultrie Mobile (left) make great scouting apps; Buck Fever’s Synthetics Scrape Rope Kit creates a great mock scrape; Rakk Fuel’s fall food plot seed blends grow easy food plots.
November 24, 2024
By Ryan Fair
A few key pieces of gear can help in predicting deer movement and crafting a better game plan during the whitetail breeding season. Consider these options as the deer rut shifts into high gear.
AWESOME APPS Trail cameras are incredibly potent scouting tools, as historic images can help hunters pattern specific bucks during the rut. However, Moultrie Mobile has taken things further with its powerful Moultrie Mobile app ($16.99–$34.99/month for unlimited plans; moultriemobile.com ). It lets you view pictures, alter camera settings and chart deer activity based on historic image captures. With certain data plans, it’ll even recommend the best times to hunt based off your cameras’ past images, photos from other Moultrie Mobile trail cams in the area and weather forecasts.
Another great app is Spartan Forge ($59.99/year; spartanforge.ai ). This potent app similarly predicts deer movement based off historical weather data and time of year. It even has a built-in journal that lets you log all your scouting trips and hunts, so you have all your information in one spot and can view it from virtually anywhere.
STELLAR SCRAPE SETUP Scrapes are important for whitetails, especially during the rut, so a good mock scrape system is key. The Buck Fever Synthetics Scrape Rope Kit ($25.99–$37.99; buckfever.com ) is a great option, featuring a 30-foot long, 1-inch-thick rope with a built-in wire for hanging, and a 4-ounce bottle of the company’s Forehead Gland scent. The rope enables you to build a mock scrape wherever you want it, not just in areas with low-hanging branches. This way you can lure deer to spots that work best for you. Once you get deer to take over these scrapes, they’ll work them year after year.
Advertisement
FANTASTIC FOOD PLOTS Lastly, crop rotations can alter deer movement dramatically from year to year. If food plots are an option where you hunt, they can help ensure that deer regularly visit your property, even during the rut. I like to keep my Rakk Fuel food plots filled with food each year. Once does learn where these easy, guaranteed food sources are, they’ll hit them every year, especially in late fall when food starts becoming scarce. And when bucks search for does, these plots will be one of the first places they check. Consider any of Rakk Fuel’s fall food plot seed blends ($32.99–$59.99; rakkfuel.com ).
This article was featured in the November 2024 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe
