Bucks are preoccupied with their search for hot does during the rut. Their inattention to their surroundings can often play to your advantage. (Shutterstock image)
November 27, 2022
By Colin Moore
Things change dynamically during the whitetail rut. Bucks you’ve never seen before turn up and might spend most of the day searching for hot does. It’s when you learn for certain whether your stands are in the right places. For most of us, it’s a familiar scenario. We see a great buck from a stand, but he’s well out of range because normal travel patterns have gone out the window. That’s why a spot-and-stalk approach might be the best way—or maybe the only way—to get a shot at a trophy buck this season.
Of course, spotting a buck is a lot easier than stalking one, but it can be done successfully. When all the hunting stars align, spot-and-stalk can be downright foolproof. The problem for a hunter is knowing when all the conditions are right and completing a successful stalk without getting busted. Here are a few things to consider.
1. READ THE WIND If you’re hunting hilly country in the morning or early afternoon and see a shooter, approach it from uphill if possible. Warming thermals carry scent up, which is why bucks often walk ridgelines during the rut to catch the scent of does below.
When it’s time to check a food plot to see if Mr. Big has arrived, the best approach for a hunter is to work their way slowly toward the targeted area from the downwind side. Take advantage of any ambient air movement that rustles the trees or undergrowth.
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If you spot a decent buck, stop and go toward him as the wind or breeze rises and falls. If possible, move when the buck has his head down or is turned away. Freeze whenever he turns toward you. If the plot is ringed with a brushy mixture of high weeds, saplings and bushes, use it for cover and proceed slowly and quietly.
2. WATCH THE WEATHER Rainy, stormy weather is hard to beat for spot-and-stalk. A few years ago, I was hunting from a ladder stand with a slug gun when an afternoon thunderstorm came up. The occasional lightning and hard rain was enough to convince me that it was time to go. I climbed down from the stand and slowly made my way back toward my truck, which was parked on the far side of a food plot.
Regional Rut Update: Read About Current Deer Hunting Conditions
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As I got near the field, I slowed down and started sneaking. Shortly thereafter, I saw a decent 8-point buck feeding. Because it was raining so hard and the wind was blowing a gale toward me, the stalking part was easy. I was within 50 yards of the feeding deer when I put the scope’s crosshairs on his neck and squeezed off a shot. As unappealing as it might seem, any type of weather that covers a hunter’s movements and sounds is advantageous for a stalk.
3. CATCH THEM UNAWARE When it’s courting time, bucks lower their guard a few notches. A rutting buck is more vulnerable when he’s on a mission, say, to run a rub line or check on scrapes. Likewise, when persimmons, white oak acorns and other local mast start dropping, bucks keep their heads down more to feed and are somewhat easier to approach on foot.
Often, a buck will inspect a food plot for does by walking along the downwind side and staying in cover until he gets the right scent message. If you’re downwind from the buck’s likely route, you might get a shot.
4. USE THE TERRAIN Stalking a buck you’ve spotted in an open woods 100 yards away is an iffy proposition. Bucks seldom give a hunter the benefit of the doubt. No matter how slowly you move, at some point the buck is likely to suspect something isn’t right and skedaddle.
Use the terrain to your advantage. If slipping along a creek bed will get you within range of the buck you’ve spotted, go that route rather than approaching across open ground. Always take advantage of cover, such as a canebrake or stands of titi or wax myrtle. If possible, keep cover behind you so you don’t stand out against an open background.
Does can both hurt and help you. They might distract a buck, or they might spot you before you even know they’re around. Rather than focusing completely on your target, look in all directions slowly as you move. Scan the terrain carefully. The buck might have does milling around with him, or he might be trailing a doe that’s somewhere ahead. If she’s in the neighborhood and spots you, it’s likely game-over.
5. KEEP QUIET If you’re stalking a buck, eliminating noise as you approach him is essential. Wearing clunky hiking boots with hard, stiff soles is okay for stand hunting, but won’t work well for spot-and-stalk.
Canvas shoes or leather moccasins with soft, flexible soles are quieter, even in the afternoon when leaves have dried out. And to break up your silhouette as you move toward your target, a ghillie suit offers better concealment than standard hunting clothing. A ghillie suit covered with fabric leaves is less likely to get hung up on bushes and branches than the type that’s covered with wads of fabric netting.
