Hunting the Whitetail Rut in Southwestern Ontario

The rut is the best chance all year to see a mature buck in daylight. In southwestern Ontario, activity usually builds in late October and peaks in early to mid November. Here's how to hunt each phase.

Pre-rut (late October). Bucks freshen scrapes and rubs and start cruising. Hunt between bedding and doe food sources, and watch scrape lines. Short rattling sequences and soft grunts work well now.

Seeking and chasing (early November). Bucks travel all day looking for the first ready does. This is the time for all-day sits. Hunt funnels: creek bottoms, fencerow gaps and the narrow strips of cover linking woodlots across Middlesex, Elgin and Oxford farm country.

Lockdown (mid November). A buck stays with one doe and movement drops. Don't give up. Hunt near doe bedding areas, and be ready for a buck pushed out by a hot doe.

Post-rut (late November). Tired bucks return to food. Late-season food plots and standing corn come back into play.

Tips that hold all rut long:

• Play the wind every sit. A rutting buck still trusts his nose.
• Use a doe estrous scent near your stand and a grunt call to stop a buck for the shot.
• Pack food and water. The best hour can be 11 a.m.

Come see us. Before you head out, bring your bow in for a quick check of your string, cables and sight. We stock rut essentials, from releases to arrows and broadheads, and our staff hunt this same country. Ask what's working locally this week.