Great info Don, I’m sixty and been hunting since I was 13, I’ve seen a lot, believed a lot, and I’ve found doubt in a lot of theories, 40 yrs of experience debunks theories! Anything can happen in the wild, can’t control nature, there will be freakish things happen but for the most part everything will fall as nature calls

Thanks for the great info! I'm kind of a new hunter and I hear all kinds of theories and advice. They tend to contradict or vary each other. I listen to everything but go with the people having the greatest successes and experience. Very glad I found this video.

Absolutely Fantastic!!! Finally answering questions I had for years, From a truthful experienced hunter and deer farm!! I thank you!!!

I may not agree with everything you have stated but it's valuable to me as a hunter to be aware of all of the theories. Thank you for taking to time to share this information.

Don't really know how I found you, but I love that you're a no BS kinda guy. Very rare to find these days with guys who run outdoor channels. Just an ole woodsman that calls it how he sees it. Would love more videos on hunting winds that are favorable to the buck, and how they behave in those winds. I think I'm really starting to wrap my head around it.

Great video Don! I take the same week each year off from work (the week before NY firearm season) and have done this for over 30 years and the rut activity is always very active that week and given me many opportunities at harvesting bucks with a bow. I used to follow the moon phase but it was never accurate. I also keep a close eye on storm fronts as this appear to increase deer activity, especially cold fronts. Thanks for sharing this info.

Priceless video! And couldn’t agree more! Thank-you for sharing your knowledge.

Great info, thanks for sharing! the best of us know how the rut actually works in reality. looking forward to more content and advice.

Great information. I’m relatively new to hunting and I need all the help I can get. Thank you. 🦌

Great video!! Based on everything I know, it sounds like everything you expressed in this video is backed solidly by science! And your first hand experience. Loving your videos! Third one I've watched, I believe. Great, no bs, to the point, content!

Great video. I agree that moon phase doesn’t impact the timing of the rut. To me it seems it can have an effect on our perception of the rut by influencing deer movement. Certain moon phases may cause deer patterns to change, most deer sightings happen around dawn and dusk. If their feeding patterns are effected by moon phase they may not be seen by hunters prior to dark heading to feed or early in the morning going back to bed down. I’ll bowhunt as often and sit as long as I can from the last week of October to the Wisconsin gun season opener which is the third weekend in November. From year to year the rut activity seems to change. Some years it’s very short and intense a I will only see 7-10 days of bucks seeking and chasing does. Other years it seems to last for an entire month and we will still have bucks chasing at the end of November during gun season. Last year it seemed to be non existent. Little to no sightings of chasing or solo bucks seeking receptive does. Of course other factors will impact deer activity such as hunting pressure and weather readily available food sources, possibly even moon phases. No matter what the rut in the area I hunt happens the same time every year. End of October starts the pre rut. Buck activity picks up. I see mostly bucks moving solo , searching for the first receptive does. I’ve had my best luck during this time frame still early morning and late evening. First week in November I’ll start to see young bucks chasing and bigger bucks now pairing up with does. Second week in November activity seems to taper off. I feel like a few does have already been bread but the majority are now coming into heat. Bucks don’t have to cover the same amount of ground to find a receptive doe. If they doe isn’t quite ready they will lock down together and wait. This happens through the end of November here in southern Wisconsin. Of course it will very depending on your location. I see newborn fawns every year around the same time. Mostly end of May- middle of June.

Thank you for taking the time to set the record straight. There is gold and abundance of costly stones, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. Proverbs 20-15. As for myself I choose to listen and learn from your decades of experience. Thank you again.

Very good video ! I like your no BS style and agree with everything you said except the buck traveling thing. We plant quite a few acres of good food plots and they draw the does , especially late in the season .As you stated a buck can sent a hot doe a Long way off and I believe they do draw bucks that don't normally use our property. JMO. Keep up the good videos ! PS, This is my 60th year deer hunting, Thank GOD !

I SURE appreciate all your seasoned experience and advice. Hoping for a great first season on my new purchased land in Andalusia Alabama. Loads of does and a big group of beautiful young bucks on camera for future hunts years from now . I'm sure there are big boys near by as well.

Very informative, thank you for making this video. I've been bow hunting for 30 yes and always thought there was a 2nd rut.

The thing that I hated about this video is that Don is able to hunt every day in November and I can't. So jealous.

Listening to this video actually made sense in other areas of our own lives and provided a greater understanding! Appreciate you. I live in Iowa, and was explaining to my daughter what rut was and the timing of gestation a couple weeks ago. I had stated it was beginning around the tail end of October but mostly in November and explained when the babes would be born. Around here the bucks will drop their heads and run across the road following scent of the does without a care lol. I appreciate a second pair of eyes when driving in the height of the season 😉

Totally agree, I've always said when we roll back the clock, day light savings stimulate the the doe to come in to heat!!!! I was told years ago , from a deer breeder how they stimulate the does to come in to heat is putting them in a day light and temperature control barns to get the estrus pee.I started paying close attention to the time of year and while hunting watching the activity on the farms I was hunting. I Totally AGREE Day Lights Saving ,is the trigger!!!! Thanks 👍 Great Video!!!

Thank you for the straight forward information. I have been learning about deer since I first hunted them in 1975.

I believe bucks roam to different areas to find does, been hunting deer for 42 years myself

Good common sense information presented in a professional manner. I agree with you 100% even though I was the Hunter that only got weekends to hunt in the past I am now retired and spend as much time in the woods. Every year I learn more about whitetails and their habits from personal experience and enjoy every minute. Thank you.

Great video backed up by 40 years of experience. I gotta agree with you. I have also been bow hunting for the last 48 years and have been lucky to harvest a few hundred Whitetails due to some Suburban reduction programs. I love to hear all of the other guys with their theories, the Moon, the cold , the snow , But I always see the rut start the first week of November typically November 3 rd and on here in the NorthEast. So that thats my take and it seems to fall in line with your interpretation and you have much more first hand experience raising deer..

Well spoken my friend I learned something, I did not know that a deer could not be bred until it came to a certain weight fawns.

Well, whether a 2nd rut or a prolong rut, is seen in my area of the country. I notice that chasing activity is the strongest usually the last 2weeks of November and sometimes into the 1st week of December. But then, the last week of December into the 1st week of January some years you see chasing activity start again. This to me explain why you see small fawns into June where you see larger fawns earlier in the year around April/May. But I do respect your observations and experiences on the subject.

This is all very interesting. This guys resume is impressive. Hard to argue with that amount of first hand experience.

As always, top notch information and thanks for giving it.

I agree with most of this with the exception of finding new bucks on your properties during the rut. We have historically found "new" bucks that were never seen before. This is probably a function of the fact that our property is on the edge of his home range and that he is moving more within that home range in early November. We co-op manage about 1,500 acres in Upstate NY that is mostly farmland with small wood blocks and creek bottoms. If the bucks are bedding on our properties we generally find them. The "new" bucks we see are often on camera several hours after nightfall and the assumption is they travelled far that night. I will say that bucks we observe change their bedding areas happen late season based on food and the fact that they seem willing to bed in closer proximity to does that they are not willing to during peak breeding. We also assume that some of that movement is the result of hunting pressure from neighboring properties. Great content, fresh takes, good stuff Don. Nice to see someone not regurgitating others info but info gleaned from years of experience. Thanks man

Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge.

I heard what you said. Im struggling this season. I liked your vid and I heard what you said about not seeing the buck doesnt mean they are not already there. Don't know how people missed that but that explains why they also are here is they aren't paying attention. Thanks for the tips

That makes sense to me! Thanks for the knowledge.

Thank you for all of this information. I agree with most of it with the exception of the "new" buck theory. I wanted to add pictures. We lease about 2000 acres total and had trail cam photos of a split brow 9 pt on our property last year and the buck was killed a few miles down the rd.

I believe everything you said is true...for your area. In the coastal plain area in Texas (south of El Campo) where I hunt on an MLD lease, the state biologist has told us that based on newborn fawn sightings in the spring translate to the primary rut in our area being late September/early October. This agrees with what we se in the field as our season starts the closest weekend to the beginning of October.

I’ve noticed the same things from almost identical experiences. Great video sir!!

Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

Thanks for your wonderful experience.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. Everything you said sounds reasonable. I wish I knew all this years ago.

Your dead on about the rut! Everything you’ve described I’ve seen from Pa to Montana. Thank u for confirming what I’ve known and witnessed since the late 60’s when I started hunting

Thank you for explaining about the amount of light that triggers the rut .

I appreciate your experience and wisdom regarding the rut, good information. Thank you.

Wow enjoyed!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!!!

Finally a reasonable explanation for those very late fawns. Can say that I’ve seen a very small doe being literally tailed by a very large buck. Great presentation.

Another good informative video Don. Keep them coming.

Hey Don, again Thank you for your knowledge,, and this video. I'm a realist if that even means anything lol, but I believe in experience that lead to Facts ,plain and Simple , loved the information,and learned more then I knew 5 minutes ago !! Big Fan Don ,I believe God blessed me this weekend in finding your channel on uTube. Outstanding information your putting out!!

Well from a man with that experience ,,I'll take your word for it over others who think they are pros ,,,,,thanks for the info

Thanks for sharing your experience

Thanks for your experience to share with me.

Awesome info as always. I do agree 100%. Thx

I agree and trust your opinion, I’ve been hunting Deer for 35years...I’m sure you have more time with Deer than I ever have. Thanks for the info. Ont, Canada!

I’ve had a target buck killed 5 miles from his core area in November. It hurt but he went through a hell of a terrain obstacle to die for that doe. Now keep in mind I’ve always hunted 100 acre parcels. Never a large 5 mile parcel to observe this. But I’d say you are correct. Thanks for the no bs videos. I learn a lot from you.

Never heard the doe fawn theory. Love it! Always learning something new at Chasing Giants!

Everything sounds legit except for the new bucks moving in, in my opinion. We hunt a small piece of property and usually don’t get good bucks on the cameras until the rut comes around.

Totally agree except I hunt a small area, 60 acres, run camera's all year, and know about every doe, buck & raccoon, and if them knew bucks we see during the Rut were there all along they had the greatest hiding place or just didn't move, Still loved hearing all your info, especially with experiance and background, Thanks.

Regarding #3, I'd suggest that you may see new bucks from pressured areas. ie they get pushed out and look for someplace safer. Great video

56 and a first time hunter, thanks for the information!

Didn't ruffle my feathers but this great info for the Midwest. But in GA it doesn't work like that. And that comes from first hand experience hunting super thick planted pines for 30 years.

Kudos for being willing to tackle some controversial subjects head-on and probably ticking some folks off in the process. I agree completely with your assessments of #1 and #2. Those topics should be accepted scientific fact at this point. I also agree in large part with what you're saying in regards to #4, but I think there are likely some differences here in regards to Northern vs. Southern deer, especially in Southern herds where buck:doe ratios are way out of kilter in favor of does. As far as #3 goes, we run trail cameras year-round on our properties, and we either have "new" bucks arrive during the rut or existing bucks suddenly become visible to our cameras, because we definitely see a few bucks on our properties during November that we see at no other time of the year.

I have a large doe in my area that I've seen every month of the year for 2 years now. I watched her on May 23rd 2020 when she was very pregnant. I talked to another person in the middle of June & asked them if they had seen her recently since I hadn't. They said the week b4 Memorial day was their last sighting. She had twins I'm sure of b4 the end of May. If u do the math that's six months & roughly an additional 2 weeks the gestation period of a doe which coincides to the dates that Don gave. I have witnessed for 30 years or more that there is always a doe in heat up here in MN on November 10th. The amount of daylight is the only fact u can pin on that date. Usually the sundown time on November 10th is 4:50 CDT. This year it was November 9th. One other thing I have observed on many different places in my area is around that time that a mature doe will leave her fawns with a subordinate doe & search out a real suitor when she feels that she is about ready to be bred. They act differently & will be alone. I watched a doe last year do this on an evening u wouldn't expect to see a deer weather wise. However it was November 10th & all bets r off when it comes to weather or moon phases.

I will agree with 3 out of 4. Tracking collars don't lie. Bucks go out of there core area during the rut and return till next year, not all but several do. PS I have been in the woods during the rut for 40+ years as well.

I hunt property in Louisiana along the Mississippi River where there is a late December rut. I bow to your experience certainly, just some things in this part of the country are a located a little differently on the calendar. Great video.

I'm jealous too..I love to hunt the whole month..but I really glad you laid it out ..def answered several of my questions..thx.. buddy....good luck to you too

I’ve been telling the old timers I know for years that the rut has nothing to do with the moon phase. They don’t believe a word of it. Lol. Another good one that old Timers just won’t let go is that they think every clumped poop is from a buck and pellets are only from does. They say I’m crazy when I tell them it’s just not true!

Thank you for your work

Nuh-uh you have to spend $59.99 on the pro package on an app to find out when the rut is!!!!🤣🤣 Great video!! I agree completely!!!

Thanks, Don. I couldn't agree more. So many people see a buck (That is willing and able to breed pretty well all year long) bumping a doe around in early October and say It's On! No, it's not. Also, I am a moon believer, but what that moon does has nothing to do with the time of year that the does come in. It does have to do with the time of day the deer may move. That's where the moon factor comes into play. Other than that, give me Calendar, Weather, Moon, in that order of importance. If I have the first 2, I care not what the moon phase is.

Great video, thanks for sharing your information, nice to hear from someone who is the real deal instead of armchair hunters. Cheers 🍻

Yes sir I agree with you!! 100%! A mature buck may travel 1-3 miles or more every night, so yeah your little hunting spot is not his grounds! And ofcourse you're not seeing them, they KNOW YOU'RE THERE!!!!! 😆😁

Great Video ,and always love to learn about Deers thank you

I love watching this segment! I stopped watching hunting shows a long time ago. Everything you say makes sense! Thank you so much! ive never taken a buck more than 150 on my land but I will. I have seen huge bucks on my land but never had them on camera.

16:14 is accurate for western Kentucky , every picture I have of a doe getting bred in January has been a yearling doe so far , over 10 years of pics

Thanks, finally somebody knows from experience not hearsay-what's going on. Makes sense , the mature does in nov and doe fawns by body weight . I keep hearing its weather and in the south its January. The activity in January I believe is the doe fawns in the south and nothing to do with the heat. Again thanks for the info.

Thanks for your information. I'll be hunting more for a big buck the second week in November. Great video. 👍

Your last two points are where you and I differ. Not only have I hunted for 40 years, but I manage private recreational properties with the financial resources to conduct aggressive deer surveys. There are too many variables throughout this country that can affect the movement of bucks to say new bucks do not show up during the rut. Not only has science proved bucks are capable of traveling many linear miles out of their homestead, during the rut, but I personally have documented late rut arrivals of bucks that crossed the Arkansas River due to pressure, river conditions, rutting activity and winter food sources. This particular point you make is the direct opposite of my experiences. I do appreciate your insight, and enjoyed your video.

wow, excellent information and experience. While I am not nearly as advanced as you are, I have experienced many similar things over the years being able to live in a very remote home in whitetail habitat! Thank you and keep up the great work great to see your videos!

First hand experience is the best experience! Great video Don! Keep them coming!

I really enjoyed your videos I've been very lucky in my life to harvest some mature bucks. Hunting every day time on stands but no matter how much time I hunt. I have come up what nothing. I'm 59 years old and I know I make mistakes im human. My question is in terms first part of December why am I seeing more mature buck sign . Thanks again for your video

Would buck to doe ratio's effect if those hot does are getting bread in that first couple weeks? Where I live we have a LOT of does.

Great information, thanks for sharing it.

You're spot on Don at least in regard to my farm in Southern Indiana. I've got two weeks in November of deer chasing and running all over the place and then it stops dead. I've marked it on calendars for 24 years now. Always the same timespan - two weeks. I know every buck on my property and every now and then a newcomer walks in during the rut. But not often. Love your channel. That guy from Whitetail habitat solutions makes up more crap about deer it makes your head spin. Keep it real.

Do you have a video on the Lull and your opinion on it? Would LOVE to hear your opinion on the subject.

Thank you for your wisdom

Excellent info, can't argue with a man's experience. But I swear, I don't look forward to the rut any more than any other part of deer season. In fact, it's my least favorite time. During rut a buck's behavior becomes 100% unpredictable. Since I can't control when the does come into estrus, I cannot plan for anything. I love the early season when the deer are still in their summer patterns, and then my absolute favorite time is post rut, when the bucks come back together and the priority returns to FOOD. I can scout that; plan for it; anticipate. Rut? It's just too random. Get in the woods and hope you're in the right spot for the action. Of course I hunt public land where I have ZERO control over anything. If I had food plots and bait piles and could keep pressure low I'd probably feel otherwise.

My thoughts exactly! I run cameras and I do not see "new" bucks come in the area, just bucks that have been there become more active in daylight. I know this because I run cameras year around.

Question, I hear so much about the November rut. In Alabama I have not seen the rut in November, ever. We are still waiting for it, showing signs of the next week or so of it happening. How much can the rut vary from different portions of the U.S? Maybe a video with what you have learned would be awesome! Great videos, thanks for sharing your knowledge

I’ve never hunted moon phase’s in Midwest where deer season opens November 12/26 perfect for filling tag’s always have good luck every year 💯

Well Said Don! Have Learned A Lot From You And Terry.

What’s the brand of jacket you’re wearing? Love the videos. Keep em comin.

This stuff is correct except for the new buck thing, I hunt on a river and run around 12 cell cameras and I always have tons of new bucks show up that were not there in late summer early fall period end of story. What he is saying about timing is absolutely correct I have noted what days I see the most ruttinf action and every year on those days regardless of the weather I will see very similar action. I used to think that weather had to do with it (if it was a warm fall the rut would be later, verses a cooler fall would be earlier) but I have since learned that is dead wrong, and this day length trigger explains that. Awesome video sir!

I literally just checked my trailcams and had a doe getting bred by a mature buck right in front of my cam on 10/28 🙄 (southern OH)

What camo pattern is that jacket? Where can I get it? Thanks for the video!

Man you hit this on the dot. My neighbor always says look the deer are in rut, every year because he starts seeing different bucks. Oddly we are with 500 yards of each others setup usually and we tend to have different deer consistently. I have a small 5 acres hard to hunt for sure. Neighbor has 10 next to alfalfa field.

Great video. However, down here in Jackson county Texas the bucks are full blown chasing the does the second week of October. I bow hunt here and I see it year after year. It can be 100 degrees outside and they are grunting, fighting, chasing and I assume breeding.

So,,am i to understand that my rut tactic are good all through the second half of the season ?? Not that my rut tactics are any good but i should keep ttying ?

Does this apply to the southern states like alabama ? It seems that the rut down in these lower states like Alabama Mississippi and Georgia dont start till late December early January

Sounds good. The bucks im seeing only come in to feed at night or 5 in morning.

Don, I agree with most of what you said. No disrespect to your life/hunting experiences but, there are areas in this country where the rut is in October (SE GA for example) and in January (most of central and south Alabama). I've even read that the rut in S.FL is in the spring and early summer. Not everyone who watches your videos has the Midwest as their hunting address. BTW, I've been watching KZfaq videos for years, but have never felt compelled to comment on a video - until this one. So, yes, you struck a nerve. Subscribed anyway.

Good stuff Don. 100% on board with all of it.

Great video good info I have been saying for years there is no second rut and the moon phase stuff but people will keep on saying it and believing in it lol

I enjoy your videos & respect what you have accomplished as a hunter. I agree with everything you said about the rut........for the area you hunt. I live in GA but have also hunted in Southern Illinois since 2005. If you ever want to experience firsthand the month after month breeding, just come down to hunt with me. The GA deer population is way too high. I personally have trail cam pics of spotted fawns just born in January and February. The rut starts the same time as Illinois. Also, I do not consider it to be multiple ruts but rather one long drawn out rut.

Great talk. I always thought the first good cold snap in November triggered the rut. But in researching it seems that most agree it occurs on or near the same day every year for a particular doe. You mentioned bucks stay in the same area and you never see a new buck show up during the rut. But then you mentioned bucks can smell a hot doe 1 mile away. Are you saying a buck's range is 1 mile, or that if a doe is available that bucks will travel?

Don, I tend to agree with your views on the 4 rut myths, but I do have a couple comments/clarifications based on what I’ve experienced. I spend most of my time hopping around the southern 2/3rds of Illinois hunting various chunks public/private ground. I’ve noticed that how much a buck travels during the rut is mostly dependent on terrain/structure of the land, availability of does, and individual personalities of bucks. The way I understand your property sits in East central IL, you’re basically on an island of cover, with a few fence rows and ditches. On this island, there are plenty of does, food, and cover, so you’re going to have a lot of homebodies. Then there are your bucks that tend to travel a lot more, and use those fence rows and ditches to travel checking does on various islands of cover. You’re probably better at capturing those roamers on camera than most people, so you’ll get their pictures year after year when they’re on the outskirts of their range. On different farms though, where cover is much more available all throughout that region, it’s much harder to capture those roamers on camera. You’re capturing deer on a treeline that’s 10 yards wide before it expands into a larger chunk of cover, but a lot of guys are trying to capture those roamers on 100 acres of thick honeysuckle choked timber without those small necked down pinchpoints. This is where “new” bucks come from. There’s just no way to cover all entry/exit routes into large, cover-rich farms, or even small farms in the midst of large tracts of cover. This is especially true in areas with vast expanses of river bottom timber with low-average numbers of does. Those types of areas are where bucks have to travel the most because they have to in order to find the does. Again, in my opinion, those 3 factors (terrain/structure, doe density, buck personality) affect how much and how often a mature buck travels during the rut.