Ben from TX asks,
Hey Bill, hope all is well. I should draw a tag in southern Iowa this year. Due to other planned hunts, family and work, I will be hunting November 13th-20th. I would have preferred a different time but I still think this will be good hunting as the bucks should still be cruising coming out of lockdown. That is my opinion anyway. My question is, what would be you plan/tactics during this week of hunting? It will all be on public land and I expect less pressure then rather than early November. Thank you
Bill responds,
Topic: Hunting Bucks during the Rut Lockdown:
When hunting the middle of November in the Midwest, you have the challenge of dealing with the lockdown stage of the rut – when many of the does are in estrus. This can be a tough time to tag a buck unless you hunt right where the does are living – usually in isolated places where they won’t be constantly bothered by every buck in the area.
Ben,
You are right about the pressure, but that timeframe is notorious for lockdown here in the Midwest. The peak of breeding is November 15, every year (plus or minus a day) and that means that maximum number of does will be in estrus at that time and the bucks will be with them and not as actively cruising. I have shot some bucks during this time over the years, but not very many. The build up prior to November 13 and the drop off after November 20 (when less does are in estrus) are better than the very middle of November, but that doesn’t help you.
Your best opportunity is go deep into the thickest cover you can find in the most isolated parts of the public areas and hope a buck and doe have holed up there – or hope a hot doe brings a buck into that area while you are there. That is very possible – these are the kinds of places they go (as well as wide open areas) during the peak of breeding to escape other bucks.
Don’t expect to see very many bucks actively cruising by themselves at this time in the traditional funnels that might work during early and late November.
Go in deep (ideally near the thickets) and stay all day and you are doing about all you can at that time. Good luck. (5/27/21)
