A big deer walks out of the thick stuff, eases down the trail, and stops broadside just 20 yards away. He scans the surroundings, sniffs the air, and lip curls for good measure. You loose an arrow and it disappears into the bucks vitals. You\u2019ve killed your buck no more than three hours after hanging that set. That\u2019s the power of being a \u201cmobile\u201d deer hunter during the rut.<\/p>\n
In the past 10 years or so we have seen a significant increase in mobile deer hunting tactics, popularity, and gear. This method, which is based on the idea of moving to where the hottest deer sign and action can be found, is used by many hunters who decide to minimize their hunting gear footprint and overall carry weight. This allows them to go farther, go quieter, and get on bucks wherever they may be.<\/p>\n
This way of hunting is so popular that entire events are hosted around the theme. Just take the Mobile Hunters Expo<\/a>, for example.<\/p>\n So, it begs the question, are mobile hunting strategies good for the rut? To answer that, we must understand the key components of the rut and mobile deer hunting.<\/p>\n The rut is one of the craziest times to be in the deer woods. You can see buck fights, hear whitetail vocalizations, and witness deer chasing and breeding. Of course, this is the window when deer move most during daylight hours. Bucks are cruising, chasing, and tending estrus does.<\/p>\n As such, hunters often need to be mobile. The action might be dead in one spot, but strong in another. Being able to pick up shop and move closer to the craziness can be effective. This might mean a mid-morning, midday, or early afternoon shift from an old stand setup to one that is actually on the \u201cX\u201d. The very nature of the rut makes it quite compatible with certain hunting types \u2014 such as mobile deer hunting.<\/p>\n Overall, this method is a version of the \u201chang-and-hunt,\u201d but it takes that mentality a step further. It essentially combines the skill sets of speed scouting an area and conducting a hang and hunt when you find a hot spot. To do this effectively, you need to have a good understanding of deer sign and terrain, and you also need to be stealthy and in decent physical shape. This gives you the ability to hike further and set up in harder-to-hunt places without spooking deer. In essence, it helps hunters escape hunting pressure, and get into areas where deer (and mature bucks) spend their daylight hours.\u00a0<\/p>\n There are numerous advantages of mobile hunting when it\u2019s done properly. Those include:\u00a0<\/p>\n As with all hunting strategies, mobile hunting during the rut does have some drawbacks as well. They include:<\/p>\n There are certain circumstances that will lead you to mobile hunting.\u00a0<\/p>\n You\u2019re new to an area. <\/strong>If you don\u2019t have historical deer activity to base your hunting spots on, then it makes sense to move around and hunt the hottest sign.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve got increased hunting pressure. <\/strong>If your go to spots are suddenly under pressure from other hunters, it might make sense to push deeper and find new areas.<\/p>\n Your target buck is dead.<\/strong> There\u2019s no sense hunting a ghost. Time to find new ground and new deer.<\/p>\n Your best stands aren\u2019t producing anymore.<\/strong> Patience is key to killing big deer, but sometimes you have to admit that what you\u2019re doing isn\u2019t working and you need to move.<\/p>\n You know where the \u201cX\u201d is, but you\u2019re not on it.<\/strong> If you have a very good idea of where a target buck is moving, but you don\u2019t have a stand set for that spot, then there\u2019s only one thing to do \u2014 move in quietly and kill him.<\/p>\n You\u2019re seeing good daytime deer activity. <\/strong>If you\u2019re seeing good action from your go-to stands, then remain patient. Moving around the woods and spreading scent could decrease activity.<\/p>\n You\u2019re hunting a prime \u201crut funnel\u201d.<\/strong> When deer are moving around like crazy during the rut, sometimes it makes the most sense to just sit still and wait for them to come by. One of these situations is when you\u2019ve got a good spot that funnels a lot of deer through\u2014and you\u2019ve got it all to yourself.\u00a0<\/p>\n You\u2019re hunting the big woods.<\/strong> Brett Joy is an experienced big woods hunter and he strongly believes in picking one spot and waiting there for as long as it takes. That\u2019s because big woods landscapes are so large that it takes bucks several days to make their circuit. Moving around means you\u2019ll likely miss that buck when he does come through. Of course, you\u2019ve got to very carefully pick the spot you plan to wait. Learn about how to do that here.<\/a><\/p>\n Oftentimes, mobile deer hunting involves selecting from top-end, ultra-light items. (Rest assured you\u2019ll find hefty price tags, but budget allowing, it\u2019s worth it.) Compact, lightweight items can make it possible to hike long distances and challenging terrain. Plus, much of the mobile hunting gear is designed to be quiet and efficient.<\/p>\n At its core, the concept of mobile deer hunting requires minimalism on all fronts. Either an ultra-lightweight treestand and sticks or saddle system checks that box. Furthermore, this generally means a more compact weapon, pack, and less gear all around.<\/p>\n It even means not bringing any gear that isn\u2019t absolutely necessary. Those extra \u201cmaybe\u201d items take up space and room, and are obsolete more times than not. Instead of toting everything you might ever need, stick to the essentials only.<\/p>\nThe Nature of the Rut<\/h2>\n
Mobile Deer Hunting Defined<\/h2>\n
Pros of Mobile Hunting the Rut<\/h2>\n
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Cons of Mobile Hunting the Rut<\/h2>\n
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When to Go Mobile<\/h2>\n
When to Stay Put<\/h2>\n
Mobile Deer Hunting Gear<\/h2>\n
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