Outdoor tips with Jack Morris
BY JACK MORRIS
Sunday, December 16, 2012
12/17/12 at 2:44 AM
Listen to tips from Jack Morris Listen to a conversation about the second rut
with Jack Morris.
Round two on the whitetail rut may be
something for archery hunters to think about
in the days to come.
Does that have not been bred may come
into estrous again 30 days after their last
cycle, and it results in bucks doing some
rutting behavior, although it usually is not so
intense as the first time around.
Lately I’ve been noticing signs where bucks
have been coming back to freshen some
scrapes and hit some rubs here in northeast
Oklahoma.
This might be a good time to scout a little
and consider putting a portable stand into
use to close the gap on areas where you see
increased activity.
These bucks are going to be around thick
cover and following groups of does out to agriculture
fields or acorn ridges where they are
searching for food. Colder weather would help
in patterning the deer but, generally, younger
and older does will travel to favored food
sources and those older bucks will just kind of
roll out behind them. It’s a good opportunity
for an archery hunter.
Scents and sounds can come into play
but be aware the rut is less intense this time
around. That said, it’s not a bad idea to have
a grunt call or rattling antlers along in case
you spot a buck and think you might be able
to get him to come closer. A mock scrape isn’t
a bad idea if you want to see if you can draw
something around, but I wouldn’t put one up
without a trail camera to let you know if it
draws some interest.
Mostly, it’s a time to be aware of bedding
areas, feeding areas, and to target those
scrapes and rubs on the travel corridors between
those locations.
Jack Morris is a professional guide and host of
Outdoor Trails Thursday nights at 6 p.m. on KTBZ
am1430. Contact him at 918-691-3840, jackswildlife@
cox.net or see tulsaworld.com/jackmorris.
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