When most hunters think of taking a trophy buck, they picture a cool November day with a buck chasing does around in circles because he is in rut.
Even though it is arguably the most popular time to harvest a mature deer, that doesn’t mean it’s the ONLY time. Early season can be an excellent time to take a dominant buck as well.
The tactics to take that buck, however, are completely different from early season compared to the fall rut.
First of all, when I say “early season” I am primarily talking about September and the first couple of weeks in October. During this time temperatures are usually cool in the mornings and then begin to rise as the day goes on. Sometimes during those first few weeks of season it can still be flat-out hot.
Obviously this determines deer movement the most. Which means the first question to ask yourself is “where,” as in, “Where do I need to hunt?”
