The "Other " Hunting Rut

When the word "rut" is mentioned in a conversation among hunters, chances are the discussion will include talk of screaming bull elk, or big whitetail bucks, that for a brief period of time drop their defenses and act like teenage boys. There is another rut out there, however, that doesn't receive a lot of attention. This one affects the hunter rather than the animal and actually decreases our odds of success. Webster defines this rut as, "a fixed routine, procedure, way of acting, thinking, etc." In terms of hunting, it refers to continuing to hunt the same stands or the same areas day after day and year after year, despite results that fall short of your expectations. It is an easy trap to fall into, and a much harder one to get out of.

In the fall of 2002, I found myself in just such a rut. I had gotten into the habit of hunting one particular stand way more often than I should have. Despite having spent countless hours in this stand, I had yet to see a good buck. The thought of having to eat another bowl of deer tag soup that season was more than I could stand. I soon realized that the only way I was going to change my results was to get out of this rut and change my location.

Read the full article on www.BigGameHunt.net.