Whitetail Rut up North

[huntnrich]

Me and my cousin go up to Unit #1 to hunt whitetails(I love whitties). We've been going up usually around Nov 13th thru the 20th. We'll it seems the bucks are just getting hot when we leave, so this year we decided to go up Nov 25th thru Dec 1st, but we've been hearing stuff that sounds like the rut might be happening a little early this year. Anyway I'd love to hear any information for you gentlemen up North.

Thanks
Rich

 

[enysse]

The rut is basically the same time every year, the hunting picks up Nov.1 and peaks around the 12th and 13th of Nov. and quiets down by the 25th of Nov.

Prime time hunting is the 6th of Nov. through the 18th of Nov. every year.

 

[huntnrich]

In North Idaho out of the last 5 years. We've headed home on the 20th. The last 2 days we've been there, the bucks where going nutsl. I hunted Alberta Canada 2 years in a row. The first time I went up there they told me the last week of Nov was 80% the best for rutting action. When we got there the rut was post, they said OH you should have been here last week, the bucks where going nuts. Then the next year we went the last week of Nov(24-30th), and they where crazy. I shot a 160" buck that was with a doe along with 8 other bucks fighting over her, so I don't buy your every year is same in Canada or Idaho. It might be that way in WI I don't know. Thanks for your advise.

 

[NDHunter]

In North Idaho out of the last 5 years. We've headed home on the 20th. The last 2 days we've been there, the bucks where going nutsl. I hunted Alberta Canada 2 years in a row. The first time I went up there they told me the last week of Nov was 80% the best for rutting action. When we got there the rut was post, they said OH you should have been here last week, the bucks where going nuts. Then the next year we went the last week of Nov(24-30th), and they where crazy. I shot a 160" buck that was with a doe along with 8 other bucks fighting over her, so I don't buy your every year is same in Canada or Idaho. It might be that way in WI I don't know. Thanks for your advise.

From what I've read, the rut all across North America is triggered ONLY by the decreasing amount of daylight. Not weather, moon phase, or anything else. Activity can definitely be affected by outside variables but doe's will be bred at the same time every year in each local region.

 

[enysse]

You are right it depends where you live, how active the bucks will be? In the Wisconsin and Illinois, you have gun seasons going nuts at the end of November, so deer activity really goes on at night. I'm sure its the same way in the pressured areas of the Dakotas and Minnesota.

Canada is a whole different story the deer up there are not hunted near as hard as the US for the most part. And I'm sure in area of very little hunting the majority of the rut activity occurs Oct. 24 - Dec. 5.

Weather and hunting pressure affect deer movement a lot!

 

[huntnrich]

Thanks guys, I just hate to make a mistake and leave when the bucks are going crazy.

 

[backstraps]

huntnrich - I have always wanted to hunt Whitetail. Being from Utah and on a limited budget i have never had the oppertunity.

Had always been content with Mule deer and elk, but now I would love to expand my hunting and try for Whitetail.

Is there a lot of public ground in unit 1 or are there other units up north where a first timmer diy guy can cut his teeth?

I primarily bow hunt, but am open to any hunting. Thanks for any advice from anyone. Dave

 

[Jon Boy]

Ive always been told, as well as witnessed it for myself, thanksgiving week every year in idaho. Never gone before that and thats when ill be going this year as well.

 

[THEBUGLER]

The whitetails in North Idaho are just barely getting started. A week ago it was very quiet and not much daytime movement. With the weather moving in right now and timing, things will start picking up. You cant go wrong after the 20th - Dec1st, that's when the big boys start running!

 

[huntnrich]

Thanks Dirk for your info, We've moved are hunt up to Nov 20th thru the 27th,(that's right my wife is furious with me for missing Thanksgiving). I'll post pictures if we're successful when I get home.
Backstraps, We've never had much of a problem with private property. Idaho has lots of public land, God Bless Idaho I love hunting up there.

 

[chipmunksniper]

Went out Sunday morning and cut a bunch of fresh tracks in the snow but was only able to see one doe. I found one fresh rub but there doesn't seem to be much rutting action going on yet. I think the bucks are still in nocturnal mode. I'm taking next week off so hopefully things will pick up by then! last year i didn't really start seeing bucks until around the 15th or 16th and ended up rattling one in on the 21st. good luck!

 

[tocs]

The later the better. I just returned home from Idaho,the last day that I hunted out there was on the 19th. Packed up the 20th and flew home the 21st.Your preferred time would be from the 20th on through the close of the season on December 1st.

 

[tim]

the local biologist in coeur d alene told me the 3rd week of november.
My expierence has been the 18-26, or thanksgiving week. I do live here in north idaho.

 

[huntnrich]

Well, we got back from Whittie hunting in Idaho. We hunted Nov 18th thru 23rd. We hunted up high in unit #1 but the snow got so deep it was hard to get around, plus we didn't see much game(except moose). There was lots of new tracks, just didn't see much rutting action. We ended up back down to 10a for the rest of the hunt, again we didn't see much rutting action, but we got 1 nice 4 to 5 year old buck. I'm just curious with you guys that live up there, when did you guys see the most rutting action this year? I thought I was going to stroke me a wolf, I could hear him howling and he was close, I cut his tracks and followed him for the entire day but couldn't keep up with him. For them tree huggers that don't think the wolf is hurting other game, between 2 of us hunting we never seen a elk track, when years ago, we'd see hundreds of elk in the same place.