Northeast Rut Report, Week 3: Big Weather Shift and Big Buck Encounters

The Northeast put on quite a show last week. The past seven days brought a significant change in deer behavior, coinciding perfectly with a swing in weather. As rubs and scrapes continue to build on field edges and throughout the timber, it’s clear that the bucks are getting a little more frisky with each passing day. We’re in the heart of October, and it feels like the rut is just on the horizon.

This week kicked off with mild, seasonal temperatures, luring many hunters into the stand to enjoy some early autumn action. However, a strong cold front and rains moved through at the tail end of the weekend. Early in the week, the mercury plummeted, bringing with it a surge in deer movement. Bucks that had been relatively low-key suddenly seemed more willing to stretch their legs, feeding in daylight hours and venturing farther from their secluded haunts.

Many hunters reported unexpected encounters with heavy-racked bucks, some of which ended with a successful tag punched, while others—like mine—left us shaking our heads in disbelief. My number one target buck, a gnarly multi-point monarch that I’ve been chasing for two seasons, stepped out of the timber and walked across 250 yards of goldenrod to feed in a food plot with plenty of daylight to spare.

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My heart raced as I prepared for the shot while he fed at just 45 yards. Unfortunately, as is often the case in bowhunting, the angle wasn’t quite right. I waited, hoping for him to come closer and visit the licking branch at just 24 yards or offer up a shot at the longer distance, but the swirling breeze betrayed me. One tiny whiff of human scent, and that buck bolted without offering a split second for me to launch an arrow. That encounter didn’t end with a trophy photo, but it certainly confirmed that big bucks are on their feet and daylight active.

This week felt like anything but the dreaded October lull. The combination of cooler weather and increasing buck activity closely resembled what we typically see in the early days of November, when the pre-rut is kicking into high gear. There were even reports of a light dusting of snow in higher elevations and across the northernmost states in the region. It was an exciting week for many, with both bucks and does hitting the dirt as hunters took advantage of the cold snap.

One theme I’ve noticed from reports across the region is the importance of food and how many hunters are still employing that as a part of their strategy. Bucks are still feeding heavily, and they’re focusing on high-quality browse, acorns, and agricultural crops. If you’re not keyed in on food sources, now’s the time to make that adjustment and do it quickly because once younger bucks begin to harass does, sightings will drop considerably in open areas.

Deer remain creatures of habit this time of year, and food remains a critical part of their daily routine. If you can find where they’re feeding, you’ll likely find the bucks. And where you find the bucks we’ve heard reports of tolerance of each other's presence—but with an increased amount of sparing, posturing, and scraping. They’re definitely setting the tone for the weeks to come.

Looking ahead, we’re expecting a bit of a warm-up, and deer activity might slow down slightly in the coming days. Hunters will likely spend fewer hours on stand, and reports of buck movement might taper off as the heat and bright nights make the deer a little more nocturnal. With the rut looming just weeks away, now is not the time to let your guard down. Big changes can happen at any moment, and that next sit could be the one where everything comes together.

So, even as the weather warms and daylight activity might slow, I encourage you to stay diligent. Keep putting in the hours on stand, especially near food sources in the mornings and evenings. The next few weeks will see deer activity build toward the rut, and the bucks that are still roaming in bachelor groups will soon be vying for dominance. It’s an exciting time to be in the woods, and there’s no telling when that perfect buck will waltz out. Here’s to enjoying the sights and sounds of nature, filling the freezer, hanging bone on the wall, and making memories that will last a lifetime.