Northwest Rut Report, Week 7: Montana Muleys and Whitetails Reach Peak Rut

If you’re a deer hunter in the Northwest, mid-November is when you want to cash in your vacation days and go hunting. It’s the absolute best time to be in the woods, mountains, river bottoms, high plains, and basically anywhere deer are found. The only caveat is that many seasons close just in time for the peak rut to arrive.

Many hunters in Idaho, Oregon, and Wyoming are done for the year. They’re stuck watching peak rut activity from the sidelines. Washington hunters are busy chasing blacktails during the late season. These elusive ungulates are nicknamed the “grey ghost” for a reason. With their penchant for thriving in thick rainforests, these tricky critters are tough to spot. But hunters get the edge this time of year.

This week, Washington hunters started to report a dramatic increase in buck movement during daylight hours. From trail cam photos to in-person sightings, bucks are starting to move throughout the day as they enter the seeking phase of the rut. This is especially true in the more Northern regions. Bucks of all ages are looking for hot does in full force.

Don’t Miss: The Top Big-Game Cartridges, According to Boone and Crockett

Meanwhile, Montana’s general-season hunters are enjoying the peak of the rut for both whitetails and mule deer. While Montana’s mule deer have been seeking, chasing, and fighting for over a week, whitetails have finally entered the seeking phase. Whitetail bucks of all age classes are moving at all hours of the day in search of hot does.

During a hunting trip yesterday, I glassed up two mature whitetail bucks running in the wide open on public land at about noon. Today, in the duck blind, I watched a group of whitetail does feed along the edge of the river. About an hour after shooting light, a stud of a whitetail buck ran into view and quickly moved in the direction the does were headed. While I would’ve loved to trade in the shotgun for a rifle, we were in an area that is draw-only for whitetails and the odds weren’t in my favor.

Montana’s mule deer are headed toward the lockdown phase, but it’s still easy to spot bucks cruising for does. For example, I saw over a dozen mule deer bucks chasing does yesterday. However, I’m now seeing more breeding behavior. A blind-in-one-eye 4x4 took up residence at my house on Wednesday as he tended to a doe for a little over 24 hours. If your season is still open in the Northwest, you won’t get a better shot at filling a tag than right now.