Mike Giles photoBucks like this one are starting to chase does all around the state as the onset of the rut begins. This picture of a buck searching for a doe was taken just inside a wood line near a grown up field.

The unmistakable aroma of a rutting buck permeated the air and stopped me dead in my tracks as I slipped through the woods on a midmorning hunt in search of a buck. Somewhere near, but unseen, stood a musty rutting buck.

Try as I might I never laid eyes on that buck but I’m sure he was there. The bucks were already working on their territorial markers and leaving calling cards as fresh rubs and scrapes were everywhere.

As I made my way along a small creek, I heard the tell tale whistling of wood ducks. Easing to the bank of the creek, I was greeted with one of the most beautiful sights in the outdoors. A group of colorful drake wood ducks and hens were busy feeding, cavorting and preening in their peaceful sanctuary.

Such are the added pleasures gained from stalking silently through the vacated mid-morning woods. My routine included stepping three to five steps, then scanning the surrounding woods for any sign of a deer, before moving again. This stop and go technique has provided me with many unusual animal sightings and kills on my scouting trips. Some of my biggest deer have been taken in this manner, in areas that I have never hunted before.

If you will notice, undisturbed deer and animals will always move a few steps, stop and look, before moving on. One mistake and they may pay with their very life. It’s that important to them.

As I stood overlooking a creek bottom, a young buck suddenly strode into view. From my vantage point, I watched him rake his antlers on an overhanging limb and then make a scrape. This went on for a few minutes before he decided to move on down his scrape line. Slowly moving uphill, I was met with the pungent aroma of a rutting buck. The deer was close, but had he spotted me? If he had fled the scene, he had been quiet about it. But just maybe he hadn’t seen or smelled me, if he was still over the crest of the ridge.

Standing still for a full five minutes, I deduced the buck was straight over the peak of the ridge as the wind blew steadily from that direction. When I could stand it no longer, I moved a scant four steps forward. I could see the crest of the ridge but saw no deer. Moving a bit closer positioned me where I could see the top of the ridge. And still no deer was to be seen. The smell never wavered, though I had yet to see anything.

As I moved forward and stopped once again, the rutting buck suddenly appeared like a phantom and disappeared behind a pine top a scant 10 yards to my left. Though I could see beyond the brush top and on either side, the buck had seemingly vanished into thin air.

I raised my rifle and aimed in the direction of the brush top in anticipation though nothing appeared. Had he spotted the movement of my rifle through the pine top? Muscles began to tighten and burn, as I wondered if I could hold out until the buck made his move.

Finally, he emerged from behind the top, and I centered the crosshairs on his neck and squeezed the trigger. As the rifle roared the buck dropped instantly a scant 20 feet away.

I usually don’t know where the right place will be until I smell that musty buck, or he appears right in front of me. If you want to kill that buck of a lifetime, then you need to head to the woods every chance you get, as the bucks are sure to be on the move with the rut coming soon.

Once the rut shifts into high gear the bucks will go crazy searching for hot does. With their hormones raging and scent glands working overtime, bucks of all sizes will be on the move and leaving their musty calling cards on overhanging limbs, on rubs and in scrapes.

It is during these times when even seasoned bucks will become most vulnerable. By using all your senses, including your sense of smell, you just might smell out that old buck before he sees or smells you and harvest the buck of a lifetime.

Call Mike Giles at 601-917-3898 or email mikegiles18@comast.net.