Versus Rut Report

The annual Versus Rut Report is back and better than ever. For 2011, the Versus Rut Report is featuring a variety of well-known, expert hunters located throughout the country. We are honored that Brett Miller, online hunting editor at NBCSports.com, asked Hank Parker Jr. to contribute reports throughout the season. This page lists Hank Jr.'s reports and observations during the 2011 season.

Please click here to access each weekly report from the other writers participating in the Versus Rut Report for 2011.

Posted Nov. 10, 2011
Finally, the month we wait all year for, November. This is my favorite time of the year, the temperatures start to drop, the leaves are showing fall colors and best of all, the deer are on the move. There is nothing like being in the stand on that perfect day, when bucks are cruising and chasing does everywhere. The anticipation is at an all-time high because you know at any given moment the biggest buck of your life could come in right on the heels of a hot doe.

This November, the full moon is on the 10th. I am writing this from my stand on the 6th and I am in Minnesota of all places. The rut usually begins with younger bucks chasing does before the time is just right.

That is what I am seeing now, lots of young deer up on their feet anticipating the yearly breeding cycle. My brother Billy "Catfish" Parker has been hunting in Ohio and is seeing the same thing as what's going on in Minnesota. The full moon should start the onset of the does going into their estrus cycle. The big boys know when it's time. And, when the time is right, these bucks will lose their minds! The bucks that only move in the dark will now stand in cut corn fields, open woods, and on the side of the highway all in broad daylight.

There will be a short period when these bucks are on lockdown - when the bucks are breeding their does. When this period is over, those bucks will frantically be looking for other does. Good luck and enjoy the best month of the year!

Posted Oct. 20, 2011
Well, so far 2011 has been a tough season for me. I have been on four hunts and have yet to have drawn my bow! Several friends have sent me photos of their great deer. Seeing the success my buddies are having is like rubbing salt in the wound.

I have been in Kentucky, South Dakota, and North Carolina on deer hunts and I have two words for you: "October Slump". It seems like this is the time of year when mature bucks go into hiding before the rut. This can be a very difficult time to get a good shot on a big buck.

This is an ideal portion of the season to focus on food sources. Here in North and South Carolina we experienced a good acorn crop this season. This can be good and bad. The abundance of acorns provides food for the deer, but without a concentration of acorns in one area deer can feed nearly anywhere. If you can find areas where deer are using a certain oak tree or group of acorn trees, you can really use C'Mere Deer to set up a good ambush point.

I hunted in South Dakota the first week of October and the deer movement was slow, the overlying reason was epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). EHD is a waterborne disease that often kills off deer. So, not only were the deer not moving we also started finding dead bucks on a consistent basis.

I have heard several reports of the same thing happening along the Milk River in Montana. It is such a sad thing to see deer going to waste. We all know the rut is tough on bucks but it doesn't even compare to EHD. If you want to find out more about EHD, please visit this page posted on the Michigan Department of Natural Resources website.

I am ready for November! I am looking for things to turn around early. Hopefully by the last week of October deer should be on their feet moving around. Charlie Alsheimer's predictions for the best deer hunting this year are to occur November 11-17 for the North. You can find his predictions in "Deer and Deer Hunting" magazine.

The full moon is on Thursday, November 10 this year, and I love hunting the few days before the full moon. So, a good rule of thumb, only if you job allows, is to hunt all day every day in November. You are certain to hit the best hunting days of the season. I am only kidding! If you spend the entire month of November in the woods you may be without a family. What's a big buck really worth if you lose your family?

All kidding aside, my focus will be the first and second week of November and then the last week of November. I will keep an update on all the activity where I am hunting and report back to you.

Posted Oct. 6, 2011
This week on the rut report, the bucks seem to be slow, at least in my neck of the woods. I am starting to see the dreaded October slump! This is where the deer lose their velvet, break up out of bachelorgroups and slow their movement before the rut. I don't know if deer are preparing for the rut or this just a cycle they go through during this time of the year. This can be a very difficult time for hunting.

But, this will all be over shortly. I have seen the last week of October where everything can turn around for the best. Last year I was in Ohio on October 21, when a guy killed a 200-plus deer chasing a doe. So you never know "exactly" when those does will start to come in.

On the other hand I am getting a ton of pictures with my Spypoint and I have an old deer that is still very regular. I am thinking he may need to meet my Swhacker Broadhead. My focus has been to put out C'Mere Deer at different sites to pick up any pattern that I can potentially use to find big boy in his comfort zone.

Posted Sept. 22, 2011
My first hunt of the season took place in Kentucky. I had the opportunity to watch some of the bucks lose their velvet. I noticed that the bucks are breaking up and fading away from their summer pattern. In return, that puts the bucks on high alert and makes it tougher for hunters to pattern them.

I didn't take a deer during my time in Kentucky but I hope to getback the last week of October and see what happens. However, Hank Sr. harvested this buck during our Kentucky hunt. Way to go, dad!

Today, I am in elk camp in New Mexico. The bulls are a little behind schedule of where they are expected to be this time of the year. Stan Potts is in camp with us. He showed me a picture of a huge whitetail he took during the first week of Kentucky's bow season.

While you're cruising the Internet, be certain to check out our updated websites for C'Mere Deer and Swhacker Broadheads.

Posted Sept. 15, 2011
I am seeing a great buck on a regular basis in a bean field in North Carolina. He is coming to our C'Mere Deer Shake-N-Take daily. The acorns are falling and this buck has about one week before he sheds the velvet. He is showing up like clockwork and I am hoping to score before he leaves behind the summer pattern

Meanwhile, in South Carolina the deer have shed their velvet and are starting to break up and leave the summer pattern behind. I am still getting groups of deer but that big boy doesn't have as many young bucks around him like he did a couple weeks ago.

I am hoping that one last fishing trip will be the ticket for me on this deer! I am heading out to Kentucky for the state's second week of the season. From what I am hearing, the deer are still very much focused on food. I am ready to get in a tree and very excited to see the leaves change colors and watch the bucks go wild.

Posted Sept. 8, 2011
The deer in this part of South Carolina seem to rut earlier than anywhere else I have ever hunted. I am starting to see a few nice deer for this part of the country. South Carolina is not known for big bucks but it does have a great deer population.

Typically, we see rubs and scrapes begin in late September to early October, with full rut action around Halloween. Right now, our deer are in their bachelor groups and are very easy to pattern. We have deer coming to our C'Mere Deer products on a daily basis.

I live in North Carolina and the deer here are totally different. We do not have the numbers of deer South Carolina offers and our rut doesn't start until Thanksgiving. Here in North Carolina I am seeing groups of bucks feeding in bean fields. I have picked out a couple of places to hunt and have deer checking out C'mere Deer in a place where I can hang a stand. I am shooting my PSE bow at a variety of Morrell Targets and getting more excited every day about the upcoming season.

Good luck to everyone this fall.