Does a buck have a travel route that he takes regularly during the rut or does he go with the wind? If seen at a specific area today will he be in that area tomorrow? Thanks Daniel

My observation last three years running: Unless locked on a doe that is really close to standing for the mount up, he'll leave if he gets a whiff of an alternative potential POA. Three years ago, rut was on, saw the buck a minute or two behind a doe. This was a new travel route for him, he had never been seen live or on camera. Killed him. Two years ago during rut, saw a great buck a few times before rut. Rut gets going, saw him several hundred yards away from his normal path, trailing a doe, he broke off, let her go, came towards me and I killed him. This year, rut is on, see a buck that had never been seen live or on camera, he was pretty close behind a doe, killed him. He was new to the area after rut had been on a few days.

wind literally

he checking the wind and ground, he may move to down wind side of feeders, scrapes etc to scent check


this is post rut(north of 10 and or 35) bucks are in feed pattern, very perfectible

agree with above, no predictability during the rut. At all.

Post rut when it gets cold, bucks will hit food very predictably