Avoid These Things on Your 5-Day Guided Ohio Deer Hunt

At Rut Chasers, LLC, we understand why hunters come to Ohio. You're here to hunt mature whitetails, and hopefully go home with a buck you'll remember for the rest of your life. But we've learned that some of the things some hunters want to do that definietly doesn't help. You can't expect harvesting a giant whitetail to be so easy that you should be done by day 2, or even guaranteed at all.  It's about being in the right place, hunting hard, staying patient, and trusting your guide. The biggest thing you have to remember is that 5 days is 5 days. Hunting is great here and can absolutely produce a big buck if you hunt hard for 5 days in Ohio. But it's not a video game. There are no guarantees, even if you do everything right.  Keep that in mind and consider the fact you're not buying a deer; you're paying for a 5-day pursuit of a wild animal. So patience is the key. Here are some impatient traits we see in some hunters in camp that can hurt your success.

1: Stop Asking to Be Moved

We will move you if we think it's in your best interest.

Yes, we have plenty of hunting locations. But when you arrive at camp, we put you in a specific location because we believe it's one of your best opportunities for that five-day hunt. There is a reason you're in that spot. We've looked at the trail-camera activity. We know what deer have been using the area, what mature bucks have been hitting it, and when. You don't have that same information sitting in the blind for a few hours.

Then you sit one day, don't see your buck, and think, "I need to move."

Here's the problem.

For argument's sake, let's say we have 10 guys in camp and we initially put you all in what we believe are the top 10 spots. By day two, several of those guys already want to move; then even more people want to move by day 3

Now we're potentially putting some of those impatient hunters in spots that, in our eyes rank 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th, instead of trusting the best spots we had for all you guys.

All that musical chairs, and you could end up hunting a spot we never intended to put anyone in.

Moving isn't necessarily creating a better opportunity. You're often trading a spot we carefully selected for a spot we know is less likely to produce. Now you're giving up on a blind that has a 150-inch deer hitting it for a spot that all it has going for it is the fact that it's new to you. Not a smart strategy! No matter the spot, it could still take all week to get a shot at a mature buck; it's just that now you're in a spot that either has smaller bucks or less activity than your "Plan A" spot

Mature Bucks Don't Punch a Time Clock

A mature buck doesn't have to show himself every day. He doesn't have to visit the bait at 6:00 p.m. every evening. He doesn't care that you only have five days to hunt him.

Sometimes it takes four, five, or more days of hard and careful hunting to get a shot at a trophy buck. And sometimes you won't be successful on that five-day trip. That's hunting mature fair-chase whitetails.

If I book a hunt with an outfitter (and I have many times over the years), I stay where he tells me to stay until he decides it's time to move. Why would I push him to move me to a spot he didn't initially think was one of the best options? Often, that outfitter will move a guy just to make him happy, knowing he is going to an inferior spot. Don't be that guy who guides the guide!

We've seen it many times: the spot you hate because you haven't seen a big buck in four days instantly becomes your favorite farm when that buck shows up on day five, and you realize your outfitter knew what he was talking about. A hunt location is not defined by 1, 2, or even 5 days of hunting!

If Killing a Deer is Important...

You would be surprised by how many guys expect to kill on the first or second day. They don't realize that their decisions may be the biggest reason they haven't seen a deer. Many guys are frantic to kill a deer, yet as soon as it gets dark, they're busting them off the minute the shooting light ends to get back to the lodge or meet their buddies at Buffalo Wild Wings. Don't you think that will affect your hunt for the next several days? Your target buck could be staging at a distance, and he sees the other deer run off every night at 7:45  as you're zipping zippers and clanging and banging and marching out at last light. No one can be perfect, but do your best to wait and leave the spot undetected, even if it means waiting a bit. Would you rather wait 15-20 min for the deer to leave or hunt for a deer for the next 4 days that won't show because you blew him out on day 1?

Most times, hunters would harvest a buck if they listen to their guide rather than worry about moving to another spot. Not to mention, you wouldn't want a bunch of guys each messing up 3 or 4 spots each before you got to hunt there, would you? We work hard and invest a ton of money in bait and other resources to give our hunters the best possible chance at harvesting a buck! But you need to do your part, especially if you're super eager to go home with a buck.

Let Your Guide Make the Call

We know what's on camera, which deer have been moving, and which spots are most active.

If we think moving you is the right decision, we'll move you.

If we tell you to stay put, there's a reason.

Give the spot a chance. Give the deer a chance. Give your guide a chance. 

Personally, if I were booking a guided hunt (and I have been on many), I'd rather be the guy who isn't a thorn in the outfitter's side, knowing he'll take care of the guys he wants to rebook! 

Part 2: "Complain That The Wind Is Wrong"

Another common reason we hear for wanting to move is:

"The wind is wrong for this spot."

This is usually an excuse to move because hunters feel they will have a better chance elsewhere.

Yes, Wind matters, but hunting mature whitetails over bait in Ohio is different from hunting a traditional food source or field edge. It just is!

Imagine if every time the wind direction or the forecast changed, we had to uproot everyone in camp and make sure this group of 3 guys who rode together had a spot where they could hunt together, and this guy can't hunt a tree stand, and so on. It is not possible to move everyone in camp every time the wind shifts. The wind forecasts aren't accurate most of the time anyway, especially when it gets still at last light. 

Besides all of this...The truth is, mature deer approach from all different directions on the vast majority of our setups. That's not a fault in our setups; that's the nature of hunting a bait state like Ohio.

A buck may approach from downwind, circle, hang up, stand in cover and watch, or inspect the bait from a safe position before committing. If not him, then a mature doe looking to bust you at primetime will!

Unless you have a genie in your pocket or a magic wand, you're going to be downwind of a deer pretty much every hunt.

That's reality.

This is why we preach scent control so much. That's also why we keep adding enclosed blinds to our setups, especially for early- and late-season hunts.

But here's the other side: hunters have complained about wind direction while they're smoking, vaping, chewing tobacco, skipping scent control, or leaving the blind windows open.

You can't complain about the wind while giving the deer every reason to smell you!

Do your scent control. Keep the windows shut. Hunt smart!

Don't use the wind as an excuse to abandon a location that we believe is the best option for you in 5 days.

Part 3: Stop Obsessing Over Trail-Camera Pictures

We understand why hunters want trail-camera pictures. You're excited and want to know how active the shooter bucks are.

But the trail-camera obsession has gotten out of hand.

We even get people asking where they will be sitting and what deer they'll be hunting 2 months from now. Obviously, there is zero chance of knowing which deer you'll be hunting. We don't even know what deer you will hunt a week out because we are trying to put everyone in the best possible places, and most times that changes even a day before the hunt!

And let's be honest, some hunters won't hunt a spot unless their deer is practically camped out on the bait pile.

That's not how mature whitetails work.

Mature Bucks Don't Show Up Every Day

A mature whitetail that has survived 4 or 5+ hunting seasons didn't get that old by being predictable. A buck may show on camera and then disappear for several days. He might show every day for a week and then not show for 2 weeks. Weather conditions, food sources, water, and the hunters themselves can play a role.

If you're patiently hunting a spot we told you to be and the buck doesn't show for 2-3 days, don't automatically assume the spot is no good. Stay on it because it's better to stick with "plan A" than move to a lesser alternative spot. Deer worth killing take patient, consistent, and hard hunting. Sometimes it takes 5 days for that deer to show. Bouncing to 4 different spots in 5 days just ends up putting you in spots you wouldn't want to be in.  Plan A becomes plan X, Y, or Z. Remember, if everyone in camp wanted to move spots constantly, where does that put you when you move?

STICK TO THE PLAN!

Trust us, we've tried chasing daylighting deer like a frustrating game of whack-a-mole. You're often better off hunting a deer that hasn't shown up for several days because he is more likely to show during your five-day hunt.

Hunt the Deer, Not the Camera

This becomes even more important during the pre-rut and rut!

How many times has a hunter asked us, "What time is my buck daylighting" on November 4th?

Our answer is: Get in the stand.

Those pre-rut/rut bucks aren't interested in standing on a corn pile in daylight for photo ops. They're cruising by and looking for does.

Some of our hardest hunters have killed many mature bucks cruising in the middle of the day, just out of reach of that "almighty trail camera". Meanwhile, the impatient hunter leaves at 9:00 a.m. because his buck hasn't got his picture taken in the daylight. Little did he know the deer walked in range of the treestand at midday!

Simply put, if we relied on trail cams for intel in late October to mid-to-late November instead of just hunting where we know we have big deer, we would be lost.

In the Pre-rut and rut, you need to forget the cameras and just hunt!

We have been lenient in the past, but our policy is not to hand out a bunch of trail cam photos to everyone. Not only is this time-consuming and becomes a full-time job, but people get mad because they want to kill this deer or that deer. There is a reason why outfitters don't do this!  We promise you will be in the best spot possible. Our success speaks for itself! When you get to camp, we will put you where we think is best and go over what deer you will be targeting at that time!

Part 4. Your Hunt Dates Are Your Hunt Dates

When you book a five-day hunt with an outfitter, those are your five days. You can't hunt for a couple of days, go home, and come back later when a cold front arrives. You can't hand-pick better dates after seeing the forecast, either.

When you book a five-day hunt, you're at the mercy of the weather.

We understand that cold fronts can get deer moving, and we'd love for every hunter to experience perfect conditions. But the weather doesn't cooperate with everyone's schedule, and we can't rearrange hunts every time the forecast changes.

We also can't bring hunters back for additional days for free, especially when doing so would affect other booked hunters. What happens when 20 guys all want to come back for the first cold front in November? There simply aren't enough dates, locations, or resources to accommodate everyone, and then everyone else's hunt suffers.

Our hunts are very affordable compared with many other operations. We work hard to provide a quality experience without charging the thousands of dollars more that some competitors charge. Quite frankly, we wouldn't have a business if everyone expected to return for free whenever they wanted better weather.

We have to plan our season, manage our properties, schedule our hunters, and operate a business. That's how we're able to keep our hunts affordable and provide opportunities for the people who book with us.

We will do everything we reasonably can to give you the best possible hunt during your scheduled dates. But we cannot control the weather, guarantee a cold front, or offer unlimited return trips until conditions are perfect.

Book your dates, prepare for changing weather, and make the most of your time in Ohio. Hunt hard for all five days, trust your guide, and understand that sometimes the best opportunities come when you least expect them.

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5. Stop Worrying About What We Post on Facebook

We get people worried if we are killing too many deer and the same guys worried if we aren't killing deer. lol 

We also get plenty of texts asking why we aren't posting trail-camera pictures

Sometimes we're busy tending to hunters, tracking deer, running baits. Sometimes we don't post dead deer because we simply don't have hunters in camp. Most times we're simply too busy doing our jobs instead of spending our time updating Facebook. 

It doesn't mean the deer aren't there, and it doesn't mean we're not working hard to give our hunters a great experience.

It also doesn't make sense to post every picture of every buck on our properties. There are obvious reasons we don't do that. When every buck is posted online, everyone starts fighting and clawing over which deer they want to hunt. We don't need hunters worrying about a particular buck they saw in a picture long before their hunt even begins. For all we know, that deer could get hit by a car, move to the neighbor's property, or get shot by somebody else's arrow before you ever arrive.

Deer are wild animals. Their movements change, and their circumstances change. A daylight picture today doesn't guarantee what you'll encounter even a week from now from that blind.

We have to make decisions based on current activity, available information, and the best interests of everyone in camp. That's our job as an outfitter.

We're putting in the work behind the scenes, whether we're posting pictures or not. When you arrive, we'll get you settled in, put you in a location we believe gives you a good opportunity, and help you make the most of your five days.

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Your Five Days Matter

At Rut Chasers, LLC, we take tremendous pride in the hunts we provide. We firmly believe that we offer one of the best possible Ohio whitetail hunting experiences for the money. There are outfitters charging thousands of dollars more than we do, taking many more hunters, and even with all that, they are killing fewer deer. We put our success per hunter up against any operation in Ohio. And despite that, we're still one of the most affordable, quality whitetail hunts not only in Ohio, but throughout the country. Most importantly, your success is our success. 

We remember the hunters who listen to their guides, hunt hard, tip, and don't constantly second-guess every decision we make.

Trust Your Guide

You came to Ohio to hunt a mature fair chase whitetail.

He may not show on day one.

He may not show on day three.

He may not show on camera.

The wind may not be perfect all day every day.

That's hunting.

Sometimes you won't be successful. Sometimes it takes four or five days to get an opportunity at the buck you're after.

We put you in that blind for a reason.

Now hunt it.