Throwing in some judicious rattling or grunting is fine. However, with so much movement already naturally occurring, there's no point in trying to push the deer. Moreover, deer are so widely scattered and unpredictable in their locations at this time, it also makes driving one of the least productive methods.

MISTAKE NUMBER 11
Avoiding feeding areas. The old school of thought used to be that bucks don't feed during the rut. They're too obsessed with breeding to worry about eating. Bucks do lose up to a fourth of their body weight during the rut. But much of that is from wearing off calories. Fact is bucks do eat during the rut, just not as much. That's why nourishment sources, such as food plots or crop fields or areas with abundant acorns, can still be good spots to hunt even during the breeding period.

Even if bucks didn't eat during the rut, does definitely do. And where the does go during the rut, bucks follow. In fact, feeding areas are good spots for bucks to visit between does to pick up a new mate. Far from avoiding them, you should devote a good deal of your time to hunting these key spots during the mating season.

MISTAKE NUMBER 12
Not being mentally ready when a split second chance for a trophy comes. Often during the rut, movement tends to be helter-skelter and chaotic. Deer seem to move this way, then that. When they are chasing does or actively searching for them, you may see a buck for a matter of just seconds.

This is very different from non-rutting periods when activity is less frenetic and more patternable. You might have a buck wander down toward a food source and be able to watch him for long minutes, study the rack, get settled and take a slow methodical shot.

During the rut, you'll likely come home empty-handed if you take that much time. Certainly, you want to be careful not to shoot a young buck or not to look at the antlers carefully enough that you make a mistake and shoot an animal you didn't really want. But the second you decide you are looking at a keeper, take the opportunity.

Raise the gun or bow, settle the cross hairs or pin and squeeze off. All this should take mere seconds. The longer you wait the more likely you'll shake or simply lose the opportunity. One second too long hesitating and that trophy may be gone.

Be ready and don't let that happen. In addition, be prepared not to make these other 11 mistakes by knowing ahead of time what they are and the steps you'll need to take to avoid them.