BOB WALKER'S FAVORITE EQUIPMENT FOR HUNTING DURING THE RUT

EDITOR'S NOTE: Bob Walker, a longtime, avid deer hunter, enjoys hunting deer with his bow, his black-powder gun and his rifle. You can contact Walker or his wife, Alice, at R & J Meathouse, (205) 652-2489. The Walkers do some of the most innovative things with venison as they process it, which certainly saves you time when you cook it. My family loves the Walkers' London broils that feature marinated venison steaks wrapped with bacon. They're delicious on the grill!

QUESTION: What type of gun do you shoot during the rut?

ANSWER: I use a model 700 Remington .270 with a 130-grain Remington bullet.

QUESTION: Why do you like that gun?

ANSWER: I prefer to shoot this gun during the rut because I've used it often, I know what it can do, and I have confidence in it. I believe it can do the job every time.

QUESTION: How far can you accurately shoot that .270?

ANSWER: I kill plenty of deer at a little over 300 yards with that gun.

QUESTION: What scope do you use?

ANSWER: I use a Simmons 3-9X.

QUESTION: What binoculars do you use?

ANSWER: I also like Simmons' binoculars.

QUESTION: How important are binoculars to you for hunting bucks during the rut?

ANSWER: To be honest, I don't use binoculars that much. In the woods, I'll use them a little to keep down eyestrain. But in the open, I want my hands on my gun. In the woods, the deer usually aren't moving fast unless they're chasing a doe, but in the open, they can move quickly. Since sometimes the opening isn't very wide, you need your hands on your gun during the rut, and your eye looking through the scope instead of looking through binoculars.

QUESTION: Which camouflage pattern do you prefer to wear?

ANSWER: I like Mossy Oak's Break-Up. In the woods where I hunt, my outline is my biggest concern, so I want to break up my outline.

QUESTION: What's your secret for hunting deer during the rut?

ANSWER: I rattle, and I grunt aggressively, trying to imitate a buck or several bucks chasing a doe. I'll throw the call in different directions with my hands to sound like a deer moving. I'll also change tones to sound like different deer.

QUESTION: Whose grunt call do you use?

ANSWER: I usually use my voice because I can make it sound louder than a call will. The only call I use is one made by Quaker Boy.

TOMORROW: BOB WALKER EXPLAINS HOW TO KNOW YOU'RE TAKING THE DOMINANT BUCK

Check back each day this week for more from Bob Walker...

Day 1 - Hunting During The Rut
Day 2 - Walker's Favorite Equipment For Hunting During The Rut
Day 3 - How To Know You're Taking The Dominant Buck
Day 4 - Bob Walker's Secrets To Stalk Hunting During The Rut
Day 5 - Rut Hunting Tactics That Produce Bucks

John's Journal