How To Hunt The Whitetail Rut

Login  

Navigate the Whitetail Rut

I'm really excited to bring you our third installment in our Web Class Series: How To Hunt The Whitetail Rut. Hunting all 6 phases of the annual whitetail rut can be highly successful with effective scouting, stand setup and mature buck hunting practices. Once the forecast, tracking and strategy of the whitetail rut has been completed, it is time to forecast the best days to hunt during the rut and then hit the woods! The bucks will be ready - but will you?I am thankful that you are considering this class to guide you on the path towards becoming a more consistently successful rut hunter, for the rest of your life.By the end of this web class, you will have learned the knowledge necessary to navigate not only the 7-10 day peak rut, but the entire 45 day window of rut opportunity.

Jeff playing rut poker screengrab

Learn from an innovator in Whitetail Hunting Strategies since 1986

Featuring 10 online video lessons in over 3 hours of video grouped into 3 modules. You will learn:
- All original, whitetail rut tactics and strategies that are actually effective in the real world, anywhere a whitetail roams
- That the rut offers 45 days of hunting opportunity
- What playing poker in the rut woods means for whitetails
- When the rut begins and ends, including the incredible 2nd rut and 3rd rut
- Tactics to navigate the rut weather rollercoaster
- What the rut timeline is and how to hunt all 6 phases of the rut
- How to score the sit to maximize an entire high value day of rut hunting opportunity through defined morning and evening stand locations
- What Calls to use during the rut and at which time

... and much, much more!



DSC9067

Your Instructor

Jeff Sturgis takes decades of pursuing his passion, and then professionally transfers those pursuits into the enhancement of his client’s, reader's and viewer's hunting and habitat experiences, across the entire country. Jeff prides himself in creating the healthiest free-ranging deer herds in the world of whitetails, as well as taking on the challenge of hunting the oldest bucks in the neighborhood. Jeff has been able to create, own, operate and build a successful business in the whitetail industry by focusing on the teachings of his advanced whitetail strategies, since 2005.Jeff received the QDMA's Deer Manager of the Year award in 2004, and hasn't stopped learning since. After studying and creating over 1500 whitetail videos and articles, as well as working on over 1100 client lands and counting across 26 whitetail states, Jeff is in a league of his own when it comes to the ability to design your advanced habitat, herd and hunt opportunities - anywhere a whitetail roams!


I’ve already recommended your services to some of my friends with properties.
—Rob- PA

The class did a great job of highlighting the baseline fundamentals from which to work all of the other improvements into.
—Kolby

Pure gold Jeff, thank you again!
—Edward

Great information! Of course the best way to fix a problem is to fully understand what’s actually happening! Thanks!!
—David

The only thing that is frustrating about watching your videos is I am going to have to wait another 6 months to apply a lot of what I have learned.! Keep it up!
—Chad

Unsurpassed Knowledge! If you're a serious whitetail hunter, take it to the next level with Jeff's in depth knowledge that can only be learned years experience.
—Brennen N

Without Jeff, I would have invested a lot of cash and sweat equity to yield poor results at best. Thanks for sharing the wisdom!!!
—Mike

I would highly recommend following Jeff to anyone who is serious about managing for wildlife and taking their land stewardship to the next level.
—Justin

Thank you!!!!
—Josh- Iowa

As always I enjoy your advice and i try to watch every video.
—Josh

Course Curriculum

1. Incredible Whitetail Rut Opportunities
45 Days of Rut Opportunity! (07:07)
Playing Poker In The Rut Woods (18:34)
When The Rut Begins (16:57)
The Incredible 2nd Rut (12:31)
2. How To Track And Hunt The Rut
Rut Timeline-How To Hunt Each Phase (26:50)
When To Hunt Core or Non Core Bucks (14:01)
Rut Weather Rollercoaster (16:34)
3. Whitetail Rut Sit Management
The Morning Sit Advantage (31:21)
All Day Rut Sit Management (14:34)
What Calls To Use During the Rut (25:20)

Rut bonuses

PLUS: Exclusive bonuses worth $60+ for the Whitetail Rut Class!

Exclusive WHS Hat

Most deer hunters love hats, and we know you will enjoy this exclusive, high quality hat made exclusively for this web class! Hopefully you will want to collect them all!

$30 Value

A signed hard copy of Jeff's book, All Weather Whitetails

Your copy of All Weather Whitetails will be personally signed by Jeff and mailed to your shortly after your purchase.
a $30 Value

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the course start and finish?

The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.

How long do I have access to the course?

After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.

What do I need to access the course?

If you have an Internet connection and a modern web browser, you'll be able to view the content.

Can I download the course for offline use?

Not at this time but please let us know if this is something you need. We might be able to make accommodations due to your circumstances (eg spotty/slow Internet, plane trip, etc.).

Is the course available on other formats (eg DVD, audio only).

Not at this time. However, please let us know if this is something you would find useful.

Are there closed-captions / transcript available?

Not yet, but please let us know so we can make accommodations.

What if I am unhappy with the course? Is there any refunds?

If you are unsatisfied, please let us know so we can address your concern.

I purchased the class—how do I login?

After you purchase the class, you will be prompted to create a password to this website and setup your account. If you forgot your password please try resetting it.

What Others Are Saying


I am writing to thank Whitetail Habitat Solutions and Kevan Smith, my habitat consultant, for the outstanding analysis and plan he developed on 01 March 2025. I am a retired Naval officer and recently took the leap from public land hunting to buying my 30-acre parcel in late 2023 and luckily purchased the adjacent 30-acre parcel the week before Kevan’s visit. I was initially hesitant not being able to book Jeff (as my property is in western Maryland), but Kevan exceeded all expectations. He skillfully assessed my property as we walked around and upon completion provided me with a masterful strategy and map of how to hunt the property, stand locations, as well as where and what to plant in my food plots. He took the time to explain everything in great detail to ensure my understanding as well as defining the order of the tasks necessary to improve my hunting property. I’ve had to miss many hunting seasons throughout my 22-year Naval career and want to take full advantage of the seasons I have left. Kevan’s advice will enable me to maximize this opportunity. Not only has his guidance prevented wasted years in trial and error by having the wrong stand locations, access routes or incorrect food plots, it will save money by not undertaking unnecessary tree cutting or wasted time on erroneous habitat improvements. It truly was a master class – and specifically tailored to my hunting property. I strongly encourage anyone on the fence about hiring Kevan for your habitat consultant to get off that fence right now and book him today!

Brian - MD

after 34 years of hunting this land and only 2 years after a 1/4 acre food plot at the very bottom of the hill next to the creek and turning the powerlines into switch grass and a 1/2 acre of a 4 clover mix he shot his first big buck here and I'm seeing alot. Thanks you so much. That deer never would have been harvested without your help. And the last one I seen is much much larger than that

Benjamin P- Pennsylvania

I’m 62, I’ve hunted deer for fifty years. In the previous four years I’ve harvested only wall hangers.
This year makes it five. Not only my fifth one for the wall in as many years, but a target buck, a resident buck, a pretty well patterned buck, a buck I had two previous encounters with but he never knew it. At 7:15 this morning he stopped to survey the valley 15 yards from my perch. Only my fourth sit of gun season, first in this stand. I sat out all this warm days waiting for this.
All because of you Jeff. I can’t begin to thank you enough. I live about 20 miles from you if you ever need someone with a strong back and a weak mind to help with anything I’m you’re guy!!!

Kevin F

This year, I’ve harvested three deer with my bow, here in Massachusetts. Pictured is my first bow buck, taken on November 11th, weighing 191 pounds before dressing. This is my second season bow hunting, after a 30-year break since my days of gun hunting in Trempealeau County.

I couldn’t have achieved this without Jeff’s instructional videos and texts. Please share my heartfelt gratitude with him.

Wyatt- MA

Jeff visited us in Central Michigan for the first time in the spring of 2022. In the 3 years we have hunted the property before Jeff’s consultation we had shot 4 bucks all scoring between 95”- 105” Jeff came out and gave us a plan. The biggest take away for us was to create significantly more depth of cover and access. Jeff had us move our food plots away from the middle of the property to create layers of bedding and helped us understand how to use the topography of our property for hunting access. I watched hours and hours of Jeff on YouTube and had a pretty good idea about what he was going to recommend, but having him in person able to apply his management philosophy to our property specifically directly made it easy. We started making changes immediately and that first hunting season, shot a 130” 5 year old 10 point.
This year, our switchgrass is coming in our food plots are expanding, and our blinds and stand locations are even better than before. We still have plenty of work ahead of us, but now, we have a plan. Thanks Jeff and the WHS team!

Bryan K- Michigan

How To Hunt The Whitetail Rut

Sign Up Now for
Just $299

Help us celebrate the launch of our NEW web class with a special introductory offersave $100 for a limited time!

Purchased a previous web class?
Make sure you're logged into your dashboard then come back here and we'll automatically apply a 20% off discount based on your past purchase.

Haven't bought any of our classes yet?
After purchasing your first class, you can enjoy any other class for 20% off.