Deer Sign in Woods

[Wobbler]

I was out 2 weeks ago grouse hunting and hardly saw any rubs and only 1 scrape. I will be out next week during MEA and was just curious if any of you have seen an increase in sign over the last 2 weeks. I have heard no because it is too hot but rut activity I thought was more tied to length of day and moon phase more so than weather. I hunt the big woods up north of Duluth and maybe I am the only one but I want it to cool off soon to get those deer moving.

[Musky Buck]

Haven't seen squat thankfully, I'd rather have that sign show up closer to opener, then those scrapes tend to get visited by the breeding bucks in the area during the hunt, too soon and the scrapes in my area usually go dormant, the rut is daylight driven, between now and Halloween things will really get going.

[Wobbler]

I agree with everything you said. Last year I had off the whole first week and the activity really picked up that first Wednesday of hunting. The weather changed colder and the bucks really were working up scrapes and rubs. We took 4 dandy bucks last year among us 4 and I was hoping nobody else was seeing squat. It makes me feel so much better Musky Buck!

[nonteepical]

it will be a couple more weeks untill we see a big increase in rutting activity, being scrapes and rubs. last week of october and first week of november every year guaranteed most activity.

[Farley]

I'm starting to see a few small rubs in my neck of the woods.

[bogwalker]

Nothing yet.

[Musky Buck]

I hate to wish for no activity but time has proven if they are in my area heavy in October there gone by November I don't mean totally gone but if there is minimal October traffic, November and timing with the opener usually means good things. Ideally, I want to find 1 huge fresh scrape on opening day mid-day and I'm generally in business and I'm hunting every daylight minute I can as he'll be back with the doe or without if he's done. Can't control if he gets blistered by another opening morning. But hunting way off the road in farm country those active breeding scrapes are golden and a good source for shooting hour movement as they feel fairly secure. I would guess 18-25 bucks taken have been scrape related, I actually like an early opening date as if they don't have a doe they may check that scrape and refreshen often, later opening date usually means he's got a doe or 2 in hand and is spending less time at the scrape and more time in the fields at night finding his next doe coming into heat and no longer needing to run the scrape as frequently as he has does coming into heat and he will follow her and try to guide her through the scrape but it becomes less mandatory plus then the pressure factor kicks into gear, my 4 cents lol.

[paceman]

Wednesday evening I found a small scrape line along an alfalfa field.

[JBar]

Havent seen any amount of rubs and scrapes around the Bemidji and up to Kelliher area this cold snap hopefully will get those deer moving, the last few days has been slow in the stand.

[Bear55]

activity really picked up that first Wednesday of hunting.

Glad you mentioned Wed of last year which was Nov 9th. The 9th-12th have been our best hunting days for mature bucks, I've got a journal and most of our mature buck sightings/shooting have come on those days. I schedule my vacation around them every year. The 8th has been pretty good too and opening day has alwasy been good too.

Sorry to get off topic, I think things will slowly start ramping up and we will start seeing the usual late Oct activity pretty soon.

[Musky Buck]

I know last year my cousin driving bus route I should've been out the monster was chasing a doe at 7AM running right at my stand location dog gone it anyway on November 10th.

[Bear55]

You'd have to kill me to keep me out of the woods Nov 8-12, I think the 10th and the 11th are the best but anything in that area is gold.

[skee0025]

Here goes what i have been seeing. I was out for the Wisconsin early antlerless hunt. I have been seeing alot of bucks, but have seen an upswing this week as corn came down. Bucks are actively seeking out Does. I saw 3 bucks trailing after does in the last 3 days, head down nose to the ground. It should really start to get exciting over the next week to 10 days.

[woodman]

Just got back in and found two scrapes on my hour walk with the kids looking for some birds. Looks like the fun is not too far away from our stands!!

[james_walleye]

In the couple years i've hunted this property i've never seen this many scrapes and rubs appear at any time in the fall. October 3rd they showed up and its just intensified. More scrapes put down every time i go out there.

[gurkster]

I am starting to see rubs showin up in the area I hunt.

[Musky Buck]

Me to, but as I decided to climb my stand and check my lanes, a little clipping here and there as I cut the lanes in February each year, the 3rd trip up the stand and a 3.5 year old+ 10 pointer decided to walk by, helps the optimism for this year!

[northerndave]

checked yesterday around our camp, nuthin yet.

[Musky Buck]

Been trying to help my buddies with deer sign and to not be too mislead, I get the tree rubs everywhere each year, I asked honestly how many he said maybe 20. I said realize it could be 1 buck that did that especially if the trees are of a fairly same size structure. I asked them as a teenager how many rubs would you have made lol ? 20 rubs might equal about a half hour of rubbing. They hate my realistic view, they'll be jacked up regardless lol. I also added to somber faces see that 320 acres of soybeans that is now plowed under, no other crops in their section, you just lost half your herd possibly and muzzleloader will be really bleak. The does will stay in touch with the area food sources and the bucks and fawns will follow. Corn is coming off rapidly guys and most have no need to dry it.