Best weekends of 2011 (IMO)

[matchset]

just in my opinion, i think this is how things are going to shake out this fall!

a very different rut than we saw last fall.

some small pre-rut activity in oct; not the typical lull.

and i think that the peak rut activity should pinnacle out around November 10th!

My top 4 weekends!

October 15th & 22nd

November 5th & 12th!

so start planning your vacation days

moon phase baby

[TRM]

Well, I will agree with you on the 5th ( killed 2 P&Y bucks last two years on the 5th) but with that said my Vac will start on the 3rd and end on the 14th.

[NWBuck]

I don't fully buy into the moon phase thing...too many other factors involved. That said, in our neck of the woods you couldn't go wrong taking days off from Nov. 5 through 12 each year.

[Bear55]

I don't fully buy into the moon phase thing...too many other factors involved. That said, in our neck of the woods you couldn't go wrong taking days off from Nov. 5 through 12 each year.

Same here, too much evidence points to the rut firing up on the same dates every year in our hunting area. I do feel the moon phase thing can cause some does to come into heat early so there is potential for a period of early or late rutting activity but the overall the rut follows that big bell curve and the majority of does are bred mid-nov.

NWBuck those are my favorite dates to be in the woods as well.

[paceman]

I'm surprised you left off Halloween weekend. It seems like every year nice bucks get wacked that weekend.

[bowhunternw]

Typically for me October is pretty dead. I mainly see obvious rutting starting during gun hunting and continues till about thanksgiving. Early season is usually best for me, if the bugs aren't to insane (and unless things change I am guessing super bad this year). The good news is the season is only 3 months away.

[surewood]

I start my vacation the 28th of October through the 13th of November. Plus the first couple in October but that's more for ducks and grouse.

[Bear55]

Ideally a guy should not have to work and just hunt mid September through January but we live in a cruel world.

[Rippinlip]

Ideally a guy should not have to work and just hunt mid September through January but we live in a cruel world.

+1

I have to say otherwise, it is opening weekend for wife and I in September.

That weekend just gets all the blood flowing in the right direction!

Then its the weekend prior to Halloween, I see more traffic that week then any other time of the hunting season!

[NWBuck]

Ideally a guy should not have to work and just hunt mid September through January but we live in a cruel world.

You should be my boss

[Scoot]

Some will (mis)quote the research and say the only thing that determines the rut timing is photoperiod. The primary thing that determines rut is photoperiod, but it's definitely not the sole determinant. Personally, I think weather plays a much bigger role than moon phase. So... if you can predict the weather through Oct and early Nov, I'd say start to plan your vacation accordingly. If not, you're probably just guessing like all the rest of us...

I'd guess the three main players in determining rut timing are photoperiod, weather, and moon phase- in that order. But I aslo wonder about geography- do these three variables have the same influence on rut from North to South or East to West? I also wonder if they have the same influence on all the members of the deer family- do they impact whitetail, muleys, elk, and moose the same? Who knows...

[Stratosman]

Not sure but if history is an indicator of the future, then for the areas I hunt, it's the a couple days before Halloween through the first week of November, I prefer the earlier part of that timeline when they are chasing and searchig but the does aren't ready. Yeah moon phase might play a role, but I won't let the moon phase determine when I will hunt, three years ago, two evenings in a row during the full moon early november I saw the biggest two bucks I have seen from the stand... you just never know, so get out when you can!

[Bear55]

Some will (mis)quote the research and say the only thing that determines the rut timing is photoperiod. The primary thing that determines rut is photoperiod, but it's definitely not the sole determinant. Personally, I think weather plays a much bigger role than moon phase. So... if you can predict the weather through Oct and early Nov, I'd say start to plan your vacation accordingly. If not, you're probably just guessing like all the rest of us...

I'd guess the three main players in determining rut timing are photoperiod, weather, and moon phase- in that order. But I aslo wonder about geography- do these three variables have the same influence on rut from North to South or East to West? I also wonder if they have the same influence on all the members of the deer family- do they impact whitetail, muleys, elk, and moose the same? Who knows...

Interesting scoot, any more detailed info about how weather affects the rut? I know weather plays a huge role in deer movement but I can't remember ever hearing about it affecting the rut. No doubt if you have above average temps the deer probably aren't going to move but are you talking about specific weather triggering rutting activity?

I also agree with you that rut timing can be regional and vary by area.

I also think people often mistake one doe in heat for the rut being in full swing. Every year we get the "The Rut is On" post because someone sees a buck chasing a doe in heat at the end of Oct. Everyone needs to remember the rut is a long long process and will never happen all at once.

[sticknstring]

I think things will shake out similar to last year. Peak conception is around the 12th which means peak chasing should occur around the 5th - right around opening day of firearm season. Coincidence? I guess if I had enough vacation, I'd take a few days opening week, another few between Halloween and opening weekend of firearms, and a few more around Thanksgiving. Traditionally, these have been good times over the years. Less than 3 months to go!

[Shu]

Vacation this year the week of 11/7. Last year the nice bucks started showing up around 11/8...after I had already shot my buck! More patience this year.

[nonteepical]

according to charlie alsheimer (D&DH) the "sweet spot " of the rut as he calls it, will be nov. 13-19. he gave a 2 hour seminar in Long Prairie a couple months ago, 20 years of research and he says you can bank on it, so it will be interesting to see how his prediction plays out. All i know is if its the last week of oct. or it's the month of november, and you have time to be in the deerstand, you should be there because you never know.

[Hoyt4]

I'm in the woods from the weekend of Halloween through first week of Nov in MN.

Have a 5 day hunt the next weekend in WI.

All this talk has me day dreaming of leaves crunching already.

[Bear55]

according to charlie alsheimer (D&DH) the "sweet spot " of the rut as he calls it, will be nov. 13-19. he gave a 2 hour seminar in Long Prairie a couple months ago, 20 years of research and he says you can bank on it, so it will be interesting to see how his prediction plays out. All i know is if its the last week of oct. or it's the month of november, and you have time to be in the deerstand, you should be there because you never know.

I have followed his stuff for a while for our area he is sometimes on and sometimes way off. I know in our area the 13th to 19th is usually pretty slow because all the bucks are locked up with does, should be interesting to see what happens this year.

[bigbucks]

You should be my boss

NWBuck you don't want him to be your boss, because guess who's working while he's hunting...

[bigbucks]

Unless you have a bunch of land, like 500 acres or more, in MN you take as many days leading up to gun season as you can as a bowhunter. Does it really matter how great the movement is if they're getting drilled by the neighbor's firearm before they get to you? You really can't call the way you'd like to. I've rattled up two bucks for the neighbors during gun season, not doing that anymore... They were headed right for me, but didn't make it past them. I watched both get shot.

[nonteepical]

[quote name='Bear55

I have followed his stuff for a while for our area he is sometimes on and sometimes way off. I know in our area the 13th to 19th is usually pretty slow because all the bucks are locked up with does' date=' should be interesting to see what happens this year. [/quote']

when he said those dates i thought:"we'll see if this guy knows anything he picked lock down" i couldn't believe it.

[Bear55]

I know last year he said there would be some action at the end of Oct and I did see a buck chasing a doe. Then he said the peak of the action would be around Nov 20th or so. We saw all the usual action between the 8th and the 12th, although not as much as usual but that could be contributed to a very low deer population in our area. No action seen around the 20th, I guess that doesn't mean it didn't happen but in our area you can pretty much set your clock to Nov 8-12 and lock down shortly after. It's been happening that way for 25 years so I am going to stick with it.

[james_walleye]

I have a couple of friends that have each shot well over a 15 p&y bucks and they both told me the same thing last year. This pertains to SE MN. Every year you can bank on October 27 - November 3 as your hottest time frame. Once you get beyond this period so many bucks are locked up with does that you are trying to catch these deer in between does. I kept a more watchful eye on things last year and sure enough on October 27 a lot of people saw mature buck sightings increase dramatically. I got a good one on October 30 at 2pm. My friend 3 hours before me. My favorite day is november 1. Never had a bad November 1. Every year I can't wait for those couple days right before gun season and every year I get disappointed. Which goes right along with what my friends have said about the bucks being locked up already.

[HunterLee]

The last two years I shot mine and saw alot of activity the Wed before rifle season. I did however see a good one trailing a doe 4-5 days after rifle season.

In our area there was little to no prerut activity, very few scrapes, rubs and what not.

[nonteepical]

according to charlie alsheimer (D&DH) the "sweet spot " of the rut as he calls it, will be nov. 13-19. he gave a 2 hour seminar in Long Prairie a couple months ago, 20 years of research and he says you can bank on it, so it will be interesting to see how his prediction plays out. All i know is if its the last week of oct. or it's the month of november, and you have time to be in the deerstand, you should be there because you never know.

posted this back in june. looks like in my area 240 this may hold true.