Pre-Rut Activity Yet?

[mlvaj]

Just wondering if the rut will be late this year. Down where we're hunting, SE Bluff Country, we haven't been seeing any signs (rubs, scrapes,etc.) yet. I'm wondering if this year's crazy weather is playing a role into this. Again, they might be in the cornfield as the farmers are just starting to harvest them. Last year this time, there were signs all over the place already. I've also heard from several people saying that the prime rut time might be during Thanksgiving week. I'm hoping it is as I'll be hunting the B season this year for gun, but I'm also hoping activity picks up during Halloween week-weekend as I'll be spending 5 days in the woods bowhunting. What is everyone thinking about the timing of the rut for 2011.

[slimngrizzly]

All I have to say is reguardless of what the "rut predictions" say, you can probably never go wrong with Halloween week! Unless were cursed with Hot weather or something, that will be a good time I think!

[96trigger]

I have been seeing rubs and scrapes down here, but not a lot. It usually explodes with scrapes about the 1st week in November. I have one area where a buck is completely tearing up the place, and then other areas where there is very little buck sign. Put up stands for my Dad yesterday and found a couple of nice scrapes where he is hunting also.

[goblueM]

that's strange you haven't seen rubs or scrapes... I'm seeing them in SW Virginia, which has to be at least 3 weeks behind in the fall season...

[walleye365]

Iv been seeing rubs for 2 weeks and the scrapes are starting to show up to,but go 40min north of were im at and its nothin.

[Shu]

Saw several small fresh scrapes in the usual spots this weekend.

[sdmark21]

I hunt down by Pepin WI Buffalo County, and I have seen scraps in my area since the 2nd week of deer hunting. I saw a big 8 working his was down a scrap line as well this weekend. I would say it is starting to pick up, and Halloween weekend is always a fantastic time to spend it in the woods. I will be spending some extra time in the woods then as well.

[Bear55]

I found a few fresh scrapes this weekend, nothing too crazy yet.

[reinhard1]

not that much of scraps and rubs that we could see. lots of tracks and black pebbles though. this is north of Duluth. most of the leaves are down. good luck.

[tracker x-2]

I'm just starting to see some more acivity this past weekend with more rubs and a couple scrapes showing up.

[c_lou]

Hunting in Buffalo county. I noticed the frist 2 small scrapes last night. I think the end of this week we should start seeing some pre-rut activity. As long as the temps stay relativly normal, the weekend of halloween and the follwing week should be the time to be out there.

[LABS4ME]

I listened to a biologist ( I believe it was Lou C. of the DNR) who said the exact thing I read in an article this summer... and it makes total sense.

The breed dates vary by 3 days or less year to year. 15,000 years of evolution guarantees that. They are bred year to year on or about the same date to ensure that the birthing date is consistantly the last wekk of May for the MAJORITY of does. This insures success of each years fawn crop. A few are bred early and a few are bred late... but the majority are bred in a one week period in Novemeber. I can't recall the exact date now, but the 10th sticks in my mind...

Rutting activity varies year to year (hunter's perception based on contact with bucks), due to variables such as weather and pressure. The breeding is still going on based on calander, the chasing may be different based on external factors.

Pretty interesting hearing guessing by hunters as to when the rut will happen. I am slowly changing how I think it happens... I used to buy into the moon phase etc... now I really do think it happens by date.

Good Luck!

Ken

[james_walleye]

I have 3 differed chunks I hunt in SE MN. 2 of the 3 I have seen rubs and scrapes for 2 weeks. The other chunk which I normally see more scrapes than anywhere, nothing has shown up. I have 9 days off starting Saturday, should be good!

[paceman]

I have been seeing scrapes beeing worked for about a week. And a few more rubs as well. No big scrapes yet just a few along the field edges. We are getting closer...

[bigbucks]

Saw my first scrapes of the season on Saturday, a couple were big ones. I know of a few rubs, but am yet to see one myself. I haven't done a lot of walking in the woods, mostly just to some bow stands.

[nbadger23]

Labs - I agree with your comments. I've heard this same thing from a biologist in Canada and a hunting lodge owner there. The lodge owner actually is only open for 2 weeks because the does WILL get bred at a certain time due to the fawns needing to be born at a certain time in the spring to survive. As you mentioned, hunter's perception of when the rut happens differs based off pressure, weather, etc but in reality it's fairly consistent year to year.

As many have said, from Halloween on can be a special time and if forced to pick vacation time to hunt (as I was this year), that's when I'm focusing on. I also have to take into account shotgun season and it's Nov 5th start. I've noticed that the ruckus in the woods from that really makes the deer around me nocturnal so I focus on the week before that.

On the flip side, I also haven't seen much for scrapes or rubs yet.. am thinking things will pick up quickly with this cooler weather.

[JIvers]

The rut will peak the first week of November, just like every other year. The rut is caused by decreasing amounts of daylight, which increases hormone levels in deer. Temperature has nothing to do with when the rut occurs.

Warm weather will change deer behavior during the rut: warm weather allows deer to move around more at night when they feel safer. Other factors, such as standing corn and hunting pressure, affect deer behavior during the rut as well, but they do not change when the rut happens.

[JIvers]

There are two later and lesser ruts that peak the first week of December, and the first week of January. Many female fawns born this spring will not come in to heat the first week of November, and a few adult does get missed as well. The later ruts take care of these stragglers. But yes, most does are bred at the peak of the first rut, which happens the first part of November.

I shot a buck on opening weekend of the 3B season a few years ago who was chasing a doe and grunting like crazy, full neck and all. I saw rutting activity like this other times when I hunted second season, although nothing like I've seen bowhunting the beginning of November, or since I switched to first shotgun season.

I don't know how much activity there is for the later ruts, as I've never hunted past second shotgun season.

[BradB]

I haven't seen any rubs or scrapes in the east metro. On Saturday I did see 3 bucks hanging together, and they may have been checking does. It was interesting because the does were on one side of a rise, the bucks on the other--I could see both with my binos. A buck would go over the rise and check every once in a while.

I shot one of the does just before dark, so there is one less doe for those bucks to check.

[certified jumbo]

lots of rubs and scrapes in isanti county. i hunt two big farms and the field edge have lots of both.

i don't think they are rutting hard obviously, but plenty of rubs and scrapes.

[Archerysniper]

lots of rubs and scrapes in isanti county. i hunt two big farms and the field edge have lots of both.

i don't think they are rutting hard obviously, but plenty of rubs and scrapes.

Yep they just started getting the itch in the last few days here,can't wait till the end of the month.

[cookie129]

Grouse hunting with the bow yesterday I saw a fresh scrape. The activity has started up here for sure

[Chuby Minnow]

In our area, it seems to be picking up. Saturday evening had a 8 pt chasing 11 does around on the food plot for an hour. He checked just about all of them.

[Vikings_59]

Wright County, MN is also picking up.

I went out Saturday to check my trail cam and there were no scrapes.

I went to hunt last night and saw a couple of these:

[Archerysniper]

Had a deer up by the pen with my 2 does at 4:15 tonight couldn't see the head but it had a big body. I never see deer by the house with my 2 labs running around so could have been a buck that caught their scent.