Pre-Rut Activity Yet?

[Laska]

So was out tonight saw a doe at 40 she heard something in the woods and took off slowly, 20min later I heard crashing thru the woods while I heard some snorting scared the [PoorWordUsage] outta me but to say the least it was most likely the buk I've been getting on cam sniffin that doe out I'm pumped fo tomorrow gonna try my luck while its still early from my ground blind!

[rbs]

Was out last night and had a spiker chase a doe and fawn past my stand at 10yds. He was behind them at about 100yds. He was grunting and all bristled up the whole way...wish he would have been a shooter!

[mabr]

Its getting real close. I took a quick walk through my prime rut area yesterday for the first time this season and found the largest rub (bigger than my thigh)ive ever seen and about 5 scraps that were just opened near their bedding areas (bucks).

Traditional scrapes havent been opened yet in my area but im betting by this weekend they will. Man I love this time of year!

[eyeslayer20]

Anyone have any rut avtivity for around the south metro (Waconia, Minnetrista area?) Coming down from college to hunt for the weekend any info would be awesome. Thanks guys and girls...It's the most wonderful time of the year

[psepuncher]

few small scrapes no major rubs yet

But the bears...oh my!

two weeks ago had a doe and fawn come out, I saw the doe, but

didn't see the fawn yet...

All of a sudden the doe split like the hornet nest fell on her.

The wind was good so I tried a doe grunt, next thing I know the fawn came from behind a few trees and walked to me. It stayed by me awhile feeding on acorns. I thought for sure mom would come back or start snorting/blowing if indeed she smelled me.

Nothing, so I sat still just waiting with the fawn still feeding behind me, then a bear cub come out right where the deer were originally milling around. It went up and down two trees then backed out. Then yesterday I found what I would aproximate to be scat from a very...very large bear in a completly different area.

All in all, man, beast and weather can affect rutting activity in some regard, but just remember the bucks sole purpose. I don't think every buck is the same as the next in rutting behavior.

[rkhinrichs]

ok i have a question yesterday i went out to my stand that I put up that has three new rubs in this small little area. The wind was perfect so i decided to go out and see if i could get him. as I walked in i saw another rub 10 yards from my stand I made a mock scrap, and sat the rest of the night. I saw nothing??? I’m kind of confused did I spook him out of there with the mock scrap or it wasn't his night to walk by. and yesterday was the first time I hunted that stand. The rubs are on all pretty small trees so i don’t think the buck is huge but that’s fine with me. What do u guys think I should do?

[paceman]

Patience rkhinrichs. The deer don't walk the same trails everyday or perhaps he was there in the morning. You should sit a few more times to see if that bucks shows up. Sounds like you have a lot of sign in the area. Just simply keep at it.

[sticknstring]

The little fellas are getting worked up. Watched a yearling make 3 rubs last night in a matter of 25 minutes. This weather is perfect - wish it would stay in the 40's. Another week & the big guys are going to start feeling the urge... I live for this time of year!

[JIvers]

Windy today, below-freezing temps tonight in Fillmore County. I'm told a lot of corn is out there.

I am heading up there this evening, and will be on stand in the AM--I expect to see plenty of deer movement, and hopefully some pre-rut activity

[Bear55]

The little guys almost seem to move at random and run around all over the place this time of year. Keep on hunting and you should get a chance at him.

[slimngrizzly]

Something must be happening.... im noticing the road ditches filling up with a few more brown lumps everyday!

There talking COLD by middle of next week!!! I will be bringing the horns this weekend to see if I cant stew something up!

[rkhinrichs]

paceman- should i try the morning?? i have never hunted the area in the morning. the only thing im worried about is not getting in there early enough and spoken him out of the area.

[sticknstring]

If you plan to see a deer at every setup near a rub or a scrape, it's going to be a looong season! The majority of that activity is made at night anyhow. It's hard to say what to do here without knowing more details and even then, it may not work. Don't overhunt the stand, only hunt it when the wind is right and eventually, hopefully - he'll show up during shooting hours! That's what we all hope for anyways. Hunt where the does/food sources are and the bucks should be lurking in the shadows. Continue to hunt smart and be patient - it'll happen!

[Wanderer]

Something must be happening.... im noticing the road ditches filling up with a few more brown lumps everyday!

I noticed a heck of a difference this morning too. Much more activity in the predawn hours leading up to - WORK!

Good luck out there.

[Shu]

Tonight at 5:30 on northbound 35W by the 35E split there was a buck standing on the shoulder waiting to get across. Luckily he went back in the ditch. Gonna take a 1/2 day tomorrow and hit the woods, should be a fun weekend to see what's happening.

[Archerysniper]

Tonight at 5:30 on northbound 35W by the 35E split there was a buck standing on the shoulder waiting to get across. Luckily he went back in the ditch. Gonna take a 1/2 day tomorrow and hit the woods, should be a fun weekend to see what's happening.

Their was another one just north farther before the Gander exit and one smeared on the road. Look out into the swamp north of the flake exit on the east side before highway 8 been seeing some nice one their.

[96trigger]

pre-rut is going pretty good in parts of the south east. Have heard of nice bucks dogging does already. Saw a nice buck tonight on a does tail. Had a nice 8 all by himself come by my stand, saw a doe, two coyotes (missed one) and I believe a fox right at dusk. Lots of scrapes and rubs popping up. It seems like its about a week earlier than other years. Cooler temps have them moving more. Wind finally died down tonight and it was like someone hit a switch. Lots of deer movement from 6 p.m on. The corn is flying out of the field, probably 50% gone if not more.

[Traxxx]

Seen three different scrape lines, on three different pieces of property today

[Archerysniper]

Oh I forgot to add, on my way to the tree tonight its a 100 yard walk from the owners house and their were 10 scrapes most within 20 yards of my stand. These are not on the field edge either their in the creek bottom so they really got the itch now.

[Bear55]

Sounds like a few bucks will hit the grounds this weekend, can't wait to get out.

[CC Hurl]

96Trigger, Nice report. I am heading to Welch down that way for a weekend of hunting and you just got be pummmmmmmmped up. Good luck to all chasing your personel trophy out there. Cooler temps are here and the wind looks awsome for the weekend.

[nbadger23]

I hunted this morning in SE MN and it was an absolute gorgeous morning. I always love a calm morning after a crisp frost. I had a buck grunting and pushing 6 does around (2 adults, 4 fawns) around 7:30. I never did get to see him because he stayed in the thick brush the whole time. Oddly enough I haven't seen any rubs or scrapes yet but am thinking that may change when I get out tomorrow. Tomorrow looks like another gorgeous day with the wind staying down. The added bonus is that the frost will make the buckthorn start shedding which will greatly enhance how far I can see.

[JIvers]

I may have heard some grunting this morning in Fillmore County; otherwise I saw a few does, including one that was walking up a waterway to me and caught my scent...100 yards away. The wind was supposed to be out of the west/southwest at sunrise, not out of the northwest.

I am going out this evening to the same stand, but am not expecting much. My west/southwest wind stand is in the chokepoint of a funnel where timber on one corner and fields and a waterway on three other corners come together by a well-used trail entrance in the timber.

Normally it's a great spot, but what I didn't consider until I got out this morning was that the three fields are all soybeans this year, and are now combined. (I knew there were beans there, and that they were combined last week--I just didn't think about it.)

Making things worse, there is fifty acres of un-picked corn 200 yards away on one side, and forty acres of clover and alfalfa 200 yards away on another. I have not one but two stands on the hay ground (where the deer were this morning), but neither will work with west/southwest winds. If I had an east wind of any sort, or a straight north or south wind, I'd be in like Flynn, but that is not in the forecast.

So I'm really hoping some pre-rut action moves deer past my stand, because it is the only way I am likely to have a shot tonight.

The moral of this story is to think about crops in addition to wind direction and rut/pre-rut activity before making a trip like the one I made yesterday to hunt.

[Bear55]

The wind was supposed to be out of the west/southwest at sunrise, not out of the northwest.

I alwasy check the wind before I leave and again when I get close to where I plan on hunting. Weather reports have burned me more than once.

[mabr]

Something must be happening.... im noticing the road ditches filling up with a few more brown lumps everyday!

What a way to ruin a planned hunt this evening. Got a call from wife at 1:20 pm, Hit a deer, car wont start, come get me! 8 point, was coming out of a swamp area and unseen until it was to late. Broke one side off completly and landed 30 ft from the road. AT 1:15 in the afternoon!!!!! I may have to sit all day tomorrow, things are ramping up quick from what Im seeing.

She got the first buck of the season she jokenly said to me !!!