Rut Reports

[Musky Buck]

All my OT. relatives Hockey and there farms over the last 5 years or so same as you, absolutely 0 daytime rutting going on, they live on farms, are retired so they have little to do but scout etc. and talk to their brothers etc. Things have changed in the farmland area and my gut says as the doe population got waxed pretty good there's simply less of them for bucks to fight over, no need for a buck to travel and cover all the does in the area so the few that are here and there they take care of them primarily at night, same with rifle season, the past 5 years or so none of us really are seeing that hot daytime doe which drags the daytime buck along, when we get him he's a loner for the time being. If we do have that hot doe it's generally with little to no shooting light left and you can hear him grunting, but rarely will surface out of usually the red willow with any time left, these does what remains of them are very smart also, they know we're there or so it seems, right place right time and it'll happen.

[FishingWebGuy]

Sat from 10:30 until legal light yesterday over a clear doe and fawn trail with fresh scat running past an alfalfa field. Never saw a single deer. The last corn field in the area was being picked yesterday just one field over -- hoped that would create some motion also but no such luck.

I have daylight does and bucks on camera in the area. Some even at high noon. But not a single sighting for me in the last 5 sits. Puzzling, frustrating and exciting knowing that one of these times they will show. Hoping to get out at least two more times before the orange army. I think tomorrow I'll try some light rattling...

[Shu]

Thought the switch had been flipped on Sunday after seeing many deer and a few bucks with the does. Monday it was like it was switched again, but to OFF. Sat from 7A to 6:30P and saw two deer, both bucks, both between 12:30 and 2:00. Not shooters. Hoping this weekend has them turned back on.

[tipup]

In maylast 8 sits to include 12 hours or so in the last 2 mornings, have only yeilded 1 doe and one buck, each 50-60 yards away. Both were on different trails, going in different directions. I threw everything I had at the buck to try and get him to turn around, and nothing!!! The deer are here, 4 decent bucks on my cam, all from sun down to sun up. None of them look to be to big in the neck. I am going to try a sit tomorrow from 9am until ?, the reason, went into town today around 2 PM and saw 8 different deer, all does, and none seemed to be worried about a buck in the area. I agree with a post I read abouve, it is hard to saty focused, and upbeat, but I will keep putting up the good fight!!! Good luck to everyone!!! Oh yeah, I think it makes it worse because I am looking for my first archery buck!!!

[PropsterII]

As I was coming home tonight and pulled in the driveway a deer ran off. Couldn't see the head but just had that look of a buck, and it was alone. Go 20 yards up the drive to where it ran from and there was a fresh rub that wasn't there this morning when I left. Not saying it was for sure a buck, and that he was making the rub and I interrupted, but sometime today. It gets better from here on for the next 10-12 days, if you can escape some of the gun pressure.

[archerystud]

Had 4 live decoys (does) come out at 4:30 and watched them feed for 1.5 hours. Was hoping at least a small buck would give them a push but nothing.

Finally after they left I gave a couple grunts. Heard a crashing in the thick stuff and waited a good 10 minutes before something finally came out. Was thinking it would be big but it was 2.5 year old 8 pointer. Had him at 20 yards and let him walk.

[Rippinlip]

Had a little 6 pointer chasing a young doe around on Sunday night, she wasn't interested, but it was fun to watch.

[gopher_nation]

Saw about 25 does in the field tonight. One big boy, a couple basket racks, and two spikes were also in the field. Bucks weren't interested in the does, bucks weren't aggressive with the bucks, and does still had fawns with. Safe to say nothing exciting happening here yet. Won't be long.

[PropsterII]

Dang I wish the first two weeks of November were about 2 months long. Then a guy could mix in a little muskie fishing with his bowhunting! It's just such a neat time to be in the tree. I let a 135-140 class ten pointer walk ten minutes into my first sit on Sat morning. Didn't want to ruin a perfectly good hunt that early!

[surewood]

Saw a nice buck tonight. He wasn't chasing. Noticed about 80% of my trail cam pics of does are of them by themselves. Getting there.

[96trigger]

Today's word of the day is SLOW. Saw two little bucks and a doe. The little bucks seemed to be cruising, one a nice little 8 pointer. Neither buck showed any interest in the doe. Little 8 pointer came back after I grunted at the doe to see if anything was following her. All sightings were between 9:00 and 10:00 am. No deer sightings on the way home. Did a little scouting this afternoon after I got too cold. Found a few fresh scrapes, but was also surprised to see some pld scrapes that had not been visited. Put up another stand in an area closer to where Ithink the big guys are bedding for the day. I will get back out Thursday, then hang up the bow and join the orange army. Hoping for better things to come.

[MUSKY18]

Have hunted hard Mon and Tuesday. All day sit Monday and from 1 til dark on Tuesday. Woods is full of rubs and sign scrapes. Two days of sitting and haven't seen a single deer. Flock of turkeys and a cat.

Had to take the girlfriends son out for supper last night for his bday and afterwards I decided to take a drive and see if there was anything out and about. Caught 6 different bucks just coming out onto the field edges. Only 1 of them was with a doe. This was a 9pm. Think they are moving a tad big lat with the full moon.

[Stratosman]

Still alot of nocturnal movement with scattered daytime movement. Sat all day yesterday with no mature bucks spotted, one spike in the a.m. and 8 deer in the p.m. with 3 more 1-1/2 year olds. None chasing does, just walking around. Zero midday movement as of yet, but that will change soon. Gonna sit all day tomorrow and Saturday as well as 1/2 day Sunday.

[Bear55]

Hopefully the action will break open soon, trick or treating tonight, bow in hand Thursday-Fri afternoon and then out with the boom stick this weekend. There has to be a mature buck out there with my name on it.

[Boonie5]

I dont think the big boys are really trying that hard yet, it seems the bucks that are chasing seem to be the smaller ones. It should be any day now the big boys will be moving non-stop doe to doe. And I just hope he comes by me!

[archerystud]

I saw 2 walking in at 12:30 and at least one of them was a small buck, I'm guessing both of them were. Not sure if they were cruising or if they were bedded where I was walking in.

Had 2 adult does and a fawn come in at 4:15 and that was it. Surprised that I've had 2 decent doe groups around me the last 2 night and no bucks pushing them. Such is the life of a deer hunter I guess.

I grunted and bleated and had nothing respond tonight either.

[no bait nate]

Yesterday I was working in a great wooded area near North Oaks. Two guys on our crew saw a big 8 chasing two does around in the woods off the back deck, and they said he was grunting hard. About two ours later around 4 I saw a nice 10 running nose down through the same area of the yard. I hope they are on their feet in my area of SE MN since I took tomorrow and friday off to hunt all day!

[96trigger]

Friend of mine went out tonight, after seeing zip the last week like me, he finally saw two nice bucks tonight during shooting hours. They were pestering does but would not respond to his grunt or his decoy. They stayed about 100 yards away, but hey, its something.

[benbosh]

I dont think the big boys are really trying that hard yet, it seems the bucks that are chasing seem to be the smaller ones. It should be any day now the big boys will be moving non-stop doe to doe. And I just hope he comes by me!

yup. yesterday had a doe and 2 fawns come by, 20 minutes later i see a buck 75 yards away, grunted, he turned towards me on a dime grunting to beat heck, just a basket 7 with his nose to the ground. he picked up the trail of the doe and fawns and followed that away. Half hour later i hear the grass thrashing behind me on the edge of the woods, figuring its the same 7 pt making his way back around but nope really nice buck working a scrape. he came into the woods and walked along the trail leisurely 40 yards away. tryied grunting.. nothing. snort wheezed, he'd stop look and keep walking. wanted nothing to do with anything at all. this morning, seen the same 7 with his nose to the ground but nothing too intense and that was all i seen for the day.

[B-man715]

Spent 12 hours on stand today trying to get some meat for the freezer.....

Seen one fawn and a fat raccoon..........

I hunted a fresh area on a new property. Couldn't believe how slow it was today...

......but that's huntin'

Good luck out there guys!

[Bear55]

Wasn't hunting but deer everywhere tonight.

[MattL]

Saw a couple fawns by themselves this morning, thought it would be a great day. No other action except the fawns wandering around. Late afternoon a group of 6 does/fawns came through. I grabbed my bow off the hook expecting Mr. Big to be following shortly behind. No such luck. It's gonna bust loose one of these days and I have 2 more all day hunts to make it happen before Saturday.

[RumRiverRat]

After having spent all but an hour and a half of legal time hunting Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I am exhausted. Plenty of does running around solo. The fawns and last years fawns are traveling in small groups.

Put a camera out to monitor my mock scrape with a dripper, a few small bucks checked it out.

Killed another Coyote with my bow Wednesday around 2 in the afternoon.

No more sightings of the big 12 point on Wednesday.

If a yearling doe presents a shot today I am going to take it. Need a young tender deer to make into weiners and brats!

[Sota2Florida]

I've been seeing more midday and early afternoon movement by the does but only one small buck doing any chasing. Most of the fawns are going solo now. Hopefully I can safely get some time in this weekend as I haven't been able to hunt the rut for many years and I am ready for the show!

[nbadger23]

Rum....u about summed up how I feel right now which would be exhausted. Sitting on a tree stand is hard work and the body feels it more when the deer activity is slow. My stands have gotten very cold with only 5 deer in the past 6 sits. I knew that it would be tough to get another opportunity after blowing it on a nice 10 Monday morning but I thought I would at least see deer and be entertained.

I have noticed something odd this past week though. I rarely have deer come by either pre or post shooting light but its happened 4 times in the past week. Its very frustrating to hear them and not get to see them.