Rut Activity?

[benbosh]

Never really paid attention to that but you guys just mentioned it so I thought what the heck I'll read up on it a little. I've noticed the same thing as his data, finally seeing little bucks out chasing and seeking this past weekend. Last years "rutting moon" was Oct. 29, the morning of Oct. 30 last year I seen one of the biggest bucks of my life. Coincidence? Maybe, but everything seems to be matching up from what I have seen..

[drewbop]

Saw a fork last night right at sunset. I couldn't get him to stop! (I'm shooting any buck right now as I'm expecting within the next month-the wife wants me back!)

I drew back and bahed and barked and yelled to get him to stop to no avail. He just kept his nose to the ground and was on a solid "fast walk."

[dave12341234]

Starting to see SOME daytime activity on the camera, mostly blurry rear ends and spike bucks, so there chasin' for sure. there are also bucks I haven't seen before. Lake Nebagamon,WI area.

[ZachD]

Went out to an area in Oak Grove today Did not see anything, Talked with a guy who hunted around that property on opener and said that him and his little group saw a lot of forks and spikes running around and no does.

[Archerysniper]

I had a 8 chase a doe through the shop parking lot at 8am today. This is on hwy 280 and Larpenter not a spot that deer are normally at.

[woodsmaven]

Dead one on the highway. Couple of family members have seen morning movement. Last night driving, I saw a 140+ ten pointer crossing a parking lot like he was on a mission!

[1eyeReD]

Saw a couple of does being chased by a big bodied deer at dusk in a parking lot at the cross streets of Rice St. and Owasso Blvd in Little Canada while delivering the front quarter of a doe to my mom.

[leechlake]

sounds like parking lots are the best areas right now! Take your wife/girlfriend out on a date and talk her into "parking." As you're making your moves you see a deer out of the corner of your eye and you roll the window down and shoot it. That should go over well with the wife.

Sorry didn't mean to derail the post, keep it on track now.

[1eyeReD]

sounds like parking lots are the best areas right now! Take your wife/girlfriend out on a date and talk her into "parking." As you're making your moves you see a deer out of the corner of your eye and you roll the window down and shoot it. That should go over well with the wife.

Sorry didn't mean to derail the post, keep it on track now.

Yea my SUV would make a good ground blind right about now since I've got them patterned.

[FISHINGURU]

sounds like parking lots are the best areas right now!

LOL, I was gonna say the same thing.

They are finally doin what we have wanted them to do for the past 3 weeks though.

[bltbowhunter]

I snuck out to my closest stand last night around 4:00 I had an 8 pointer come into 10' from the base of my tree about 5 minutes after I let out some doe bleats with the can call. He stood there for a few minutes looking around, and then eventually circled downwind and walked off after he couldn't find the doe. I also heard some fighting on the other side of a tree line that I was in, but never got see them. I caught a glimpse of a nice buck at about 300 yds., but he disappeared before I could get the binos on him. It was a fun evening in the deer woods.

[BryanL]

Does must really be in heat. Saw an 8 point cruising across an open field with a doe on HiS tail. Thought it was funny and really did look like she was chasing him.

[huntnfish]

Does must really be in heat. Saw an 8 point cruising across an open field with a doe on HiS tail. Thought it was funny and really did look like she was chasing him.

I tell my wife that's what high school was like for me.

I've seen way more scrapes showing up. I haven't seen anything more that little saplings tore up though. I know there are mature bucks around but this is the first year I haven't seen a bunch of rubs.

[96trigger]

I haven't seen much for an explosion of activity like I have in the past. Really weird rut this year.

[Big Country]

Duluth/Hermantown area. I was at work and at 11:10 a.m. I saw the biggest buck on hoof of my entire life. He was alone in the middle of a field that had a road on one side and heavy cover on another. Jogging along and scenting for does. He was a very old buck with heavy white facial hair. Crazy wide 10 point rack. He stopped at one point just 60 yards away. I grunted at him and he gave me a look then went in the direction of the brush. Had to be a "hottie" somewhere in there. Gorgeous animal. Living in the city area he appeared to be a 5 1/2 year old. I gotta get in the woods soon! BC

[Musky Buck]

Craziest rut I've seen since 1988. 9 different bucks, 7 does, and a fawn last weekend, now for a buck with some size on him, would've took a 10 pointer but couldn't get him stopped in a lane he was really after a doe hard. 5 of those does were being pursued, 1 had 3 bucks after her the poor thing, found later scrapes rubs etc. literally hundreds of rubs and my trailcam Nov. 7th there were daylight bucks cruising like crazy all day long. 8 different bucks came to the 1 scrape I put the cam on, I never years back thought that happens, that is what a t-cam has taught me the most. Community scrapes occur in places.

[walleyeking19]

Tuesday at 8:46 am I had the 10 pointer I've been chasing around all season walk by my empty stand. He had his nose to the ground smelling for does. My heart sank when I looked at that trail camera picture. Thats only the second time I've seen him in the daylight all season. I could've been out there tuesday, too.

[nbadger23]

I had a nice buck come in this morning around 9:45. I caught movement off to my right, about 50 yards away, on the edge of a small food plot. I could see antlers moving up and down, likely working a scrape and licking branch that just opened up in that spot. Now's when the fun starts, I know he's going to come my way but will it be behind me or in front of me and I have a tree on that side of me that I have to get my bow around if it's behind me.

I guess behind me and that's what he does, but staying head on the whole way. At 5 yards he decides to turn and go in front of me so I have to get the bow back around the tree which I almost do successfully but my broad head gets caught on a small twig and it makes just a little noise. He hears that and it spooks him a little. He jumps off the trail about 5 feet and starts walking away from me. I come to full draw, anchor in, wait for him to stop, and let drive. I then get that empty feeling as I see my arrow veer left after hitting a small twig I simply didn't see.

He runs off, laughing at me I suppose, and I slump back into my seat, wondering how that went down that way.

[FISHINGURU]

I dunno what's worse, knowing you missed because of a small twig or being pumped for an hour in your stand thinking of which mount your going to choose then finding out you hit a twig after you go look for blood.

[nbadger23]

I'd definitely go with the latter. At least I knew my fate right away and could commence with the beating of the head against the tree.

[Wanderer]

Good stories guys, keep em coming - except with pics of what DID work!!

I only have a few buck stories this year and they've all ended without pics too...

[archerystud]

My dad saw a nice buck running does last night. Pretty slow today though. We had a thick fog roll in a little before sunset. Could only see about 45 yards after that. Not used to that thick of a fog in Nov. during deer hunting!!!

[tracker x-2]

Shot a dandy of a buck this am he was chasing a doe. not ten seconds after I dropped him (gun) another buck came by look at mine and then took off after that doe! lol pretty interesting to see

[sticknstring]

Chasing hard in the picked corn behind the house tonight 45 min before dark. Def a trickle rut this year. Should be good through Thanksgiving.

Congrats tracker!

[HOGEYE]

Hunting Bemidji refuge so no gun pressure.

Sat last Wed afternoon and all day last Sat and Sunday. Overall last week was when I lots of spikes, sporks,sixes and basket 8's running during the day. Nothing better until that Sat night (11-9).

On 11-9 evening I saw a 3.5 year old wide eight come out in the field with a doe. It was snowing hard at the time. They didn't come on a trail and came out from a random location at the edge of a large bedding swamp. Subsequently he scented me, changed course, and headed out without flagging. The doe followed/chased him.

11-10- Had a doe and fawns come through with no bucks following...

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yesterday (11-15) sat all day and had a doe come screaming through at last light (this was a welcome after sitting all day with no movement). Thought a buck was following as I heard a weak grunt. It was actually an old long faced doe following a smaller doe. Maybe it was the mom (would have been a big fawn though). The doe's back wasn't scratched up either like it would had she been mounted recently.

(11-16) sat all day today and saw a lone doe working towards bedding at 10:00 am (although an ATV on private property prob bumped her). Switched trees early afternoon due to shifting wind. Right at dark a doe came out and as I was getting down a buck joined her and was grunting but not on her but too hard. I think it was the same couple I saw on 11-9.

Bottom Line IMHO:

I do think that the chasing and early rut is late this year. I am surprise I haven't seen anything past the ears come through seeking. My theory is that it is a late rut and the moon phase (no movement last 2 days) and weather has them moving at night. Coyotes have also been letting loose at dark and they actually let loose this morning at 8:30. Sounded like about a dozen but who knows.

Have usually seen much larger deer by this point. Not as many gun shots nearby either.