Rut Activity?

[Shu]

My son saw 4 bucks mid-morning in this weather today.

[rbs]

Hunted a stand Saturday morning with no deer action close but saw a doe and 2 fawns at first light in the field I was near. Had 2 coyotes come past and one has a bald spot on its back now lol. about a inch lower I figure...dang! I checked my cameras while I was there and missed a nice buck that came thru the night before at 6pm.

Hunted a different spot since it was ese winds last night. Grabbed my sd cards before getting in the stand and I guess I should have bee there the night before because I had 2 bucks, 1 shooter, come past between 3 and 430. I had wondered about my Wildgame Innov. Red 6 camera because it wasn't getting much for pics on that oak flat. I set a Moultrie M880 below it and aimed it the same. Got 7 pics total on the Wildgame...241 on the Moultrie...hmmm. Looked at the Moultrie pics and only had to delete about 20 and they were of me setting and checking the card. Guess I could take the Wildgame camera back!

Good Luck all!

[sticknstring]

The yearlings have been on kamikaze patrol since the 25th. Youngsters really scraping hard. Still have yet to see a shooter buck on his feet though.

[MUSKY18]

Hunted Wed-Friday last week almost all day everyday. Didn't see much on Wednesday with the crappy weather. Thursday I had a shooter 8 sneak in on me. Was putting my calls into my backpack, and when I turned around there he was looking at me. I just froze and he turned around and walked away and went into the woods about 100 yards away. Not alarmed at all. Friday I went in and ate lunch. Got back in the stand bout 2. Right around 3 I looked way across the fields and saw a big deer loping across the alfalfa field bout 600 yards out. Pulled the binos up and watched a monster go down into the creek bottom. Never saw him come out the other side. Hunt ended with two does busting me and standing in the woods blowing and stomping at me.

Yesterday we went up to our woods where we rifle hunt to do a last minute recon of our stand sites and camping area. I have never in my 15 years of hunting up there seen so many scrapes. Found one spot about 15 feet in diameter that had 5 different scrapes in it. Walking up an old logging road, we counted 24 different scrapes on the road alone. Didn't find many rubs however, mainly just scrapes.

[JJJ]

No chasing that I've seen. Hunted sat sun in the stand now. Normal deer movement. I'm guessing the 12th like what I saw in Iowa last year.

[96trigger]

Got to my stand tonight at 3:00, pit out scent wicks. Strange wind again tonight but at least it was diminishing. In the stand 5 minutes and out of nowhere a fork appears, he is going right for the scent wicks. About 4 I see a big bodied deer moving through the brush 100 yards away, hit the grunt tube, no effect. Realize later it's a couple of does going to eat in the picked corn field. Feeling pretty good as I have not been seeing many does. After 30 minutes of the deer feeding, they come back in the woods towards me. It's a doe and her fawn. Commotion catches my eye and theirs as another deer appears and then another. Oh boy, here we go again, this has to be a buck. In fact, both deer were bucks, a little spike and another little 1.5 year old 8 pointer. Both bucks come after the two does, the 8 is all wound up, grunting as it crosses the ditch. It chases the 2 does away. I snap some pics of the little buck working his two lady friends, all the while the spike is staring at me. After a brief staring contest, the spike watches me put my phone away and finally wanders off. Never saw another deer. Really waiting for a mature deer to show its face. The bucks have been getting smaller since Friday night.

[hockeybc69]

Tuesday last week was crazy with chasing... since then, nothing at all.

3 of us hunted Ottertail county over the weekend, and my son has been out at home after school 4 sits since then. Not a deer sighted by any of us.

Someone has to tell the deer they need to get on a pattern.

[walleyeking19]

Saw some deer last week including a few small bucks, but nothing real crazy as far as the rut goes. Hopefully it starts picking up, I'll be out in the morning.

On a side note, a friend of mine drove by where I hunt and said he had a 10 or 12 pointer cut in front of his truck at like 8 at night, so I know he's still around!

[archerystud]

Got to my stand at 3 and looked to the North. See a deer on one of my food plots and is out eating. Doe and fawn come by me at 20 yards but that's it for the evening. Thought I'd see a lot more with those 2 out so early. Heading out now.

[jerkbait]

Saw a small buck with acouple of does on the way home from work last night and another really, really big 6 pointer with a doe in a nother feild. I think things are finally starting to get moving up here. Also seen some scapes when I went to get my cams last night.

[bltbowhunter]

On my way to work this morning, I saw a beautiful, HEAVY, tall, wide, dark rack, 8 pointer, with a doe and another small buck in a spot that I have never seen a deer before. I kept turning around on the county road and drove past him 5 times. I eventually pulled over to get the binos on him. I stared at him for a couple of minutes, but I could only get pulled over so far. The road was pretty busy and I was screwing up traffic. I thought I was going to get hit so I had to move on.

[JJJ]

On stand this AM central MN. No chasing observed from my tree. Small buck checked scrape. Pre rut stuff and feeding to bed is what I've seen.

[bigbucks]

Friday night put climber in a spot for a quick hunt at a new spot I'd prepped before season, saw nothing.

Saturday morning hit another stand I hadn't hunted yet this year, shot the big 9 out of that one with my rifle last year. Hadn't got a chance to get out there to tighten after loosening straps this summer, bit of a fiasco getting that done. Probably 10 mins into shooting light before I was settled with decoy out. Saw a little 5 ptr, about 8:00, another small buck about 9:30, possibly the same one, & then a slightly bigger 6 ptr I'm guessing about 10:00. They were all very small bucks & were cruising, but they were skirting me at about 60-70 yds because I was rattling & had a buck decoy out I think. They were too little to fight & I didn't want to shoot them anyway, so no harm.

Sat same stand Saturday evening, finally heard a deer coming from a ways out a bit after a rattling calling sequence, right where I expected a buck to come from, turned out it wasn't that far off, it was a coyote. When she got clear enough at 15 yards, I let her buck. She spun around & took off low, the arrow sticking out both sides. She almost went down after about 20', then recovered & disappeared over a knoll in the brush at about 60 yards. That's basically where we found her after dark. Very little blood, hit her back to far & gut shot her. Couldn't find arrow in the brush in the dark, will get when I'm off on Thursday.

Finally took a pic last night before I skinned her. First coyote I've ever shot with anything.

[bigbucks]

Sunday afternoon, tried to get my daughter who wants to hunt to climb my gun stand, she wouldn't do it, too high Dad, steps are too far a part. I guess better I know that now than opening morning. She doesn't want to hunt mornings anyway, so since we live 4 miles from opening morning spot I guess I can accommodate that. Decided to take advantage of windy conditions & put up a ladder stand I'd pulled from my buddy's place the day before. Cut down an ironwood & a small dying cherry tree, I think, to open up the trail & did some other trimming. Got home kind of late, but put a couple new broadheads on some arrows & decided to walk out to a stand.

Got in at sunset, so half hour left to go. Within a minute a doe appeared from my calling, she didn't let me finish. I passed on her at 10 yards. Eventually went out in hayfield, then came back in walked 6' max from the buddy ladder base. She kept circling me looking for that deer she heard. Eventually had 2 does & 2 fawns all within 10-15 yards at the same time & at least 4 more deer in the field. That same doe was sort of onto me eventually, but couldn't make up her mind for sure. Had to wait until half hour after legal for her to leave so I could get down. Could have shot her probably 10 times.

Last night hunted a stand at another property that's been a good buck spot. Wasn't able to get on stand until almost 4:30. Within minutes a decent 10 appeared & came to about 40 yards, but didn't want to take that shot, really thought he was going to come right by. I tried to call him in, but he really didn't respond much. Very nice deer, but he's obviously not the bull of the woods. I would have shot him though, too nice to pass.

Sat on the ground in the corner of a harvested bean field for about 45 mins before work today, saw nothing there.

[archerystud]

bigbucks, always feels good to take one of those yotes out!!!

Sat til 10AM this morning and saw nothing. Was quiet calm and quite so I was surprised to not at least see something in the distance.

Since Sat. morning I've only seen one (2.5 year old 7 point) buck although I've seen a decent amount does. I really thought things would be kind of nuts right now. I have the food in the area, late gun season and some bucks on camera. I'm really surprised I haven't at least seen some more smaller bucks.

My dad and I went for a cruise after dinner to look for deer. We were noting that a bunch of them seemed to finally be coming out of their bedding areas around 7 last night and finally heading for food.

So on the way out of the woods this morning I pulled one of my trail cams. Since 10/27 every deer has been well after dark. There are also at least 3-5 different bucks on camera since then. I think that's what is kind of going on around here right now. Maybe this is the calm before the storm?

Well I'm supposed to get 3-6 inches of snow here by morning so things should rev up. Could be worse, I could be in at work!!!!

Just gotta remember it only takes about 5 good minutes and the season can be over with!!!

[bigbucks]

Just gotta remember it only takes about 5 good minutes and the season can be over with!!!

That's for sure, this time of year, if I can get a half hour or so hunt in anywhere, even in a marginal spot I take it. You never know when & where Mr. Big will show up.

My wife really likes that approach of mine... Most of the time she remembers it's only a couple weeks of UTTER chaos.

[nbadger23]

It was quite "icy" out this morning.. the stand was very creaky and the leaves were very noisy but it was beautiful. I finally had a 3.5 year old walk by but unfortunately he wasn't legal. Very big bodied deer with a dark rack that had light tips. He was walking through like he was on a mission, nose to the ground every so often and not stopping to browse at all. I really wish I would have taken the day off and sat all day but such are the breaks.

It's funny that you mention "it only take 5 minutes" because I tell myself quite a bit 'it only takes 30 seconds' when I get a little down or bored while hunting.

[archerystud]

What a difference some weather makes?!?!

Got to my stand and after about 20-30 minutes I hear a snort to the South. I figure that some deer smelt me. About a minute later here comes a doe running at me from the South, then I hear some grunting so I keep watching her back trail. After the third grunt I realize that the deer is behind me. A 2.5 year old 8 point walks by at 10 yards.

A doe and fawn come out across from me and the buck stares at them. Then I see something else coming out of the thick stuff and it's a doe and a fawn. I now have 2 deer to the North, 2 to the East and one to the South, I'M SURROUNDED!!!

I keep watching to where the last 2 came out and I see something moving in the willow thicket, it's coming out and then turns back in. I then hear grunting back there but the 8 pointer is still to my South.

After a while I hear another snort to the South and figure I've been busted. The doe to my East trots into the thick stuff. This all happens before 4:15 tonight.

About 10 mins later I hear something to the South again. There are 2 does and a fawn straight downwind of me. Two at 60 yards and one at about 90. Exciting night to say the least. I know at a minimum it was 6 different deer but probably was more than that.

My question is have you ever heard a doe snort at a buck? I've heard a snort wheeze and this was just a snort. In fact I've heard snorts a few times from that direction but this was the first time the wind was NOT in my favor.

Was nice to have the rain/wind move in as I left my stand to cover my exit noise. These are the nights I live for, was definitely exciting!!

[MattL]

It's been real slow for me so far in South Central MN. About Oct 20th everything turned nocturnal and I haven't had much daytime activity since. I did have a messy little non-typical cruising through this morning about 9:30, but he was too young to shoot.

[Archerysniper]

The doe's will snort at the bucks when they get sick of getting pushed and their not ready.

[nbadger23]

Sounds like you had a fun night archerystud! I had a doe snort at a buck Sunday night. Like you, at first I thought I was busted but when I finally located where the noise came from I could tell that she was snorting at two little bucks that were harassing her.

[Musky Buck]

Have seen a buck 3 straight mornings at 7:15 todays only had 1 horn, serious movement last night before the snow started mercy, they were feeding heavily and unconcerned I was watching from the truck as the buck on the woodline was making rubs while his harem fed a bit nervously in the alfalfa.

[snapcrackpop]

Buck following a doe along the road today. 7:45 AM

[96trigger]

Ive been seeing lots of bucks chasing does, I just have not seen any large bucks chasing does. Wish I knew where they were....still it's been a lot of fun in the woods the last week. Very entertaining. I've seen more chasing this year than the last 10 years combined.

[sticknstring]

It's been really slow since the last week of October for me. Woke up this morning and the calendar said December. Where did November go? And what is rut activity?