Rut Activity?

[LABS4ME]

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.

I was up in Otter Tail Co Monday and Tuesday... scrapes everywhere, very few rubs and no deer! 1 week ago, seen deer on every sit. Mon and tues zero - zippo. i buck mid day when I was driving back to farm crossing the road. small 8, that was it. Going to hit again Friday before rifle opener.

Good Luck!

Ken

[archerystud]

Absolute CHAOS this morning!!!

I hit a different property. Had a nice wet snow on the ground but the stand was covered in ice. I tried to quietly knock some of it off. I got some off and decided I was standing all morning in the stand. Far too much noise if I move around. Should still be out there but my back is killing me from standing.

Had at LEAST 5 different bucks running does around my stand. Most were 1.5 and 2.5 year-olds. While the ruckus was going on in front of me I heard something behind me when I see a nice 3.5 year old 8 or 10 pointer. He's already at 35 yards and walking away. Not huge but he was a shooter in my book. I couldn't grunt at him with all of the deer in front of me!!! He just kept on moving.

When the other deer were gone I started grunting again. I grunted back 3 smaller bucks and they chased a fawn all around my stand.

One note. I carry 2 grunt calls. When the deer are closer I prefer to use the quieter one. That one did nothing this morning. I had to use the loud one to get any deer to turn around. This was my fourth sit on that stand. Had seen a couple of does and one small buck but today was crazy.

I should add I'm in Southern MN.

These are the mornings I LIVE for!!!

[sticknstring]

Sounds like I need to drive farther south! Sounds like you're on some fine action AS - those are the days that keep us going in the offseason.

[Musky Buck]

3 days in a row now saw a buck, sun shining bright on him this morning, 1 antler only which makes him off limits, his other was broken off about 5 inches from the base, walking through the snow, it was really neat to watch him for a few minutes, friends t-cams are filling up with buck footage now, heavy night time cruising and searching.

[paceman]

Nice Report ArcheryStud! I will be out this afternoon and the next 2 mornings! Hoping for similar action!

[96trigger]

going out this afternoon, and all day Friday. No snow down here.

[slimngrizzly]

Ive been out seeing lots of 2 years olds and smaller this week. This morning was beautiful with the snow but the deer didn't seem to like it where I was sittin, only seen a jr.. I have been seeing a nice 130 class 8 point the last couple days around 8:30 am. Tomorrow im going after him I think!Its been tough to get anything better than him on camera even, different kind of year for me. Theres still plenty of time. Good luck everyone

[hockeybc69]

Hey Ken,

3 of us were up in OTC over the weekend too. None of us saw a deer. Puzzling yet again. We will be up Friday for an afternoon hunt prior to the chaos starting Saturday. Good luck!

[LABS4ME]

Mark,

Mike and I are bow hunting all day Friday. I think I need to move my stand. Wasn't planning on it, but after the miserble sits I had Monday and Tuesday, it needs to happen. Found a lot of scrapes a couple hundred yards form me. Think they are using those woods more so than where Im at. Im hunting the woods close to some standing corn and it just does not seem to be holding deer right now. wierd. Saw deer there the previous weekend... the trails are ounded further into the woods. Positive I heard my first 'buck roar' Monday night. It actually prompted me to scout that area out Tuesday AM

I think this could be an interesting rifle season!

Good luck!

Ken

[JJJ]

Small bucks were chasing this morning. 2 different bucks. Small ones. Central MN. Snow on ground here. It is begining.

[erikwells]

You guys with the "deer moving" reports are responsible for me using my last sick day Friday. I've got to get out one more day before gun opener. Thanks for the motivation.

[archerystud]

Did I mention that as fast as it starts, it can stop?

Went to the same stand tonight. Pulled up to my parking spot and a doe busted out of the woods and ran across the road. I figure a buck chased her out. So I quick hurried out to my stand and saw one buck all night.

That's huntin!!!!!

[hockeybc69]

My son hunted again tonight, nothing. Unfortuneately he cant do morning hunts with school.

A week ago, I was on that stand and saw 4 different bucks and no idea how many does. Guessing a few at least.

He hasnt seen a deer now since that night I was out. And I havent seen a deer driving through the neighborhood in several days either. You nailed it Mike... it changes very fast!

I keep waiting for a text that he got something. Maybe tomorrow.

[phorn]

Sat all day today. I saw 7 bucks two monsters and one respectable 2.5 yr old. Not one doe seen. Couldn't get a shot off on the big boys.They are running hard. The wind was a tough one.

[ZachD]

Had a nice nice 10 come in with a doe .. doe ran off, 10 circled around then a 6 point came in front of my stand to where i did a scent drag... they stared at each other for awhile 10 walked toward him and I shot him.. well I have some looking to do in the morning ( its in my im going to be sick thread)

[paceman]

Only saw one deer tonight but he was a dandy 8. pretty cool that he came walking in about 2:30 but he bedded down about 50 yards away. I watched him for 90 minutes until he finally got up about 4:00. he ignored my grunts and walked away. About 4:30 I did a rattling sequence. About 5:00 he came back but hung up at 40 yards in the brush. he finally melted away. Man it gets dark fast in the woods...

[96trigger]

Got to my stand shortly before 4 tonight. Deer was bedded below it, think it was a doe. About an hour later a buck walks through, it's another little 8 pointer. He gets downwind of my scent wicks and starts coming up the bluff, grunting the whole time. Look to my right and 3 does are trying to make a hasty get away. He makes a half hearted attempt at a chase but is now eye level with me and he spots me. Of course we lock eyes and he doesn't like what he sees. He scoots off headed in the direction he was originally going. On my way out, had either a fork horn or nice doe pass within 20 yards of my parked truck on an alfalfa field waterway. I knocked an arrow just in case I had to use it in self defense. We passes within 50 yards of each other and it could have cared less. Out all day Friday before gun opener.

[MattL]

Another slow day for me. I had about a 130" 9 point come through about 2:00. He was moving slowly and cautiously from one bedding area to the next. I contemplated shooting him since I haven't been seeing much this year, but I just couldn't bring myself to clip on the release. Gotta let them young ones grow up a little.

Taking the day off from hunting to go to work tomorrow. Got a lot of catching up to do. I don't think I'll miss much in the woods the way things are going for me.

[going4it]

Saw 8 today while driving to and from work. One came flying out of the woods chasing, another doe in a dof spot was stomping at something in the woods behind her. Get home and there is a track in my yard. A deer right through the neighborhood.Talk with the neighbor and he tells me it's was a nice 8 pt. they were moving a lot in the north metro today.

[wja]

saw two bucks sparring in a field with a doe and a fawn close by.

awesome to hear the antlers rattle. Got a nice show for about 5 minutes. se minnesota

[Meat-Run]

sat last night and haven't seen a deer and it's also a management zone and never have I sat and didn't see 4+ deer. I'm in south central Crow Wing cnty and all my woods are dead with sign...zippo, nada scrape or rub.

MR

[archerystud]

Had a doe/fawn come in this morning. Later a small 6 pointer cruised through.

As nice as the wet snow was yesterday morning it sucked today. I must have sounded like a heard of heffalumps walking into the woods this morning. I heard a couple running away as I walked in as well but it could have been the doe/fawn I saw later.

[sticknstring]

That's why I took this morning off. Figured I'd do more harm than good walking in. Hoping the sun melts most of it off today and I can get a quality (45 min) sit tonight!

[archerystud]

Probably not a bad move SnS.

The woods I'm hitting we've owned since the 80's. It's a good woods until after Sunday, then it becomes VERY tough to hunt. So I'm hitting it while I can!!!

[Musky Buck]

I think a bit they really were out feeding heavily moments before the snow started, sometimes get a little skittish with the first white ground of the year, saw 0 this AM first time this week so I expect to see some out tonight. Can't wait for Saturday, farmer is going to fire up the combines at 9:30 and drive that 240 acres of corn at me, could be interesting. Told him please park the semi's in the NW corner of the field, he said usually do not a problem !