Rut

[Iceboy]

Amen to hot does! I'm taking next week off, too. Should be a great week to be in the woods - good luck!

I have next week off of work and will be doing all day sits. I did the same thing last year and was certain I picked the wrong week after a couple days in, then someone turned the switch and the third day was crazy. So just remember folks, day to day can be completely different. Don't get too discouraged if you aren't seeing action. One hot doe can create mayhem.

[icecold]

My son left his trail camera out this week by his stand that he is going to use for slug hunting and he had 4 different bucks on camera from 7-10 am and a ton of does, this is nice to see some deer during daylight hours my son is 14 and i mean he is pumped up ,its going to be a long week. LOL

[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.

[Musky Buck]

Lots of deer sightings etc. the last couple days, bucks acting strangely for sure kinda, I hope not too many get crushed Friday night in the mad panic of getting where we need to go, 1 less hour of daylight to drive in compared to the last few years. Rut is definitely underway somewhat anyway, hearing 36 for a high in central MN Saturday starting out with flurries.

[Kdog10]

Saw two mature bucks (one was wall worthy for sure) hanging out together in a field on Sunday. They were tolerant of each other and not aggressive at all. In fact they left the field together...

[Wanderer]

In our hunt area in SE MN last weekend, we saw the same thing - a couple mature bucks together in a field while the does and fawns were together in another. It was just a snapshot in time during dark hours so I don't know what was happening before or after that but I do know the deer in general either weren't moving much in daylight hours or we all of a sudden have a serious lack of deer on the properties.

Deer sightings were so minimal and general fresh sign is so light that I'm actually thinking about gun hunting zone 1 instead. YIKES!

[Musky Buck]

Just asked a friend the rut question, any t-cam footage ? He said " Timberwolves 109, deer pictures 3." Said have a fun season lol. He asked why MN feeds the wolves so well compared to the rocky mountain states, he's like look at what they've done to the elk around Yellowstone, I said enjoy your wolves, they'll get mange soon enough with nothing to eat and too many of em. The rut is kickin I'd say, many saw once again morning bucks on the way to work so they're searching and ready willing and able.

[sticknstring]

Deer sightings were so minimal and general fresh sign is so light that I'm actually thinking about gun hunting zone 1 instead. YIKES!

Crosslake over SE MN!? You must not be feeling well today Tracy!

[Wanderer]

I'm not!!

20 years of hunting the farms in the SE and this has been far and away the worst season ever.

We started bow opener with over 20 sighted on stand to a low of NO deer this past weekend. Granted we saw deer when WE were moving - like 6 does over 3 days - but otherwise the best deer viewing was driving to and from town for dinner. One decent 8 point seemed to be trailing a doe, otherwise bucks were separate from the does and fawns. No more than 7 deer were seen on any one way trip (none on one trip) whereas this time other years 20 was the norm. Our trail cams haven't even been getting much love!

I did smell what I believe was an estrous doe, not just a regular scented doe though . I was walking up a tote road in the morning and the smell hit me. I knew my scents were in zip lock bags and the wind was in my face so I started looking for a scrape or wondered if my buddy started a scent drag there (he told me later he hadn't). It was the same smell as Golden Estrous. I took about 10 more steps and looked up the hill under the cedar branches to see the silhouette of a large lone doe looking at me. She took off of course and crossed the road at the top of the hill where I caught the smell once again.

We both did scent drags, hung wicks at our stands, used a decoy, called some, sat quiet - nothing...

Area 172 is "Deer Camp" with our friends and I've given up my two best spots to our girls and let them hunt with me looking over their shoulder. This year I have a third set I'm confident with and would like it covered. Plus my Z3 hunting partner is unsure if he can make the 3B opener. I hunted 3B alone last year. Come to find out, I prefer company.

[MahtowaDave]

Have a trail camera pics of an 8 point and a 5 point sparring over a salted up stump in front of my hunting cabin on 10/30/13. Neither would impress many people, but it was cool to see. Next picture was a bobcat smelling where they were. Only a couple small scrapes on my land. Only found 1 rub so far, but it was impressive.

[bigbucks]

Was out last night & saw a one sided spike cruise through shortly after a few grunt calls. Also heard a buck grunting about 200 yards away that I called to, but he only cut the distance to about 100 yards. Heard him moving & grunting, but couldn't see him.

Sat for about 45 mins this am & saw I think a buck out checking scrapes along logging roads. He was about 250 yards & a short sighting, so not positive it was a buck. A couple of new scrapes appeared on a trail that weren't there Sunday afternoon. Had to stop for a little buck standing on the shoulder on my way to work about 7:50.

I still say the little ones are moving, not so sure about the big boys yet.

[Wanderer]

Area 172 is "Deer Camp" with our friends and I've given up my two best spots to our girls and let them hunt with me looking over their shoulder. This year I have a third set I'm confident with and would like it covered. Plus my Z3 hunting partner is unsure if he can make the 3B opener. I hunted 3B alone last year. Come to find out, I prefer company.

Whew! My Z3 hunting partner confirmed today he can make the opener. That was close! I think my momentary lapse of reason has subsided.

[paceman]

Had a really nice 8 hang up about 40 yards in the brush. He at was a dandy. The really cool thing is that about 2:30 I watched him come to about 50 yards and then he bedded down, for 90 minutes! about 4:00 he finally got up, he ignored my grunts and walked away. 5:00 he comes back.. but never close enough.. Perhaps if I would have had the decoy with he would have come all the way in... Only deer I saw tonight.