Rutting Reports

[Fishalittle]

Had a nice 8 pt pursuing 2 does on a field but he stayed 100 yds out and wouldn't come to grunt or rattle...it got his attention but he wasn't looking for a confrontation. The does weren't interested at all either though so he was outta luck!

Action this weekend seemed slow compared to past years....hoping this cool down puts some heat into their fire!

[1eyeReD]

Sat Fri night. Had doe come off a ridge and enter the bottoms where I was at. She was downwind of me but paid no mind. No doe tag left and this was WI. Then a small fork came from the opposite direction. I grunted and he paid no mind. I also rattled n he looked up but casually made his way without a care.

I sat in the same spot the following evening and saw one fawn that bursted out of nowhere running 50mph past me. She then came running back and up the ridge. I was hoping a buck harassing her and would show up but nothing after.

Sun night took my son for drive and saw some deer feeding in a grass field. Huge buck walking behind a doe. Too bad cant hunt there.

[going4it]

Nice 8-10 running through the middle of town tonight. He was pretty swelled up. It's getting hot!! Nw metro

[bmc]

I sat last night in the rain and saw a doe and fawn right before dusk.

3rd sit of the year for me and I've seen 11 does and fawns and passed up 9 of those 11 deer.

No scrapes or rubs on our property (Grand Rapids area) at all and we have a couple small bucks running around. Even the couple of scrapes that are opened up every single year haven't been touched. Weird!

Buddies in the area have been seeing scrapes for the last week or so.

LEO"s who work the night shift are seeing an increase in big buck sighitngs, so the big boys are getting on their feet.

Brian

[tazimna]

the deer were on the move last night in my neck of woods. From my stand I watched 11 doe/fawns eating my alfalfa and had 4 different bucks come out to play alittle. Bucks were nosing the does, but none must have been in heat cuz no chasing was really seen. Sunday morning I lightly rattled/grunted and had the 14 ptr I'm after come to about 32 yds and worked a scrape. I was shaking like a hooker in church, but to long a shot for my longbow. Fun to watch. I have a 4 day weekend coming up so between my 6 stands, I feel he'll finally give himself to me. Good Luck. Taz

[tunrevir]

Morning sits have been the best for me as far as activity goes with the warm weather we have had. Sunday am lone doe and five minutes behind her a 6 point 730am, 815 a group of four does moved through and the woods ignited with activity. a group of three does with a fork shadowing came by, while seventy yards out 2 does were being chased by two smaller bucks back and forth. That group ran through and two more does getting harassed by a small buck came through. 845 all the deer in my sightlines had moved off with small bucks in tow. 9 am I decided to rattle lightly and 10 minutes later had a doe being pushed by a fork come in. 16 deer came by Sunday am. Big boys haven't shown up. Two night sits and I saw two small bucks and a doe, rattled in a small fork last night but woods generally quiet in the evening. Hoping the cooler temps will bring more am and early afternoon activity and that the big boys will start trolling a bit.

Tunrevir~

[BLACKJACK]

shaking like a hooker in church

[tazimna]

Had snow on ground here at 6 pm, but got home to late to make it to stand, so watched the herd in my field from house. Had 17 deer at 6 pm with several bucks moving thru the does checking them out.Got to watch several chase scenes and 2 basket 8's go at it. Snow gone by this morning for most part, but should get more tonight. It'll be an interesting morning hunt. Taz

[Jarrid Houston]

To's has got to be the start of heavy deer movement.. Pretty cold up here in Duluth. Looking forward to Fridays sit!!

[Jeff13]

On stand now. Had loan doe (big doe) come in at 7, stayed around for by herself for 30 minutes.

Then I got to tempted she was 18 yards broadside and I shot over her. Just a chip shot and I nicked my coat with the string! Oh well sometimes things like that happen.

[Jarrid Houston]

Saw some deer over the weekend (finally). Even know all I saw was a buck fawn and a doe, I was still happy to see an animal. Hunting can be frustrating, but patience and persistence can pay off! Now the scrapes are going, and I am getting some bucks on the trail cams. Especially the rifle land (we have a number of nice bucks coming out earlier and earlier.. Hoping this is the year (We as hunters say this every year don't we?)

[BuckmasterG]

Made it out Sunday evening at my spot near home. Finally started seeing some rut activity! Scrapes were fresh and licking branches being worked over, but didn't see any deer.

Took a half day yesterday and made it out to my stand at 2. It was a beautiful evening all I could think of was how this is the reason I love bow hunting. Needless to say I still didn't see any deer, but I did pull my camera cards. When I got home I checked the cards and was all jacked up to finally lay eyes on some bucks. Some I didn't have pictures of earlier this fall and some that I did. Since October 23rd, I had 4 or 5 different bucks working my mock scrapes (in known scraping areas) and 1 giant! From the picture it's tough to tell if Andre is the same deer I have had on my camera the past couple years (one in which I was worried was a victim of last years shotgun season) but he sure stuck around for a few days. He was workigg a couple different scrape locations, but him as well as all the other bucks were only pictured between 7:30 pm and 5 a.m. I'm hoping they start moving during the day a bit or hold out past the first weekend so that I can get a whack on him, as I will be rifle hunting up north this weekend.

Planning on taking tomorrow off, my plans are still up in the air yet, but I'm thinking I will head up to the cabin to get one more hunt in on public land before the orange army hits it, that or sit morning around home and cruise up mid day for an evening sit (1 hour drive). Hopefully have a better report for you guys tomorrow, but I'm happy to personally see activity picking up finally!

[tipup]

My question is, with the current weather outlook this week into the weekend, how much do you think the wind effects a rutting buck? Will he tend to stay hidden and lay down during the wind, or do you think that nature takes over and he goes no matter what? I would lean towards nature taking over and him throwing caution to the wind. What is all of your thoughts?? I plan on sitting tonight and the rest of the week up until rifle season, at which time I will be with my son trying to help him get his first buck!

[96trigger]

I think they will still be on the move, but not as much as they should be. If it was sunny, cold, and calm, I think the deer would all be on their feet. I think the bucks should still be cruising looking for does. I don't think they are fair weather breeders. That said, I don't like the weather forecast either.

[skee0025]

I was out this morning to check some stand locations and saw several nice bucks chasing does. Makes me wish I had a bow.

[Sir_Sumo]

So.... Has anyone been out lately? I'm thinking of going out tomorrow. Did I miss the rut?

[ozzie]

from the sounds of it around the elk river area up to crosslake area I have heard of multiple bucks seen or shot in the past 24 hours meaning they are making mistakes and being seen also. my thought is I am excited to get to the stand in the morning and hunt this weekend!!!

[96trigger]

4 large bucks, 2 Boone and crocket, hit the dirt today. Get in a stand!

[hockeybc69]

Heading up in the morning. I really REALLY wanted to be out tonight. It just felt like a good night.

Daughter had hockey practice tonight, so off in the morn. Good to hear Trigger... Any pics of what was shot?

[96trigger]

I have pics of the 2 big ones, saw pics of the other two. The one B&C had drop tines, he hunts with my cousin, the other is brother in law, that is the other one that could make B&C. My brother said the pics don't do it justice and he should hit the 160's, maybe 170's, I'll score this morning and get results and hopefully better pics. My brother in law blew it on a nice buck earlier at 3:30, couldn't get a shot off on his right side, then shot the pig at 4:30.

[harvey lee]

I have been archery hunting for the past 3 days in NW MN. Seen some deer buck only one buck chasing a doe. That's it. Maybe today will show more sign. Last week in NorthDakota saw what I thought was the start to the rut. Just not seeing much for a rut sign this past few weeks but seeing deer. May arrow a doe today if the shot is there as the morning temps seem to b dropping now.

[MUSKY18]

Well after being shut out last weekend up north for the rifle season, I'm excited to be crawling back into the stand this afternoon with the Elite. Got home from rifle last Sunday and pulled my cards. Couple of nice bucks moving through in the daytime. Kinda funny story in that regards. We let one guy shotgun hunt on our bow land. Last Saturday he was sitting, didn't see a thing. Got down and went to check out the mineral lick for tracks. Got him on the camera looking. He then went home to warm up and eat, 45 minutes after he was on the camera, a nice big 8 came walking right past his stand! Ooops. Anyways......going to get out tonight and hopefully something will take a nap.

Yesterday while running my UPS route, I was delivering right out on Voyagers road in Alex, and there was a very nice 8 point running through the little field across from the funeral home. This was at about 4 in the afternoon.

[sticknstring]

Sat tonight for the first time since Saturday. Had a nice 8pt chase a doe by me at 20 yds grunting like a pig. Got him to stop, but no shot. First good rut action since before gun season. Maybe tomorrow!

What have you guys & gals been seeing?

[hugonian1]

I am heading to South Dakota in the morning.

A week later than I had planned but work and weather got in the way.

Hope I hit the tail end of the rut.

Lots of deer out where I am going.

[sticknstring]

Awesome - good luck! I've had some of my best whitetail hunting around Aberdeen. Shelter belts and cattails are the name of the game there.