Peak Rut?

[bklimek]

What dates are considered the peak rut here in Central MN? Is it the first week in November. I know it varies a little bit from year to year but I am looking for a timeline.

Butch

[Stratosman]

It seems from my experience that the first week of November things seem to really heat up, right before the gun opener. Last year I shot an 11 pointer on the Friday before the gun season with the bow. And for many days prior to that I saw numerous bucks chasing does. And it seems at least every other year I have an encounter with a nice buck on that day. If I had only one day a year I could go bowhunting, I would always choose the Friday before gun opener. 2 months from now! I can't wait!

[leechlake]

I'll second that, I saw three bucks chasing does like crazy on the Friday before opener last year. The very end of Oct until Saturday of Opener is prime time without all the people. I hunt around Walker.

[bigbucks]

I'm on board with the other guys on that time frame. The first snowfall that stays on the ground for at least half a day or so is a great time to hunt too, even if it is early.

That whole week before gun season is the best & most years it gets better the last couple of days. I've shot bucks, although not large ones, withing two days of gun season twice for sure & have missed at least one other one in that time frame, plus many near shot opps. I always hunt the Friday before gun season, regardless of the weather. That time of year even if you can only hunt for the first hour of the day or the last hour, do it, things happpen fast.

[eyecrosser2000]

I hate to be technical, but I think the "peak of the rut" actually occurs around November 12th in Minnesota. I believe the "peak" can be a tough time to hunt as many bucks are with does and have greatly limited their movement. Of course, if you get in an area with a hot doe it can get pretty crazy.

As stated in the previous posts, the last week of October and first week of November are prime "seeking" and "chasing" stages of the rut.

[BLACKJACK]

The last several years I've taken the whole week off before gun season to bowhunt, with a little pheasant hunting mixed in, depending on the crop harvest. Fun, fun! Lots of bucks moving around!! From what I've read and observed, and others have said, this is more the chase phase, the bucks are ready but the does aren't, and that as someone else said, Nov 12-15 is closer to the peak rut.

Several times in the last couple of years I've also seen bucks hot after a doe right at Thanksgiving time, chasing the doe, and chasing off a smaller buck at the same time. Several years ago it was right on Thanksgiving day and the buck was a shooter, with antlers wider than his ears, but we were hosting Turkey day that year and I couldn't break away. Last year I watched a nice 8 point chase a doe right below my house, I briefly considered getting my bow out. Neat.

I read in the Deer and Deer Hunting magazine recently that one of the writers was predicting a heavy rut around Nov 14 because of a full moon coinciding with the rut. We'll see.

[Stratosman]

Correct, the actual "peak" is a bit later than when I stated, however, the prime time to kill a big buck is in the chase phase for two reasons: one is that the bucks aren't having any luck finding receptive does and are moving all day in search of, but when they find a hot doe they do not leave her for anything, when she beds, he beds, and since does typically hole up for most of the daylight hours, you're chances decrease a bit. Secondly, the peak rut is during the gun season, which puts alot of pressure on the deer and they are even less likely to move during daylight. As a bowhunter, I wouldn't mind seeing the gun season open a week later. Don't get me wrong, I still shotgun hunt, but nothing compares to killing a deer with the bow.

[BLACKJACK]

Strato, that idea of a later gun season has been one of the ideas of the QDM folks, that the later gun season would allow more bucks to survive. I primarily bow hunt, so it wouldn't bother me.

[Stratosman]

I know this might be a sticky area but I wouldn't mind seeing a size restriction on bucks also, I never used to but as of the last few years been passing up smaller bucks for more mature bucks, and have been seeing more mature deer, and not for the reason that they are growing bigger but for the reason I am spending more time in the stand. The problem with this is I let a small fork or 6 pointer walk by me and he jumps the fence and gets shot by the neighbor. The problem is we don't shoot enough does and shoot the first spike we see. I know, I know, alot of people only get to hunt a couple times a year and want to bring home venison and do not care what the antlers look like and I respect that without a doubt, hell, I let a spike or whatever walk by me and my dad will shoot it. It is just tough when you hunt smaller tracts of land to let these deer mature. Trust me I hate excess regulation as much as the next guy but I also like seeing big whitetails as much as the next guy. This will never happen of course but I kinda wanted to throw the idea around and get some reaction.